--- title: "Phocas: Business Intelligence (BI) Integration" canonical: "https://kb.myframeworks.com.au/space/FRAM/28408008/Phocas%3A%20Business%20Intelligence%20(BI)%20Integration" format: markdown --- Phocas is a third-party business intelligence (BI) platform that transforms raw transactional data from Frameworks into interactive analytical dashboards called cubes. The Phocas integration allows decision-makers at all levels of an organisation to analyse sales performance, purchasing trends, inventory positions and financial data without relying on static reports or manual spreadsheet exports. Frameworks generates CSV data extracts overnight and uploads them to the Phocas cloud via the Phocas Sync API. Phocas then rebuilds its analytical cubes using the updated data, so when users open Phocas the following morning they see information current as of the previous day's close of business. The integration is not real-time; it operates on a nightly batch cycle. ![image-20260810-023405.png](media://603263e3-fedb-4a11-98c5-62c7aceef8a2) The Phocas integration is available to DMSi customers who have purchased Phocas licences directly from Phocas Software. The specific cubes available to each customer depend on their Phocas subscription. > 📝 ## Use Case > 📝 > 📝 **Example:** Bayside Building Supplies operates five branches and wants to compare sales performance across branches, track purchasing spend by supplier and monitor inventory levels by product group. Their system administrator enables the relevant Phocas data extracts and schedules the task to run nightly. Each morning, branch managers and the purchasing team open Phocas to analyse the previous day's data without needing to run manual reports or export spreadsheets from Frameworks. ## How Phocas BI Integration Works The Phocas integration consists of three components working together: the Frameworks extract engine, the Phocas Sync API and the Phocas cube build process. ### Frameworks Extract Engine The **Phocas BI Extract Maintenance** screen in Frameworks defines which data extracts are active. Each extract type corresponds to a specific CSV file (for example, sales.csv, purchases.csv, product.csv). Administrators enable or disable individual extract types depending on which Phocas cubes the customer has purchased. Extracts can run in two modes: a full extract that includes all data back to the date defined in the **PhocasDate** system setting (sales, orders and quotes data uses the **PhocasDatS** date instead), or an incremental extract that includes only changes since the **Date Last Extracted** value recorded against each extract type. ### Phocas Sync API Once the CSV files are generated, the Frameworks scheduled task calls the Phocas Sync application via API to upload the files to the customer's Phocas cloud instance. The Phocas Sync connection requires a site URL (created by Phocas for the customer) and login credentials provided by Phocas during setup. The connection details are configured in the **Phocas BI Extract Maintenance** screen. ### Phocas Cube Build After receiving the uploaded CSV files, Phocas runs an internal rebuild process that incorporates the new data into the customer's analytical cubes. For full extracts, existing cube data is replaced. For incremental extracts, new and updated records are merged into the existing cube data. The rebuild runs on Phocas's infrastructure and requires no action from the Frameworks administrator. --- ## What Occurs During a Phocas Data Extract When the scheduled Phocas BI Extract task runs (typically overnight), Frameworks performs the following sequence: 1. The task reads the extract configuration from **Phocas BI Extract Maintenance** to determine which extract types are active and whether each extract runs in full or incremental mode. 2. For each active extract type, Frameworks queries the relevant transactional data and generates a CSV file in the format required by Phocas. The CSV files map directly to Phocas's standard cube structure, so no manual data transformation is needed. 3. After all CSV files are generated, the task calls the Phocas Sync API using the configured site URL and credentials to upload the files to the customer's Phocas cloud instance. 4. Phocas receives the files and queues a cube rebuild. The rebuild incorporates the new data into the relevant cubes (Sales, Purchasing, Inventory and others, depending on the customer's subscription). 5. When users access Phocas the next morning, the cubes reflect data current as of the previous day's close of business. If the Sync API call fails (for example, due to network issues or invalid credentials), the CSV files remain on the server and the task reports the failure. The extract can be re-run manually or will attempt again at the next scheduled interval. --- ## Available Data Extracts Frameworks supports the following Phocas data extract types. The specific extracts enabled for each customer depend on which Phocas cubes have been purchased: - **branch** provides branch details including branch codes, names and addresses. - **branch_product** provides branch-level product data including stock levels and pricing. - **contract** provides customer contract and pricing agreement data. - **customer** provides customer master data including codes, names, groups and contact details. - **customer_disc_group** provides customer discount group assignments. - **customer_group** provides customer group definitions. - **difots** provides Delivery In Full On Time (DIFOT) performance data. - **gl_budget** provides general ledger budget data for financial analysis. - **gl_chart** provides chart of accounts structure for financial cubes. - **gl_tran_detail** provides detailed general ledger transaction data. *This extract type is not currently required and should not be enabled.* - **gl_transaction** provides general ledger transaction summary data. - **orders** provides open order data including order lines and status. - **product** provides product master data including codes, descriptions, groups and pricing. - **product_group** provides product group definitions and hierarchy. - **purchases** provides purchase transaction data for purchasing analysis cubes. - **quotes** provides quote transaction data. - **sales** provides sales transaction data for sales analysis cubes. - **stock_on_hand** provides current stock on hand quantities by branch and product. - **supplier** provides supplier master data including codes, names and contact details. - **user** provides Frameworks user data for activity attribution in cubes. > ✅ Refer to [Phocas BI Extract Reference](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FRAM/pages/979959817) for more information related to the what is being exported. --- ## The Phocas Integration Process Setting up and maintaining the Phocas integration involves coordination between the customer, Phocas and DMSi: 1. **Cube selection.** The customer contacts Phocas, reviews the standard DMSi cube options for Sales, Purchasing, Inventory and Financial Statements, and confirms which cubes to purchase. 2. **Credential handover.** After the customer signs off on the Phocas quote, Phocas provides DMSi with the customer-specific Phocas site URL, Sync source identifier and API credentials. 3. **Sync API configuration.** DMSi configures the Phocas connection settings in **System Settings - General** in Frameworks using the credentials provided by Phocas. 4. **Extract configuration.** DMSi enables the required data extract types in **Phocas BI Extract Maintenance** based on the customer's purchased cubes. 5. **Task scheduling and initial extract.** DMSi schedules the Phocas extract task, runs an initial full extract and tests the data upload with Phocas. 6. **Cube build and UAT.** Once Phocas receives the data, Phocas finalises the cube build and works with the customer to provide access and conduct user acceptance testing. > ✅ Refer to the [Phocas BI Integration - Implementation Guide](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FRAM/pages/979533825) for detailed step-by-step setup instructions. > ✅ ## Related Information > ✅ > ✅ - [Phocas BI Integration - Implementation Guide](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FRAM/pages/979533825) > ✅ - [Phocas BI Extract Maintenance - Field Definitions](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FRAM/pages/28408042) > ✅ - [Phocas Extract Tasks - Field Definitions](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FRAM/pages/979894279) > ✅ - [Phocas BI Extract Reference](https://sterlandsupport.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FRAM/pages/979959817)