The DMS file-drop connector

The file-drop connector is how MotoDealerHQ works with your dealer management system today. Your DMS exports inventory, customers or sales as a CSV or XML file; you upload the file (or let the server fetch it from an address you allow), and MotoDealerHQ compares it with what it has. It works with any DMS that can export files, including DX1, Lightspeed, CDK, Reynolds and Dealertrack exports.

The connector is careful by design: customers are added or filled in, but your inventory does not change until you accept a difference on the reconciliation page.

Before you start #

• The DMS pages need the Advanced inventory feature (Pro and Enterprise plans).
• You need integrations.dms.manage to set up a connection (see Permissions).
• Export a sample file from your DMS for each kind of data you want: inventory, customers and/or deals and sales. CSV (comma, semicolon, tab or pipe separated) and XML both work.

Add a connection #

1. Open Settings › DMS.
2. Under Add a connection, choose the Connector File drop (CSV / XML exports). The other connectors in the list are marked not live and refuse to run; see DMS integration.
3. Give it a Name, for example "Main store DMS exports", and select Add connection.
4. On the connection page, under Settings:
   • Rooftop for new vehicles and "missing" checks: pick the location this DMS covers, or All locations.
   • Scheduled sync (minutes, blank = manual): 15 minutes up to one week. Only useful with an export URL; for uploads, leave it blank.
   • Max runs per hour (1 to 60) and Attempts before dead-lettering (1 to 10).
   • Scheduled data: tick Inventory, Customers and/or Deals / sales. Repair orders shows not supported.
5. Under Export options, set for each kind of data: the export format (csv or xml), the CSV delimiter or the XML record path (for example //unit), and optionally an incremental cursor column such as "Last Modified".
6. Select Save settings.

Upload an export and map it #

1. In the Inventory, Customers or Deals / sales panel, choose the export file and select Upload export. Files can be .csv, .tsv, .txt or .xml, up to 25 MB. They are stored privately for your dealership.
2. Select Suggest mapping from export. MotoDealerHQ reads the column names and proposes a field for each one.
3. Check the Field mapping table. Choose — not imported — for columns you do not need, and select Save mapping.
   • Inventory uses the same fields as feed imports.
   • Customers: customer number, first, last or full name, email, phone, address, city, state and postal code.
   • Deals / sales: deal or invoice number, VIN or HIN, stock number, sale date, sale price, customer name and deal status.
4. Select Sync now.
5. Open the run from Sync runs to see the log and counts, then go to Reconciliation to review differences.

Upload a new export whenever you want a fresh comparison. An export identical to the last one is skipped. With a cursor column, only rows newer than the last run are processed.

What happens to each kind of data #

Fetch exports from a URL #

If your DMS can publish its export at an HTTPS address, the server can fetch it on the schedule instead of you uploading it.

1. Enter the address in the export URL (https, optional) field for that data.
2. Add the exact host name to Hosts the server may fetch from (comma separated). Addresses on any other host are refused.
3. If the address needs it, enter a Bearer token for URL pulls or a Basic auth username and password under Credentials. They are stored encrypted and never shown again.
4. Tick Enabled (scheduled syncs run) and save.

Sync runs and dead letters #

Every sync is a run with a status:

Dead letters are records MotoDealerHQ could not use, such as a unit without a VIN or stock number, or a customer without an email or phone. Fix the mapping, then select Retry to process the record again, or Discard to close it. Both are recorded in the audit log.

Tips #

• Start with inventory only, review the reconciliation, then add customers and sales.
• Keep the export column names stable in your DMS; a renamed column needs a new mapping.
• Set the rooftop on each connection when each store has its own DMS export.
• Deleting a connection removes its runs, staged records and review items. Vehicles and customers already in MotoDealerHQ are kept.

Permissions #

Limitations #