Using the API with osCommerce

The questions are related to: "osCommerce Integration Default" screen, API and osCommerce Integration in general:

1. Is the current API capabable of sending successfully service, kitted, and downloadable items from osCommerce to Nolapro? If so, which API services can you be used? 

*** The API has the functionality to create orders in NolaPro and link line items to NolaPro inventory items. If another system uses kitting, downloadable products, services or similar you will need to convert these into an appropriate inventory type in NolaPro and add it to the NolaPro order line item. 

2. Does osCommerce bridge invoke ship transaction in Nolapro? If not, what is the purpose of having a Default Cost of Goods and Sales GL account in osCommerce default values screen? 

*** These defaults are needed if you ever plan to ship and invoice the order inside NolaPro. NolaPro requires the Sales account for invoicing and the COGS for shipping. 

3. Inserting osCommerce item Id in NolaPro item record is intended to bring down the inventory in NolaPro. We understand this is referring to the available quantity rather than on hand quantity. The on hand quantity is reduced by shipping transaction that takes place within NolaPro rather than in osCommerce. Is this right? 

*** You can add a custom code hook that will update the quantity available amount in the remote system when something ships from NolaPro. Having the link to the osCommerce item allows this. 

4. Does osCommerce bridge update the available inventory from Nolapro in osCommerce? 

*** The API does not do this. This requires a custom code hook. 

5. I understand API provided services are written independent of osCommerce implementation and can be used with any integration and ecommerce. 

*** That is correct. 

6. Does the current osCommerce integration cater for discount coupons from osCommerce? If not, how this functionality can be accommodated since it is a common function. 

*** You can add a line to the order that you send to NolaPro that contains the discount amount. Just make the price negative with a quantity of 1. 

7. What does "default customer terms ID" mean and do? 

*** This is the default terms for this customer whether that is Net 30, Due on Receipt, Credit Card or whatever you want to call the terms. 

8. Can we use Add deposit functionality through API to add the deposit the total payment for the order to the default account to essentially close the payment for the account? 

*** Yes, this can be done. Refer to sample code. 

9. We can work from a local copy of NolaPro to do development but the ultimately we would like to test the integration on the on demand version. We can either purchase a development environment or if you have such instance we could use it. 

*** We can arrange something when the time comes. You are welcome to test with the demo site (demo.nolapro.com). 

10. How robust is the API since it is at Beta stage? If you think we would run into problems, We'd rather work with you to figure out the rules and do database to database sync. 

*** We don't allow direct access to our database from the outside, so the API is really the only option. We use the API ourselves to pass in orders from osCommerce.

11. What is the API license terms? Example per instance or named user or company id etc. 

*** One license per NolaPro database/installation.

12. Can I use the same generic API activation code and key purchased to activate and test in Tools->osCommerce? If they are different, can they co-exist together in the same instance? Should I have gotten instead the osCommerce Integration API?

*** You can use the same API activation code to both test and run live. In order to use the osCommerce Integration you will need to get that activation code.

13. You can use the same API activation code to both test and run live. In order to use the osCommerce Integration you will need to get that activation code.

*** To install on a separate instance you will need a separate license key.

14. The API on the demo site seems not to be working? Example: “nolapro_get_company_defaults” for “arcompany” in nolapro.php returns zero. Similarly, “nolapro_check_customer” for customer id “145” returns zero. For developing the VM plug-in from time to time we need to access a test environment. I would appreciate pointing us to a test environment for this.

*** Go to Admin -> Admin Setup -> System Settings in the demo site. Select Yes for NolaPro API Logging. Run some transactions and then go to Tools -> API Log Viewer.

15. Once the osCommerce is downloaded, which price gets assigned for each order line item in NolaPro (osCommerce price or Nolapro default Price level)? If OS Comm price, then what is the function of the Default price level? 

*** The price from osCommerce gets assigned. Each order in NolaPro needs to have a default price level assigned. This is a required field. To stay consistent with the rest of the system a level needs to be assigned. Even for regular NolaPro orders the default price level is just used as the default price when items are added, but this can always be overridden on a per-item basis.

16. Why is price level for shopping cart is set at both osCommerce Integration screen in Admin and Inventory Standard GL accounts setup screen (based on the manual)?

*** Because you may want to have a different Price Level set for orders coming directly from osCommerce than for your regular NP orders.

17. eCommerce order discounts can be processed as 1 quantity and negative price as an order line. Does “discounts” need to be predefined as an inventory.item? 

*** There doesn't have to be a corresponding item in NolaPro for each item from osCommerce. If there is no linked item in NP, then it just adds the description of the item on the order. For the discount it can just be a description and doesn't need to link to an item.

18. Attached is a list of fields in the NolaPro manual having reference to the “”shopping cart:” (osCommerce). Do all these currently work with osCommerce or they refer to older version not active?

*** Attached is a list of fields in the NolaPro manual having reference to the “”shopping cart:” (osCommerce). Do all these currently work with osCommerce or they refer to older version not active?

19. Which function will decrement the available inventory quantity? Nolapro_save_order? Which function updates running payable sales tax?

*** Remember, the inventory is only reduced after something is shipped. The osCommerce Integration just brings in the order information. Orders entered through the API will commit inventory, but not reduce it. You can reduce inventory manually through the API if you want by using item/item_decrease.

Sales Tax payable entries aren't made until an order is converted to an invoice. We have no method to created invoices through the API at this time.