Analysing QuickBooks data in Dundas BI

The QuickBooks ODBC driver enables you to work with QuickBooks Desktop data outside of the QuickBooks interface. The driver allows you to use QuickBooks data in any application that supports ODBC. Dundas BI is one such application and its generic ODBC interface enables you to use the QuickBooks driver to work with QuickBooks data in a Dundas BI dashboard.

Installing the QuickBooks ODBC driver

1. Download the QuickBooks ODBC driver for your Windows platform.
2. Install and license the QuickBooks ODBC driver on the machine where Dundas BI is installed.

   To do this, execute the file distribution that you downloaded in the previous step, and follow the on-screen instructions.

   The install program starts the Easysoft License Manager, because you cannot use your Easysoft product until a license is obtained.

   The following types of license are available:

   • Free time-limited trial license, which gives you free and unrestricted use of the product for a limited period (usually 14 days).
   • Full license if you have purchased the product. On purchasing the product, you are given an authorization code, which you use to obtain a license.
3. In Easysoft License Manager, enter your details.

   Complete the Name, E-Mail Address, and Company fields.

   The E-Mail Address must be the same as the address used to register and download from the Easysoft web site or you will be unable to obtain trial licenses.

4. Choose Request License.

   You're asked for a license type.

5. Do one of the following:
   • For a trial license, choose Time Limited Trial and then choose Next.

     The License Manager asks what software you are licensing. Select your product from the drop-down list and then choose Next.

   • If you have obtained an authorization code for a purchased license, select Non-expiring License and then choose Next.

     The License Manager requests your authorization code.

     Enter the authorization code and then choose Next.

6. The License Manager displays a summary of the information you entered and allows you to choose the method of applying for your license.
7. Do one of the following:
   • Choose On-line Request if your machine is connected to the internet and can make outgoing connections to port 8884.

     The License Manager then sends a request to the Easysoft license server to activate your license key automatically. This is the quickest method and results in your details being entered immediately into our support database.

   • The remaining three options (Email Request, Print Request, and View Request) are all ways to obtain a license if your machine is off-line (does not have a connection to the internet).

     Each of these methods involves providing Easysoft with information including your machine number (a number unique to your machine) and then waiting to receive your license key.

     Instead of emailing your details to Easysoft, you can enter them directly at the Easysoft web site and your license key will be emailed to you automatically.

     To use this method, choose View Request, and then visit:

     • Trial license page
     • Full license page

     In the licensing page, enter your machine number (and authorization code for a purchased license), choose Submit and your license key will be emailed to you.

     When you receive the license key, you can activate it either by double-clicking the email attachment or by choosing Enter License on the License Manager main screen and pasting the license key into the dialog box.

8. Choose Finish to exit the License Manager.

   The installation is complete.

Configuring an ODBC data source

Before you can use the QuickBooks ODBC driver to connect your application to QuickBooks, you need to configure an ODBC data source. An ODBC data source stores the connection details for the target database (in this case, QuickBooks) and the ODBC driver that is required to connect to it (in this case, the QuickBooks ODBC driver).

You configure ODBC data sources in ODBC Data Source Administrator, which is included with Windows. To run ODBC Data Source Administrator, in the Windows Run dialog box, type:

%windir%\syswow64\odbcad32.exe

Use ODBC Data Source Administrator to create a QuickBooks ODBC driver data source:

1. Choose the System DSN tab, and then choose Add.
2. In the Create New Data Source dialog box, choose Easysoft ODBC-QuickBooks Desktop Driver, and then choose Finish.
3. Complete these fields Easysoft ODBC-QuickBooks Desktop Driver DSN Setup dialog box:

   Setting	Value
   DSN	QuickBooks Desktop
   Connection Mode	Same As QuickBooks
   Application Name	EasysoftQuickBooksODBC
   Application ID	EasysoftQuickBooksODBC
   QB Edition	Set this to be the same as QuickBooks Desktop. For example, if you have the US version of QuickBooks, set QB Edition to US.
   Application Is A Service	Enabled

Connecting Dundas BI to QuickBooks

QuickBooks Desktop is a 32-bit application, which can only be used with 32-bit libraries. The QuickBooks Desktop ODBC driver is a library and is therefore 32-bit as well. Dundas BI is a 64-bit application, however, and can only be used with a 64-bit ODBC driver. To enable Dundas BI to be used with a 32-bit ODBC driver, you also need to install the Easysoft ODBC-ODBC Bridge.

1. Install the on the machine where you installed the QuickBooks ODBC driver.

   Install both the client and server. For information on installing, licensing, and testing the ODBC-ODBC Bridge, refer to the documentation.

2. Open the 64-bit ODBC Data Source Administrator, which is either the only version of this application that's accessible with Control Panel > Administrative Tools or if there are two, it will contain 64-bit in its name.
3. Choose the System DSN tab, and then choose Add.

   The ODBC-ODBC Bridge DSN dialog box is displayed

4. In the Name box, enter OOBQuickBooks. Choose the Server tab.
5. In the Servers box, enter localhost:8888.
6. In the Username and Password boxes, enter your Windows user name and password for this machine. Choose the Target DSN tab.
7. In the TargetDSN box, enter the name of your QuickBooks ODBC driver data source.

• In your QuickBooks ODBC driver data source, enable Application is a Service.

These steps show you how to work with QuickBooks data in Dundas BI

1. In your web browser, log into Dundas BI.
2. Choose New > Data Connector.
3. Enter a name for the Data Connector in the space provided.
4. In the New Data Connector pane, choose ODBC Generic from the Data Provider pane.
5. Enable Use System DSN.
6. In the System DSN list, choose your data source, which in our example was called OOBQuickBooks.
7. Choose Select Structures.
8. QuickBooks prompts you to whether to allow the QuickBooks ODBC driver to access your QuickBooks data. In the QuickBooks - Application with No Certificate dialog box, choose Yes, always allow access even if QuickBooks is not running. Choose Allow this application to access personal data such as Social Security Numbers and customer credit card information. Choose Continue.

   The Confirm to Proceed dialog box is displayed.

9. Choose Yes.

   The Access Confirmation dialog box is displayed.

10. Choose the tables you want in the Select Structures pane. Choose the "Tick" button.
11. Choose the Home button.
12. Choose Explore data.
13. Choose Use an existing data structure.
14. In the left-hand pane, expose the tables in your newly creator connector.
15. Choose the "Tick" button to retrieve your data.