DMS integration: what works today
Which dealer management systems MotoDealerHQ connects to directly, which work through file exports, and what each connection can and cannot do.
This page tells you plainly how MotoDealerHQ works with your dealer management system (DMS). In short: there is no live, direct API connection to any DMS vendor today. Every DMS that can export a CSV or XML file works through the file-drop connector, which is fully built and in use. Direct vendor connections need each vendor's partner approval, and MotoDealerHQ will not pretend to have one it does not.
DMS vendors at a glance #
| DMS | Direct API connection | How to connect today |
|---|---|---|
| Any DMS that exports CSV or XML | Not needed | File-drop connector: upload exports, or let the server fetch them from an HTTPS address you allow. Or a feed import. |
| DX1 | Not available: requires vendor approval | A DX1 inventory export (CSV or XML) with the file-drop connector or a CSV/XML feed import. |
| Lightspeed EVO | Not available: requires vendor approval | Lightspeed exports with the file-drop connector. |
| CDK Global | Not available: requires vendor approval | CDK exports with the file-drop connector. |
| Reynolds and Reynolds | Not available: requires vendor approval | Reynolds exports with the file-drop connector. |
| Dealertrack DMS | Not available: requires vendor approval | Dealertrack exports with the file-drop connector. |
What each connection can do #
The Connectors table on the DMS page shows this for every connector. After approval marks what a vendor connector is expected to do once its vendor approves it.
| Capability | File drop (works today) | DX1 | Lightspeed EVO | CDK, Reynolds, Dealertrack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pull inventory | Yes | After approval | After approval | After approval |
| Pull customers | Yes | After approval | After approval | After approval |
| Pull deals / sales | Yes | After approval | After approval | After approval |
| Pull repair orders | No | No | After approval | After approval |
| Push leads | No | After approval | After approval | After approval |
| Push sales | No | No | No | After approval |
See your connections #
- Open Settings › DMS.
- The Connections table lists each connection with its status (Enabled, Disabled or Not live), failures in a row, last run, records in and out, dead letters with the last error, and the next run.
- Recent sync runs lists the latest runs across all connections. Select a run number to see its log.
- Use Reconciliation to review differences, and Data quality to review duplicates.
To set up a connection, follow The DMS file-drop connector.
Keeping an eye on it #
- A connection whose last runs failed shows a red failure(s) in a row badge with the count.
- MotoDealerHQ's operations team watches the health of every DMS connection on the platform (failures, dead letters, open review items) and is alerted when an enabled connection fails three times in a row or a run uses up its retries. They see only this status information, never your records or credentials.
Choosing between a DMS connection and a feed import #
| You want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Let a feed create and update units automatically | Feed import |
| Review every inventory difference before it changes anything | File-drop connector + reconciliation |
| Bring in customers or DMS sales | File-drop connector |
| Send leads to your DMS | Not available. Leads can be exported as CSV from the console instead. |
Tips #
- Ask your DMS provider for a scheduled export to an HTTPS address. Combined with a scheduled sync, it gives you a hands-off daily comparison.
- If your DMS vendor offers a partner program, tell us: direct connections are built vendor by vendor, once approved.
Permissions #
Limitations #
Screenshots show the fictional demo dealership. Something unclear or out of date? Tell your MotoDealerHQ contact or email support@motodealerhq.com.