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Cobssoft Order Setup

Cobssoft Order is an order rasing app for Zoho Books which simplifies order raising process. Anyone using zoho books can ask their customer to raise orders directly from Cobssoft Order app.

Getting started

  • This app can only be used if the zoho books is configured properly.
  • To use cobssoft order app, one need an authentication token. An authentication token is security key which enables app to communicate with zoho books.

Setting up Zoho books for Cobssoft Order

  • In order to use Cobssoft Order app, there should be a proper configuration has be performed in zoho accounts and zoho books web app.
  • Zoho books does not provide customer authentication mechanism through web api, hence an authentication mechanism has been setup to identify each customer uniquely.

How it works?

  • Cobssoft Order combines the zoho authentication mechanism and the custom fields features from contacts module.
  • You have to create a separate account to use cobssoft order app and the app access zoho books by using authentication token and carefully choosing the role for the account.
  • Everyone is identified by their email address configured in contacts module. A custom field ‘Password’ must be created in contacts module to store the password.
  • The password is set only by the customer and these passwords are encrypted, cannot be seen directly anyone using zoho books.

Creating a role

  • From zoho books navigate to Settings->Users & Roles->Roles and click ‘New role’ as shown below,
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  • In the New role windows enter the role name(e.g.: CobssoftOrderRole) as your choice. Select the permission to role as shown below,
Full access View Create Edit Delete
Customer
Vendors
Items
Sales orders

Warning: Choose only the above-mentioned role, since by using authentication token one can access to zoho books programmatically, so ensure the limited access to your authentication token.

  • A new user can be added to zoho books by navigating to following page, Settings->Users & Roles->All Users and click ‘Invite User’ button.
  • Enter the email id and assign a role (e.g.: CobssoftOrderRole) as shown below,
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  • It is recommended that create a separate user id(emai-id) for your cobssoft order app.

Generating authentication token

  • The authentication token can be generated by using the URL ‘https://accounts.zoho.com/apiauthtoken/nb/create.’ in your browser. The browser returns as follows,

Sample Success Response

#
#Fri Apr 11 06:14:13 PST 2016
AUTHTOKEN=ba4604e8e433g9c892e360d53463oec5
RESULT=TRUE

Sample Error Response

#
#Fri Apr 11 06:32:13 PST 2016
CAUSE=INVALID_API_AUTHTOKEN_SCOPE
RESULT=FALSE

  • Share the authentication token to your customers and it can be configured in Cobssoft Order.

Warning: authentication tokens carry important information about your identity. So, make sure, you keep them secure and it is secretive.

  • For more information on how to generate auth token visit ‘https://www.zoho.com/books/api/v3/#authentication’

Creating custom fields in Contacts module

  • Create a new custom field ‘Password’ in contact module from zoho books. The ‘Password’ field serves as a storage for app password that is provided by customer while signing up zoho books.
  • Open Zoho Books->Settings->Preferences->Contacts->Custom field and click the button ‘New custom field’. Fill the details as shown below and click ‘Save’.
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