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How do I create FreshBooks Classic data sources?

Updated

You can set up a connection between Klipfolio® Klips and FreshBooks Classic to display your accounting data on a dashboard.

This article includes:

What options do I have for visualizing my FreshBooks Classic data?

Create data visualizations based on pre-built options or build your own. The choice is yours!

Pre-built by Klipfolio

In collaboration with industry experts and adhering to current best practices and trends, Klipfolio focuses on getting the most out of your data and presenting it in meaningful, actionable visualizations. Our pre-built content, including pre-built data sources and pre-built Klips can act as a complete solution or as a starting point toward custom building.

  • FreshBooks Classic pre-built data sources: Data sources provide the foundation for Klip® building, so we suggest you create a data source as a first step (before building Klips™ and adding them to your dashboard). Our pre-built data sources focus on the most sought-after FreshBooks Classic data and are found on the Service Connectors page, available from this link or from your list of data sources. When you select a service connector from this page, the data source for that service is automatically added.
  • FreshBooks Classic pre-built Klips: Pre-built Klips enable you to quickly set up a dashboard using predefined visualizations that display common key metrics. Pre-built Klips are found in the Klip Gallery or, for White Label customers, in the Integration Gallery.

Custom-built by you

Taking the time to learn how to create your own data sources and Klips unlocks your data and enables you to control, manipulate, and transform it, leading you to unprecedented insights into your business.

  • Custom data sources: When you create a custom data source, you can either use the pre-built data source as a starting point from which to write your own query or you can write your own queries from the ground up and build a data source from scratch. You create custom-built data sources from the Service Connectors page, accessible from this link or from your list of data sources.
  • Custom Klips: Using our Klip Editor, you can construct and manipulate your data, including integrating multiple data sources, to produce unique, custom-built data visualizations. You create custom Klips from either your list of Klips or your Dashboard.

Regardless of whether you choose pre-built, custom-built, or a combination of both, before you can start building Klips and dashboards you need to connect to FreshBooks Classic data in Klipfolio.

How do I connect to FreshBooks Classic data in Klipfolio?

To connect your FreshBooks Classic data to Klipfolio, you will need your authentication token.

To get the right data from FreshBooks Classic, you use your FreshBooks Classic authentication token in the queries provided by Klipfolio or in your own query when building data sources.

How do I find my FreshBooks Classic authentication token?

To find your FreshBooks Classic authentication token:

  1. Go to My Account.
  2. Click on the FreshBooks API tab.
  3. Copy your authentication token.

How do I add a FreshBooks Classic pre-built data source?

To add a FreshBooks Classic pre-built data source:

  1. Navigate to the Service Connectors page in Klipfolio and choose FreshBooks Classic from the list.
  2. Select a pre-built data source from the left section of the Choose a pre-built or custom connection page.
  3. On the Configure your data source page, enter your Freshbooks Classic subdomain and authentication token in the fields provided.
  4. Click Get data or, if you want to modify the pre-built data request, click Switch to Custom settings.
    Note: If you switch back to the Basic settings page after making changes in the Custom settings page, your changes will not be saved.
  5. Ensure this is the data you’re looking for. Optionally, select the checkbox to Model your data. Learn more about modelling data sources.
  6. Click Continue.
  7. Name, choose refresh settings, and, optionally, share your data source.
  8. Click Save.

If you clicked Switch to Custom settings:

  1. On the Configure your data source page, modify the Query URL to get the data you want. You can use the existing information in the Query URL text box as a base. It was auto-filled based on the pre-built data source you selected on the Choose a pre-built or custom connection page.
  2. Click Get data.
  3. Ensure this is the data you’re looking for. Optionally, select the checkbox to Model your data. Learn more about modelling data sources.
  4. Click Continue.
  5. Name, choose refresh settings, and, optionally, share your data source.
  6. Click Save.

How do I add FreshBooks Classic pre-built Klips?

In the Klip Gallery or, for White Label customers, in the Integration Gallery you can browse individual FreshBooks Classic pre-built Klips and add them to your dashboard. You replace the sample data that is included in pre-built Klips with your own FreshBooks Classic data by clicking the menu in the Klip and selecting Connect your data.

How do I create a FreshBooks Classic custom-built data source?

To create a FreshBooks Classic custom-built data source:

  1. Navigate to the Service Connectors page in Klipfolio and choose FreshBooks Classic from the list.
  2. On the Choose a pre-built or custom connection page, click Create a custom FreshBooks Classic data source.
  3. Adjust the Query URL information, as noted on the Configure your data source page, to replace any generic placeholder query information with your own.
    For example, replace with your Freshbooks Classic subdomain.
  4. Edit the Query URL to return the data you need. Refer to the FreshBooks Classic API documentation for details.
  5. Expand Authentication (OAuth, 2-Step, X-WSSE, or Basic) and select Basic HTTP Authentication.
  6. At Username, paste your FreshBooks Classic authentication token.
  7. At Password, leave the field blank.
  8. Click Get data.
  9. Ensure this is the data you’re looking for. If you’re using Klips, optionally select the checkbox to Model your data. If you’re using PowerMetrics, which requires modelled data sources, you’ll automatically enter the modeller after clicking Continue. Learn more about modelling data sources.
  10. Click Continue.
  11. Name, choose refresh settings, and, optionally, share your data source.
  12. Click Save.

How do I create a FreshBooks Classic custom Klip?

You create custom Klips from either your list of Klips or your Dashboard. You choose a data visualization format, for example, a pie chart, gauge, or table, and decide whether you want to use an existing data source or create a new one. In the Klip Editor, there are limitless opportunities to modify, relate, and display your data. See the following related articles for more information and get building!

More about FreshBooks Classic's API and queries

Klipfolio connects to hundreds of services in the cloud that have a REST API. If you take the time to learn your service’s API to create queries for the data you want, your possibilities are endless. Here’s a quick overview video on APIs and Klipfolio:

  Klipfolio API's 101

If you need assistance using APIs, enlist a data analyst or developer.

Refer to the FreshBooks Classic API documentation to discover more data requests.

See the reference table below for API related information and sample queries.

API Documentation FreshBooks Classic API documentation
Authentication Method Basic HTTP Authentication
Response Format XML
Date Format

Example date format:

<date_from>{date.startOfMonth.format()}</date_from>
Sample Queries

Get project data:

Query URL:

https://<yourSubDomain>.freshbooks.com/api/2.1/xml-in

Body:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<request method="project.get">
<project_id>1</project_id> 
</request>

Get details on profits and losses for this month:

Query URL:

https://<yourSubDomain>.freshbooks.com/api/2.1/xml-in

Body:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<request method='report.getProfitDetails'>
<date_from>{date.startOfMonth.format()}</date_from>
<date_to>{date.today}</date_to>
<group_by>date</group_by>
</request>

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