Allow Multi Tennant SaaS customers to use Barcode Rendering services like IDAutomation

Feature Requests and Suggestions
1

Multi Tennant SaaS customers are unable to offer Code128 or DataMatrix or QRCode barcodes with SSRS because the rendering is done at the server.

I have a number of Epicor customers that have customers of their own that REQUIRE Code128 for barcodes. Currently their ONLY solution is to use Crystal Reports.

If Epicor would allow outgoing and incoming traffic from know Barcode Rendering Serivices like IDAutomation then we could use SSRS for barcodes.

The REndering service works by letting you put in a URL for your ImageSource and IDAUTOMATION returns a JPEG image for your SSRS .

Currently Epicor blocks traffic to IDAUTOMATION.

WE ABSOLUTELY NEED A WAY TO PRINT Code128, or DataMatrix BARCODES as a MT SaaS Customer.
DaveO

2

The other option is to create your own local web service to print the labels. I did this in E9. MT people should be able to call a web service that looks like:

https://yourserver.yourdomain.com/labelprint/printername/

with a post of the type of label, number of copies, etc. In fact, you could probably drive Bartender this way. Use the Single Responsibility Principle and get the Epicor application out of the business of creating temp files, managing printers, etc. The side benefit is it’s easy to put up a local web page to print duplicate labels as needed and to test your process.

1 Like
3

Isn’t one of the appealing things of MT cloud that you don’t have to have any server to maintain on site though?

4

Indeed! This isn’t an Epicor printing issue per se, it’s ALL of your local printing. The Azure solution would be Hybrid Cloud Printing. Your web service can exist in Azure and you would set up your barcode printer in Azure as well.

Mark W.

5

Mr. Mark: The IDAutomation service is an https://. . . also – I was told by Epicor they do not allow outgoing HTTPS to services like IDAUTOMATION.

Also, I need to add barcodes to Pack Slips, Invoices, Purchase Orders, etc. – so Bartender is not the best solution for those forms.

DaveO

Dave Olender (DaveO)

ERP Specialist

Ph: 651-246-3281

6

So this means that we can´t just change fonts in the report builder because the only font installed in EPICOR´s server is DataWorks?

7

Yes, I see what you mean with SSRS. That is a different problem. Interesting. The IDAutomation service is returning an image (jpeg, png)?

8

Code 128 and QRCode barcodes aren’t fonts, they are basically calculate photographs. So yes, IDAutomation is (effectively) returning an image file, but it is not a letter-for-letter exchange.

1 Like
9

Mr. Ernie: Thank you for the correction.

Now – Will Epicor allow MT SaaS customers to use the IDAutomation Barcode Rendering Service to return a “Calculated Photograph” to be used in an Image Reference in an SSRS Report?

DaveO

Olender LLC

Dave Olender (DaveO)

Phone: 651-246-3281

Email: dolender@olenderconsulting.com

10

No, it is still server-side processing. It’s the server that needs to call the website, and it is blocked.

11

Can the images be made ahead of time, attached to the job and then printed with the paperwork instead generated with the SSRS?

2 Likes
12

To my knowledge, not through ID Automation. Their process is done at the time of report generation.

13

But in reality, what we really want is a more complete barcode solution for both SaaS and on Prem users. Right? If we could get 128, UPC/EAN, MICR, QR Code, DataMatrix, etc. then all would be right in the world, you know? It doesn’t have to be one solution in particular as long as we could generate and view/print bar codes.

Mark W.

14

Mr. Mark: THANK YOU!

Perfectly stated.

DaveO