SyncLinx is an application that we install with AccountLinx that will allow you to copy certain information from your compatible payroll application directly into ExakTime. Depending on your payroll application, we can import your employees, locations (jobs, job sites, etc.), cost codes (activities), and equipment to make it easier to get started with ExakTime Connect and help eliminate data entry.

Table of Contents

• Before Using SyncLinx
• Understanding the Menu
• Importing/Ignoring an Entity
• Updating an Entity
• Importing a Previously Ignored Entity
• Entities that Exist in ExakTime Connect Only
• Changing the Name of an Existing Entity

Before Using SyncLinx

Before you can use SyncLinx, it must first be set up to communicate with your payroll application. For general setup steps of SyncLinx, you can refer to articles such as:

• General Setup for SyncLinx
• Resources for Specific Payroll/Accounting Packages such as QuickBooks and Sage 100

If you need further assistance with setting up SyncLinx, you can request assistance with the "Request Support" link at the top of the page.

Understanding the Menu

The buttons and lists for SyncLinx will only be usable if SyncLinx is connecting to your payroll application. If you are unable to click any buttons or view any lists, there may be a connection issue between the programs.

Retrieve Entities & Search

Towards the top left of SyncLinx will be a series of buttons for you to retrieve any entities (employees, locations, and/or cost codes) from your payroll application.

To the far right will be a search bar that will highlight the entities that fit your search (this does not filter out the list; simply highlight the text.)

Entity Lists

The main portion of SyncLinx will contain 4 quadrants:

• (Application Name) Employees/Locations/Cost Codes - This section will list any new entities that you can import or ignore. SyncLinx interprets an entity as being "new" if the entity's name/ID combination do not match an existing name/ID in ExakTime or has not been ignored yet. 

  

• Already in TimeSummit/ExakTime - This section will show entities that exist in ExakTime Connect that match with entities in your payroll application based on their name/ID combination. You can update specific information such as addresses with the provided checkbox when importing. It is possible for an entity that was manually entered in ExakTime to appear in this section if the name/ID combination matches a payroll entity.

  

• Ignored in Import - This section will show entities that have been marked as "ignored" from previous imports. Using the "Add to Import" checkbox will allow you to move the entity into the topmost section to import again.

  

• Exist in TimeSummit/ExakTime but not Matched (Deactivate) - This section will list entities that exist in ExakTime Connect and do not match with any entities in your payroll application based on their name/ID combination. This is common for manually entered entities. There are also checkboxes to deactivate an entity in ExakTime.

  

• Begin Import and Cancel buttons.

  

Importing/Ignoring an Entity

When importing or ignoring an entity, we will copy the necessary information for our ExakTime system such as the name and/or ID. We may not import all the information offered by the payroll application because we either do not have an equivalent field or we do not need the information for our system to utilize the information. 

• Click Get <Entity> to pull a list of entities from your payroll application. The speed of retrieving your entities can depend on the speed of your computer and how many entities are in your payroll application. While it can be quick, it can take an extended period if we are trying to retrieve 10,000+ entities.

  

• The top section will list entities that have not yet been imported or ignored. Towards the right of the entities will be two radial buttons, Import and Ignore. Click the option that you want to perform: Import or Ignore. If you do not want to do either, you can skip the entity and come back later.
  • Depending on the number of entities, it may be best to import or ignore what you need first, and then do the other function afterward. It's much easier to import the locations you need first, then ignore the rest in a separate import or vice-versa.

  

• Click Begin Import towards the bottom right of SyncLinx.
  • Any entity that was imported will appear in the "Already in ExakTime" section.
  • Any entity that was ignored will appear in the "Ignored in Import" section.
  • Any entity that was not imported or ignored will stay in the top section.

  

• After the import process has been completed, you can see the imported entity on the appropriate pages of ExakTime Connect.

Updating an Entity

If you changed the address for an already imported location or employee in your payroll application, you can update the information for the ExakTime Connect equivalent. The middle-left window of SyncLinx for "Already in ExakTime" will show entities that we believe match between ExakTime Connect and your payroll application based on the name/ID combination.

Please keep in mind that the "Already in ExakTime" populates based on matching name/ID combinations between applications. If you have changed the name for an entity in the payroll application, the entity will be listed as an entity to import and the ExakTime entity will be in the bottom section as the name/ID combinations do not match. You will not be able to update the name/ID as the entity is entered as a new entity. 

• To the right of the entities will be a checkbox to update. Check this box on.

  

• Click Begin Import to update its information. 

  

Importing a Previously Ignored Entity

When an entity is ignored instead of imported, it will appear in the middle-right "Ignored in Import" window. Any ignored location will have the option to import again to the right of the entity's name.

• Click the checkbox under the column "Add to Import".

  

• When ready, click Begin Import.

  

• After a moment, the entity will appear at the top window for you to import or ignore again.

Entities that Exist in ExakTime Connect Only

At the bottom of SyncLinx is a section reserved for entities that exist in ExakTime Connect, but we cannot match them with anything in your payroll application.

This can be due to either:

• The entity was deactivated/removed in the payroll application and SyncLinx cannot locate it.
• The entity was manually entered into ExakTime Connect and does not exist in your payroll application.
• The entity has a different name on both sides of your payroll application and SyncLinx.

Depending on the situation, you will want to: 

• If the entity should not be available in ExakTime Connect any longer, you can deactivate the entity by using the checkbox on the far right and clicking Begin Import.
  • Please Note: If you only have one ExakTime Connect administrator, you should NOT deactivate the employee entry in SyncLinx as it will remove access to ExakTime Connect.
• If the entity was manually entered into ExakTime Connect and there is no matching entity in your payroll application, then you have two options. If that is intentional, then nothing would need to be done. If this was not intentional and the entity should not be available, then you can deactivate it with the steps above.
  • Please Note: If you only have one ExakTime Connect administrator, you should NOT deactivate the employee entry in SyncLinx as it will remove access to ExakTime Connect.
• If the entity has a different name/ID on both sides, then you will want to update/correct the name on one of the sides so they both match.

Changing the Name of an Existing Entity

SyncLinx determines if an entity already exists in ExakTime Connect based on the name/ID combination.

If you need to update the name of the entity, it is best to update the name in ExakTime Connect so it best matches the entity in your payroll application.

For example, let's say we imported the employee "Daniel Smithe" into ExakTime Connect, then realize that the name was wrong. If you update the name in your payroll application to something else such as "Daniel Smith" and open SyncLinx, it will see ''"Daniel Smith" as a new employee and list them as available for import. If imported, this may cause confusion as the original employee entry may already be in use and have time data associated in addition to the newly created duplicate.