Other Destinations & Connectors

Overview

The Other Destinations tab lets you send Excel data directly to verified external systems such as databases, accounting platforms, and time-tracking tools. Instead of manually copying data or exporting to CSV, you can sync your Excel data with a single click.

Connector capacity and add-on packs
Connector workflows use two account limits: connector slots and connector data-transfer balance. ExForms add-on packs can extend either one without changing your full subscription. That is useful when you need one more connection, a temporary sync spike, or targeted connector capacity on a Free-plan account. API access can also be enabled separately through an add-on pack when you need programmatic access without moving the whole account to a higher plan.

What are Connectors?

Connectors are pre-built integrations that connect Excel to specific services.

The current checked-in add-in surface includes these verified connectors:

  • Databases: SQL Database (Generic) for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
  • Time Tracking: Toggl Track
  • Accounting: QuickBooks Online

This public docs set currently includes detailed setup guides for SQL Database (Generic), QuickBooks Online, and Toggl Track.

Getting Started

1. Access Other Destinations

In the ExForms Excel Add-in:

  1. Click the Other Destinations tab
  2. You'll see categorized lists of available connections
  3. Choose the service you want to connect to

Other Destinations Tab

2. Select a Connector

Connectors are organized by category:

▼ Databases
  ○ SQL Database (Generic)
     - MySQL
     - PostgreSQL
     - SQL Server
  
▼ Time Tracking
  ○ Toggl Track - Clients, projects, time entries, and more
  
▼ Accounting
  ○ QuickBooks Online - OAuth-based accounting sync

Click on any connector to begin configuration.

Configuration Steps

Step 1: Connection Settings

Each connector requires specific information:

Example: Toggl Track

  • Connection Name: "My Toggl Workspace" (friendly name for you)
  • Workspace ID: Your Toggl workspace ID
  • API Token: Your personal API token from Toggl

Security Note: Your credentials are encrypted and stored securely in Azure Key Vault. They are never visible to other users.

Step 2: Test Connection

After entering credentials:

  1. Click Test Connection
  2. The add-in verifies it can connect to the service
  3. Status indicator shows:
    • ✅ Connected - Ready to use
    • ❌ Error - Check credentials
    • ⚠️ Unknown - Not yet tested

Step 3: Save Connection

Once the test succeeds:

  1. Click Save
  2. The connection appears in your Saved Connections list
  3. You can now map Excel data to this destination

SQL Database (Generic)

ExForms uses one verified SQL connector for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.

For MySQL:

  1. Open SQL Database (Generic).
  2. Set Database Provider to mysql.
  3. Enter host, database, optional port, SSL mode, and credentials.
  4. Test and save the connection.
  5. Discover the target tables and map Excel tables to them.

For the provider-specific setup details, see SQL Database (Generic) Connector.

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online is the current accounting connector in the shipped add-in.

QuickBooks setup uses:

  1. your own Intuit app Client ID and Client Secret
  2. an Environment choice of sandbox or production
  3. the built-in OAuth dialog started from Test Connection
  4. automatic capture of the QuickBooks realmId after authorization

The current connector surface supports:

  • Customers
  • Products & Services
  • Invoices

For the full setup and mapping guide, see QuickBooks Online Connector.

Mapping Excel Data

The fastest way to start is using Auto-Map, which creates Excel tables and mappings for you automatically:

Method 1: Auto-Map Button

  1. After saving a connection, click Auto-Map Endpoints
  2. Select which endpoints to map (e.g., "Clients", "Projects")
  3. Click Create Tables & Map
  4. Done! Excel tables created with correct columns AND mappings saved

Method 2: From "No Unmapped Tables" Dialog

  1. Click Add New Mapping
  2. If all tables are mapped, dialog shows unmapped endpoints
  3. Click Auto-Map Endpoints in the dialog
  4. Tables and mappings created automatically

What Auto-Map Does:

  • ✅ Creates new Excel sheets (one per endpoint)
  • ✅ Creates Excel tables with correct column names from endpoint fields
  • ✅ Automatically creates 1:1 field mappings (Excel column name = endpoint field name)
  • ✅ Saves mappings to server
  • ✅ Ready to use immediately

Example Result: For Toggl Clients endpoint:

  • Sheet created: "Clients"
  • Table created with columns: name, notes
  • Mapping saved: name → name, notes → notes
  • Add client data to table and sync!

Manual Field Mapping

If you prefer custom Excel structure, map manually:

Example: Toggl Clients

Excel Source Destination Field Required
Table Column: Client Name name Yes
Table Column: Notes notes No

Mapping Options:

  • Excel Tables: Use table column names (recommended for bulk data)
  • Named Ranges: Single cell or range names (for single-record syncs)
  • Static Values: Enter text directly (for constant values)

💡 Tip: If you name your Excel columns to match endpoint field names exactly, the mapping becomes obvious and less error-prone

Workbook mismatch

If you open a different workbook than the one used to create a connection, you will see a Template Mismatch dialog. This protects your mappings and prevents accidental syncs against the wrong Excel structure.

The dialog can offer:

  • Download Template – Get the original workbook template used for this connection.
  • Create Tables – Create empty tables in the current workbook (only when no name collisions exist).
  • Open Mapping – Review and adjust mappings manually.

Permissions matter: Mapping actions appear only if you have Edit Mapping permission for that connection. Permissions are managed by account owners in Settings → Users & Teams.

Syncing Data

Manual Sync

From the Saved Connections list:

  1. Click Sync Data button next to your connection
  2. Choose sync mode:
    • Insert: Add new records only
    • Update: Update existing records (match by key field)
    • Upsert: Update if exists, insert if new
  3. Review the preview
  4. Click Send

Sync Results

After syncing, you'll see:

  • ✅ Records successfully created/updated
  • ❌ Any errors with details
  • 📊 Summary: "5 records synced, 0 errors"

Managing Connections

Saved Connections List

Your connections show:

  • Icon: Service logo
  • Name: Your friendly name
  • Status: Connection health (✅/❌/⚠️)
  • Actions:
    • Sync Data / Map Fields: Primary action
    • Test: Verify connection still works
    • Settings: Edit credentials
    • Delete: Remove connection

Connection Status

Status Meaning Action
✅ Connected Working correctly Ready to sync
❌ Error Connection failed Check credentials, test again
⚠️ Unknown Not tested recently Click Test to verify

Re-testing Connections

Periodically test your connections:

  1. Click the refresh icon (🔄) next to the connection
  2. Status updates in real-time
  3. If it fails, update credentials in Settings

Sync Modes Explained

Insert Mode

Use when: Adding new records only

Behavior:

  • Creates new records in the destination
  • If record already exists → error (duplicate)
  • Safe for initial data loads

Example: Adding new clients to Toggl

Update Mode

Use when: Updating existing records

Behavior:

  • Finds existing record by key field (e.g., ID or email)
  • Updates the record
  • If record doesn't exist → error (not found)
  • Safe for bulk updates

Example: Updating client names in your CRM

Use when: Syncing regularly

Behavior:

  • Tries to find existing record by key field
  • If found → updates it
  • If not found → creates new record
  • Most flexible option

Example: Daily sync of time entries or contacts

Security & Permissions

Credential Storage

All credentials are stored in Azure Key Vault, not in the Excel workbook or our database:

  • ✅ Encrypted at rest (HSM-backed)
  • ✅ Encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+)
  • ✅ Access logged and audited
  • ✅ Regular automatic rotation

Who Can Access Connections?

Account Owners: Can create, edit, and delete connections

Team Admins: Can edit field mappings, sync data

Regular Users: Can sync data using existing connections and mappings

Shared Connections

Connections are shared within your company:

  • Owner configures credentials once
  • Team members can use connections without seeing credentials
  • Everyone syncs to the same destination

Troubleshooting

"Connection Test Failed"

Common causes:

  1. Invalid credentials: Double-check API token, password
  2. Expired token: Generate a new token in the service
  3. Wrong workspace/account: Verify workspace ID or account name
  4. Network issues: Check internet connection, firewall
  5. Service down: Check service status page

Solution: Click Settings, verify all fields, test again

"Field mapping required"

Cause: No mapping saved for this connection

Solution: Click Map Fields, set up Excel-to-destination mapping, save

"Record already exists"

Cause: Using Insert mode, but record exists

Solution: Switch to Update or Upsert mode

"Match key field required"

Cause: Using Update/Upsert mode without specifying which field to match on

Solution: In mapping settings, select the key field (e.g., "email" or "id")

Available Connectors

Public Guides Available Now

  • SQL Database (Generic) - Unified connector for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
  • QuickBooks Online - OAuth-based accounting sync for customers, products and services, and invoices
  • Toggl Track - Time tracking, projects, tasks, and related Toggl endpoints

Also Available in the Current Add-in

  • QuickBooks Online remains part of the verified shipped connector surface and now has a public setup guide.

Need another connector or guide? Request one

Best Practices

1. Start with Auto-Map

For new connections, use Auto-Map:

  • ✅ Zero configuration - tables and mappings created automatically
  • ✅ Correct field names from the start
  • ✅ Ready to sync immediately
  • ✅ Reduces mapping errors

When to use manual mapping:

  • You have existing Excel tables with custom column names
  • You need complex transformations
  • You're mapping to static values

2. Test Before Full Sync

Start with a small dataset:

  1. Create test records (2-3 rows)
  2. Map fields
  3. Sync and verify results
  4. Then sync your full dataset

3. Use Upsert for Regular Syncs

If syncing daily/weekly:

  • Choose Upsert mode
  • Set the key field (ID, email, etc.)
  • Handles new and existing records automatically

4. Keep Credentials Updated

When you change passwords or tokens:

  1. Update in Settings immediately
  2. Test connection
  3. Notify team members if shared

5. Monitor Sync Results

After each sync:

  • Review the results
  • Check for errors
  • Fix data issues in Excel
  • Re-sync if needed

API Access

Public API access is included on Pro and Enterprise plans by default.

  • EFCustom includes API access only when it is explicitly enabled for that tenant.
  • If your current plan does not include API access, you can also enable it with an API access add-on pack instead of changing the full subscription.
  • The API access add-on is useful for lower-tier or Free-plan accounts that need programmatic access for one workflow.
  • Actual API document generation still uses your normal document-generation capacity.
  • The currently published public API reference is the Document Generation API Reference.
  • Connector-specific public API and authentication docs are not published yet.

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