ShipWorks

ShipWorks enables e-commerce web sites and businesses to manage and ship orders for multiple sales channels through one simple interface.

This article describes how to use a ShipWorks Data Reader to connect to a third-party (Easysoft) ODBC data source.

ODBC provides a uniform, cross-DBMS interface and insulates applications from the database by using middleware known as an ODBC driver to translate the application's (ShipWorks Data Reader) requests into something that the database understands.

Easysoft provide a number of ODBC connectors that enable client applications such as ShipWorks to access databases and back ends such as Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, DB2, and Salesforce.

In addition, Easysoft's ODBC-JDBC Gateway enables an ODBC-compliant application to access a Java database though that database vendor's JDBC driver.

Installing and licensing the Easysoft ODBC driver or ODBC-JDBC Gateway

1. Download the Windows ODBC driver or ODBC-JDBC Gateway.
2. Install and license the Easysoft driver on the machine where the ShipWorks software is installed.

   For installation and licensing instructions, refer to the documentation for your Easysoft driver.

Configuring the ODBC data source

Before you can use an Easysoft ODBC driver to connect ShipWorks to an external database, you need to configure an ODBC data source. An ODBC data source stores the connection details for the target database and the ODBC driver that is required to connect to it.

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

odbcad32.exe

In ODBC Data Source Administrator:

1. Choose the System DSN tab.
2. Choose the Add button.
3. Choose the Easysoft ODBC driver from the list of drivers, and then choose OK.
4. Complete the fields in the Easysoft Driver DSN Setup dialog box.

   Refer to the documentation for your Easysoft driver for information about the fields you need to complete.

Creating an ODBC connection in ShipWorks

ShipWorks can connect to an external ODBC data source. The ODBC connection can be used to pull data into ShipWorks or push data from ShipWorks into the ODBC back end.

1. Log into ShipWorks as a user who has rights to add or edit a store.
2. On the Manage tab, choose Stores. Then choose Add Store.
3. Choose the platform you are adding to ShipWorks from the What platform do you sell on? drop-down menu. Choose Next.
4. On the Setup Import Data Source screen, choose the Data Source: menu. Choose the Easysoft ODBC data source you want to connect to.
5. If the back end requires a user name and password, enter these details when prompted.
6. Test the connection and choose Next.

   The Easysoft ODBC driver connection is now available for use in ShipWorks.