Setting Up Exchange Email with finPOWER Connect
Currently emails within finPOWER Connect are sent using SMTP with basic authentication, i.e. a User Name and Password.
Microsoft has recently announced that Basic authentication for Exchange will be disabled in September 2025. For more information see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-online/deprecation-of-basic-authentication-exchange-online.
finPOWER Connect version 4.01.01 introduces support for using Microsoft 365 Exchange Online with OAuth (Modern) authentication for email services.
This article describes how to integrate Microsoft 365 Exchange Online email services with finPOWER Connect.
finPOWER Connect Version 4.1, 6.0 and 6.1 Strategic Plan
To help our finPOWER Connect Users plan for the future we have developed an outline of what the next major finPOWER Connect versions will look like.
Every few years we seem to have major shifts in the technology environment that we rely upon, whether its moving from DOS to Windows, Access to SQL Server, VB6 to .NET or Desktop to Cloud.
With this in mind and looking at where technology is headed we thought we'd give an update on our strategic plan for finPOWER Connect over the next few years.
Using a Shared Folder and Dropbox for Document Manager
The finPOWER Connect Document Manager Add On allows documents and files to be stored against Clients, Accounts etc. This might include documents such as a scanned image of a Drivers License or a signed Loan Contract.
If you are using Dropbox to store Documents in the cloud, you can synchronise a network folder to Dropbox and use this as your Document Manager folder. This means you are effectively using Dropbox as your Document Manager within finPOWER Connect.
This blog article explains how to set up a folder on a drive on a networked computer, that can act as the Document Manager root folder for finPOWER Connect Desktop and finPOWER Connect Cloud.
Of course this not only means you can add files via finPOWER Connect, but via the web using the Dropbox website. If added via the Dropbox website, any computers that are "synced" to your Dropbox account will be updated in due course, and then those files will become visible in finPOWER Connect, and users can add files to that simply by copying them using Windows File Manager.
Using a Shared Folder and OneDrive for Document Manager
The finPOWER Connect Document Manager Add On allows documents and files to be stored against Clients, Accounts etc. This might include documents such as a scanned image of a Drivers License or a signed Loan Contract.
If you are using OneDrive to store Documents in the cloud, you can synchronise a network folder to OneDrive and use this as your Document Manager folder. This means you are effectively using OneDrive as your Document Manager within finPOWER Connect.
This blog article explains how to set up a folder on a drive on a networked computer, that can act as the Document Manager root folder for finPOWER Connect Desktop and finPOWER Connect Cloud.
Of course this not only means you can add files via finPOWER Connect, but via the web using the OneDrive website. If added via the OneDrive website, any computers that are "synced" to your OneDrive account will be updated in due course, and then those files will become visible in finPOWER Connect, and users can add files to that simply by copying them using Windows File Manager.
Coding Best Practices Part 3
This blog outlines coding practices that any professional developer using the finPOWER Connect API should adhere to.
finPOWER Connect is written entirely in VB.NET. All sample scripts are also written in VB.NET. Although C# is an option, Intersoft Systems does not provide support for this.
Centrix (New Zealand) Biometric Verification
Version 4.00.01 introduces support for Centrix Biometric Verification in New Zealand.
Centrix has recently released its SmartID with Biometrics product. This provides businesses with a secure and streamlined way to digitally verify the identity of their customers. Like similar products, it assists with AML/CFT compliance, and can help expedite the on-boarding of new customers, while providing customers the ease of completing the process on their smartphone.
For more information see Centrix SmartID with Biometrics
Script Editor
This blog introduces finPOWER Connect developers to the new Script Editor in version 4.
finPOWER Connect version 4 introduced an updated Script Editor that uses the latest scripting components from the Actipro library.
The updated Script Editor has many advantages, such as increased performance and enhanced intellisense integration, and a lot of built in functionality has been rewritten to make use of these advantages.
Scripting using C#
With version 3.04.04, more support was added for C# Scripting in finPOWER Connect.
Web Services Application Pool Recycling
Web Services should always be configured to use their own, separate Application Pool when installed under Internet Information Services (IIS).
IIS allows overlapped Application Pool Recycling to ensure that applications stay available (the overlapped part) when they are being recycled.
Recycling is recommended by Microsoft since most applications are not designed (or are just not stable enough) to run 24/7 indefinitely without at least some form of memory leak or other issues.
DocuSign OAuth 2.0 Implementation
finPOWER Connect version 3.04.04 introduces OAuth 2.0 authentication for DocuSign.
This blog details the changes to DocuSign authentication implemented in finPOWER Connect.
Starting in October 2021, DocuSign began the end-of-life process for all API authentication flows except the recommended OAuth 2.0 flows.
To configure finPOWER Connect to use the OAuth 2.0 authentication flow, you will need to set up a new Integration Key in DocuSign, and add the details to the DocuSign Cost Centre within finPOWER Connect.