Before you begin the integration process between CrewCard and Rentman, ensure that you have the following prerequisites in place:
1. Rentman Account: You must have a valid Rentman account to proceed with the integration. If you don’t have one, you can sign up for a Rentman account by visiting their official website.
2. Rentman API Token: To establish the connection between CrewCard and Rentman, you’ll need an API token from Rentman. The API token acts as a secure authentication mechanism, allowing CrewCard to access the necessary data from your Rentman account.
Obtaining the Rentman API Token:
To obtain the API token required for the integration between CrewCard and Rentman, follow these steps:
1. Log in to your Rentman account: Open your web browser and go to the Rentman login page. Enter your credentials to access your account dashboard.
2. Navigate to Settings: After logging in, click on the “Settings” option. The location of the Settings may vary depending on the Rentman interface version, but it is usually accessible from the side menu. Then go to Extensions.
3. API: Within the Extension section, look for the “API” or “Developer” settings. Here, you will find the option to generate a new API token. If you already have an existing token, you might see a “Regenerate” or “Create new token” option. Click on the appropriate button to proceed.
4. Create a new API token: If you don’t have an API token already, the system will prompt you to generate one.
5. Save the API token: Once you’ve generated the new API token, the system will display it on the screen. Take note of the token or copy it to a secure location. It is essential to store the API token safely, as it serves as an authentication mechanism for the integration between CrewCard and Rentman.
Remember, the API token is a sensitive piece of information that grants access to your Rentman data, so ensure that only authorized personnel have access to it. With the API token ready, you can provide this token to CrewCard to initiate the integration.
The data below is transferred from Rentman to CrewCard.
1. Rentman Project = Jobsheet
Once a project is added in Rentman, it seamlessly syncs with CrewCard, transforming into a Jobsheet.
2. Planning Period / Usage Period = Shifts Date and Time
The Planning Period serves as the basis for the date and time of the shifts in CrewCard. It will be the Scheduled job date and time.
However, if the planning period is not available, the usage period will be used as the basis for the date and time of the shifts in CrewCard. The Usage Period will be used as the Actual Job Date and Time in CrewCard.
In this example, the Planning Period is set from 12-07-2023 to 12-08-2023. This means that the shifts in CrewCard will occur and be scheduled within this specific period, ensuring they coincide with the defined Planning Period.
3. Rentman Function = CrewCard Activity
The Rentman Function will become the CrewCard Activity.
4. Rentman Crew Member = CrewCard Crew Member
The Rentman Crew Member will become the CrewCard Crew Member.
Furthermore, whenever a crew member is transferred from Rentman to CrewCard, a corresponding Crew Profile will be automatically generated in CrewCard. This ensures that all crew members have their necessary profiles set up in the CrewCard system for seamless integration.
The following details are transferred to CrewCard:
5. Rentman Client = CrewCard Client
When a project is pushed from Rentman to CrewCard, it includes all the relevant details of the Client associated with the project. As a result, a dedicated Client Profile is created in CrewCard, containing all the necessary information for seamless reference and coordination such as name, address, state, postcode, city within the CrewCard system. This ensures that important Client data is readily accessible and organised within CrewCard for efficient project management.
6. Rentman Location = CrewCard Venue
The location specified in the Rentman Project will automatically be designated as the corresponding CrewCard Venue for the shifts. This means that the location information from Rentman will seamlessly transfer over to CrewCard, ensuring accurate and consistent Venue details for each shift. This simplifies the process of managing and coordinating shifts, as the assigned Venue in CrewCard will directly align with the original location specified in Rentman.
7. Rentman Project Name and Project Number = CrewCard Job Description and Job Number
The Rentman Project Name and Number will be automatically imported into CrewCard, where they will be used as the Jobsheet Description and Job Number, respectively. This streamlined transfer of information ensures that all essential project details from Rentman are seamlessly carried over to CrewCard, making it easier to track and manage each job within the CrewCard system.
You have the option to import shifts from Rentman to CrewCard using either of the following methods:
1. Manual Import: This method allows you to manually initiate the import process from Rentman to CrewCard.
To begin the manual import of shifts from your Rentman account, simply click on the “Import Rentman Shifts” button. This action will initiate the process of importing shifts into your CrewCard account
The page will load and initiate the importing a shift from Rentman.
2. Auto Import (activated by default): With the auto import feature, shifts are automatically transferred from Rentman to CrewCard at predefined intervals.
You will know the last date and time of import from this:
When updates are made to a project in Rentman, these changes will be automatically pushed to CrewCard at regular predefined intervals. This ensures that the project information in CrewCard remains up-to-date and synchronised with the latest changes made in Rentman, providing seamless and timely updates across both platforms.
All updates that are transferred to CrewCard are distinctly labeled with “RM Updates” on the corresponding Jobsheet. This labeling system helps identify and differentiate the changes that originated from Rentman, making it easy to track and manage the updated information within CrewCard.
Only the following items will trigger an update from Rentman to CrewCard:
– Planning Period / Usage Period
– Crew
Once an update has been successfully pushed from Rentman to CrewCard, you can access and review the details of these changes by opening the Jobsheet in CrewCard. The Jobsheet will display all the relevant information that has been updated, allowing you to easily see and verify the modifications made to the project from Rentman. This transparency and visibility of updates in the Jobsheet help ensure effective communication and coordination between both platforms.
You will have the option to review the proposed modifications and carefully assess their impact before proceeding. This control mechanism ensures that you have the final say in accepting or rejecting the changes, allowing for more deliberate decision-making and preventing unintended alterations to the shifts. Once you are satisfied with the updates, you can proceed to accept them, and only then will they be implemented on the corresponding shifts. This way, you can maintain accuracy and precision in your scheduling while keeping complete control over the changes made to your CrewCard shifts.
To accept the changes, select the shifts then navigate to the “Options” section located in the footer of the Jobsheet. Click on “Accept Rentman Changes” to confirm your approval of the proposed updates.
The Rentman updates will be applied to the selected shifts.
All recently updated or changed shifts in Rentman will be conveniently listed on the header of the jobs page in CrewCard. This dedicated section will display the most recent modifications made to shifts in Rentman, allowing you to quickly and easily identify the shifts that require attention or review. This feature helps you stay informed about the latest updates and ensures efficient management and coordination of shifts in CrewCard.
You can click on the Jobsheet link to go directly to the Jobsheet.
You can also click View History to get the history of the shift.
As with any integration, the Rentman-CrewCard integration also has some limitations. Below are the known limitations:
1. One-Way Sync: The integration might support one-way sync, meaning data can be transferred from Rentman to CrewCard, but not necessarily vice versa. Updates that are made in CrewCard will not reflect back to Rentman. Rentman updates will override its counterpart shifts in CrewCard.
2. No specified date and time: When there is no specified date and time in Rentman for a particular shift, the corresponding shift created in CrewCard will display a default date of 1970. Both the start time and end time will be set as 10:00, resulting in a total shift duration of zero hours.
3. Response Limitation
Due to data traffic limitations responses to collection, requests are limited to 300 items per response. If a request is done for more than 300 items, only the first 300 items are returned
4. Traffic Limitation
The rate at which requests can be sent to the Rentman API is limited to 50.000 requests per day, and 10 requests per second. A maximum of 20 requests can be sent at once.
The predefined intervals for pushing updates from Rentman to CrewCard need to be periodically reviewed to ensure they do not exceed the limitations set by Rentman. By regularly reviewing and adjusting these intervals, you can optimize the integration and prevent any potential issues that may arise due to Rentman’s limitations on data transfer or system capacity. This proactive approach ensures a smooth and reliable data synchronization process between Rentman and CrewCard, minimizing the risk of data inconsistencies or delays.
NOTE: These are the known limitations of the Rentman-CrewCard integration. However, it is important to acknowledge that there may be other limitations or challenges that are not yet listed or discovered. Integrations can be complex, and interactions between systems may reveal unforeseen issues during real-world usage.
