Sync DAM systems using Asset Connect

Showpad Asset Connect is a managed service that syncs assets from DAM (Digital Asset Management) or other systems to Showpad. It integrates with standard DAM and content systems using these system’s public API.

Once the integration has been set up and configured by Showpad, the DAM system acts as the single source of truth for the synced assets and the mapped metadata. The configuration includes authentication and authorization to the source system, filter criteria to determine which assets need to be synced to Showpad, and a mapping to indicate which metadata and permission fields in Showpad must be set based on metadata values in the DAM system.

Showpad Asset Connect performs a one-way sync from the source system to Showpad and overwrites any manual changes to the mapped fields in Showpad. Showpad Asset Connect makes content governance easier throughout every stage of the content lifecycle. Once set up, it reduces the manual effort of content management in a compliant and secure way without the need for an additional IT team, provider, or Systems Integrator.

Note: Showpad Asset Connect comes with a separate license and is set up in collaboration with our Professional Services teams.

See how it works

Key features

• Fully managed offering
• Syncs assets from DAM or other systems to Showpad
• Runs on a schedule (recurrent) and/or reacts to messages from the source system (on demand)
• Integrates with standard DAM systems with public API
• Receive daily reports when assets failed to sync and how to solve it
• Set up with Showpad Professional Services teams

You need this to succeed

• A separate license for Showpad Asset Connect
• One of the DAM or content systems we support
• Provide read access to the source system, via its API that must be available via internet (no private networks supported)

The quick way to awesomeness

1. Syncing options
2. File types, assets, and field mappings
3. Common scenarios, daily reports, and solutions

Do this step by step

Syncing options

Please consult the Showpad Platform Solutions or PS teams to figure out which syncing option works best for your environment. In general, what we need to do to set up the syncing is

• Authenticate and authorize to the source system
• Filter criteria to determine which assets need to be synced to Showpad
• Map to indicate which metadata and permission fields in Showpad need to be set based on metadata values in your DAM system

File types, assets, and field mappings

File types

The file types and extensions are validated against the ones supported by Showpad.
Additionally, other file types can be filtered out, so they do not sync with Showpad. See the Supported file types article for more information about supported file types and their recommended sizes. 

(Un)trashing assets

By default, assets are archived and moved to the trash folder in Showpad when deleted in the DAM. Suppose Showpad Asset Connect syncs the same asset again afterward (for example, because of a restore in the DAM), the previously archived asset will be restored from the trash folder.
Optionally, it can be configured to delete the asset entirely. 

Mappings

The mapping can be very extensive and flexible. For example, we can have

• defaults or determined values based on values in your source system
• values based on your translation configuration,
• values in lists, prefixes, and suffixes,
• appending a specific tag, so you know the source system of the assets
• external tags or regular tags
• …

Common scenarios, daily reports, and solutions

Log reports

As a customer, you receive email reports containing the list of assets that failed to sync. Possible issues include invalid formats, files that are too big to be supported by Showpad, etc. The report guides how you can fix the reported cases. Alternatively, you can remove the asset from the sync by ensuring it no longer meets the filter criteria of the integration.

Note: You only receive a daily email report if there were assets that failed to sync.

Here is an example of an email report.

  
 Dear
 
    Please find below the report of failures and/or warnings of your Showpad
    integration for the last 24 hours.
 
    One or multiple assets failed to sync to Showpad. Please find below the list
    of asset ID(s), name(s) and the reason for the failure. Please correct the
    data in the source system.

    - c113d9ce-f7e0-4948-9616-5bbba3b864a8 (Filename.zip) -- File type is forbidden
    - File type zip is forbidden
    - f28c9cb9-2d3e-489c-a02d-e514156f589b (Filename.mp4) -- File too big - File
    size of 4569336832 bytes exceeds the maximum allowed file size of 3113851289
    bytes
    - 02e44fc2-855c-462e-ad66-10e85498f9ad (Filename.doc) -- Extension mismatch
    - The widen file property format and filename extension don't match

    Best regards
    Showpad Integrations
 

Files and metadata not in sync with the source system

If the asset and metadata fail to sync, are perceived to be not in sync, or are different from what you expected, a couple of things could have gone wrong.

First, if there’s an issue with the asset or its metadata that makes it impossible to sync, the asset will be visible in your email report.

Next, it is possible that assets were not synced because the sync ran on a schedule and wasn’t executed yet since the asset was created or updated. Check back after at least one interval in between sync runs has passed (e.g., if the integration is scheduled hourly, check back at least 1 hour after doing modifications).

Finally, ensure that the asset meets the integration's filter criteria and that the metadata you’re expected to see aligns with the configuration with which your integration has been set up. Contact your regular Professional Service or Success Manager contacts if changes are required.