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Tip

This integration was added in v1.4, check out the full release notes for this version here:
v1.4, v1.4HF1 - July 2019.

Prerequisites

In order to connect ResourceXpress to your EMS scheduling software, the following will be required:

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  • EMS Platform Services API version 44.1.19000.180 or higher. To check your version navigate to your Platform Services status URL e.g.

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  • http(s)://<servername>/EmsPlatform/status

  • An EMS Platform Services Integration Account, see the below Integration Account Configuration section for the account requirements

  • Access to the EMS Desktop Client and EMS SQL database

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titleIntegration Account Configuration

An integration account is required to enable authentication and two-way communication between ResourceXpress and EMS Platform Services. To create the integration account:

  • Log in to the Platform Services admin page e.g. http(s)://<servername>/EmsPlatform/admin

  • Click Integrations from the left pane.

  • Click New Integration Client

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  • Populate the required fields per the below

Name

<Enter a suitable name>

Type

Partner

Role

All Routes

Audience

Client Audience

Active

Yes

Enable Logging

No

Allow this client to book without Everyday User Templates and Ignore Booking Rules

Yes

Everyday User Authentication Required

No

User Authentication is Persistent

No

Everyday User Authentication Method

EMS Native

  • Click Save Changes

A client secret will now be generated and shown at the top of the page. Copy the newly created Client ID and Client Secret for later use.

Note

Once you close this page the client secret will not be viewable and cannot be retrieved.

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titleResourceXpress System Settings

Once the Platform Services Integration Account has been created you can configure the integration details in ResourceXpress.

  • Navigate to Administration Settings - System Settings - Resource Server and populate the fields per the below

Server Host Name

Note

The URL entered here is case sensitive and should be entered in the exact format shown on the right including the last '/'

Enter your Platform Services URL in the format

http(s)://<servername>/EmsPlatform/api/v1/

Server Port

80 or 443

Resource Login User ID

Enter the Integration Account Client ID

Resource Login Password

Enter the Integration Account Client Secret

Resource Login Domain

Enter your company domain

  • Click Save

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titleConfiguring Resource Profiles

Each resource profile in ResourceXpress is linked to a resource profile in EMS. Before configuring ResourceXpress you should have the EMS profiles already created.

For each profile in EMS, you will need the individual ID number assigned during creation, to retrieve this ID number

  • Open the EMS Desktop Client

  • Navigate to Configuration - Facilities - Rooms

  • Open the properties of the profile you are adding to ResourceXpress and navigate to the Audit tab, make a note of the ID number shown at the bottom of this view

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  • In ResourceXpress navigate to Administration Settings - Resource List and click +Create

  • Populate to below fields in the Resource Info tab

Resource Name

Enter the EMS ID number from the Desktop Client

Resource Name - Display

Enter the name you want to appear on the room panel/desk device

  • Ensure the Booking System type is set to EMS in the Connection Properties tab

Info

To configure the remaining Resource profile settings please refer to Create & Edit Resource Profiles

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titleEMS SQL IDs

When a booking is initiated using ResourceXpress via a Room Screen, Qubi, Kiosk or Map the booking is created based on specific parameters defined in EMS. To enable RX to use the correct options various SQL IDs need to be retrieved and defined in the application.

Info

Currently the only way to define these values is in the backend configuration of ResourceXpress, please contact helpdesk@qedas.com for assistance setting these up.

SQL IDs for the following options in EMS will be required to complete the configuration:

EMS Option

Description

EMS Database Table

Setup Type

This defines the booking setup type as specified in the EMS Desktop Client Configuration - Facilities - Setup Types

dbo.tblSetupType

Event Type

The defines the booking event type as specified in the EMS Desktop Client Configuration - Other - Event Types

dbo.tblEventType

Status

The defines the booking event type as specified in the EMS Desktop Client Configuration - Administration - Statuses

dbo.tblStatus

Group

This defines the EMS Group account to use for non authenticated device bookings and will be shown as the booking organiser.

dbo.tblGroup

Example

Running the below query in SQL Server Management Studio against the EMS database

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languagesql
select ID, Description, Active, AllowWebRequest from dbo.tblsetuptype

yields the following results

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To enable ResourceXpress to create bookings using the Conference setup type the ID 1 would be defined in the application.

Note

The ID specified must be Active (1) and must be set to AllowWebRequest (1)

SQL IDs for the remaining 3 options can be obtained the same way by querying the relevant table in the EMS database

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titleEMS User Authentication

ResourceXpress can utilise existing EMS user (group) accounts for device-level authentication via the Platform Services API.

To enable this feature navigate to Administration Settings - System Settings - User Authentication in the ResourceXpress admin console and select one of the below two options for the Authentication Protocol

  1. Use Resource Profile Settings - This option will utilize the Platform Services API settings specified in the Global Resource Credentials section under System Settings - Resource Server

  2. Use EMS Settings defined below - This option allows you to specify a different Platform Services URL and client credentials if required for example if the EMS user accounts are hosted in a different EMS instance than the resource profiles

Info

Once you have configured the User Authentication settings you can enable device-level authentication. For further information please see Interactive Tab

There are two values in the EMS group record used for User Authentication at the devices. By default, the field used for Access (PIN) Code is Personnel Number and the field used for RFID is Badge Number.

Network ID and Other ID can be used instead if required, please contact helpdesk@qedas.com if you need to substitute the default values.

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Note

When adding users as Attendees be aware of users with multiple mail accounts of similar names e.g John Smith and John J Smith. For attendee authentication to work the correct attendee booked must be the same account as the attendee checking in.

Info

In version 1.6 an enhancement was added to the way ResourceXpress retrieves EMS user accounts when using RFID and Access Code as in previous versions it was noticed EMS was returning partial results when presented with a specific value.

For example: A user swipes a badge with an output value of 123456, this value was subsequently sent to EMS with a request to match and return the correct user with that value stored as their Badge Number, EMS however returned all users that partially matched that number. In this scenario multiple users were returned with Badge Number values of 2345, 1234, 3456 etc and the user listed first alphabetically was used as the organiser of the booking.

In version 1.6 the same multiple, partial results are returned however ResourceXpress performs additional back end processing to filter these results and only processes the user with the exact Badge Number value.

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titleSetup and Teardown

Check In

Note

The option Update Booking Start Time found under the Interactive Tab - Check In should be set to No when integrating to EMS resources.

Prior to the booking starting the Check in button will flash and the LEDs will be amber, the amount of time the Check In button is visible can be configured under the Interactive Tab - Check In.

For bookings with setup and teardown, the Check In option is synchronized with EMS. It is recommended the Check In settings are the same as those in EMS. The Check In button is displayed as per the settings even if it that time is setup time.

The meeting will automatically start if not checked in with the option to Check In still available. If not checked in the meeting could automatically cancel if Auto Cancellation option is enabled in RX Admin Console.

Once the booking has completed the Clear (tear) down time begins allowing time to vacate the room and return it to its usual condition.

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titleTroubleshooting Common Issues

Error Message/Symptom

Cause

Solution

RXDS107 : Service Error:Service Error occurred

No ‘Book Now’ button displayed

Incorrect EMS Platform Services URL/URL formatting

Please check the Platform Services URL is correct under Administration Settings - System Settings - Resource Server - Server Hostname

Please refer to the ResourceXpress System Settings section of this guide for the correct formatting

RXDS201 : Create Reservation without user failed

Incorrect EMS resource ID specified for resource profile

Check the EMS ID number specified in the Resource Settings. Resource Info - Resource Name field.

This value must match the EMS resource ID number as described in the Configuring Resource Profiles section of this guide

Instant Booking appears successful but does not appear on screen

This happens when the booking is created in EMS with a Cancelled status

Refer to the EMS SQL ID’s section of this guide and ensure the correct status ID is being used to create bookings