ndLink is used to link your firm's time and billing (TAB) software to NetDocuments to more easily update your client/matter list.
Contact your NetDocuments Administrator or NetDocuments Support for more information.
Download ndLink (.zip)
Below you will find the administrator setup guide for ndLink:
ndLink Installation and Setup Guide (.docx)
ndLink can connect to any ODBC compliant data source (access databases, SQL Server, etc.)
Common systems we encounter include:
- Aderant
- Elite (local only, not hosted)
- Juris
- Omega
- PCLaw
- PCLaw Pro
- PerfectLaw
- ProLaw
- RainMaker
- Tabs3
- Time Matters (requires customization based on the specific configuration)
Please review all of the below instructions before getting started.
1) When on a 64-bit windows operating system you need to make sure that you run the 32-bit version of the ODBC managing utility. Both versions are named Odbcad32.exe. Otherwise the ndLink program will not be able to see the existing system DSN values that you set up. Learn more
The 32-bit version is located in the C:\Windows\SysWoW64 folder.
The 64-bit version is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
2) Decide if you are going to run ndLink as a local application or as a ‘Windows Service’.
3) Make sure that the running machine has .NET Framework 4.6.1+ installed.
4) Determine the name, location, and connecting credentials that will be needed in order to connect to the desired user source database table[s].
5) Determine which NetDocuments account you will be connecting to, including which repository you will be uploading the lookup table data to. You will need a NetDocuments account username and password.
6) Decide how many NetDocuments tables you want to sync to. You may sync several different NetDocuments lookup tables using ndLink.
7) See item #1 above if running on a 64-bit machine. Otherwise using the windows ‘Administrative Tools’ utility select ‘Data Sources (ODBC)’ and create one or more ODBC (DSN) connections to the necessary source database(s).
8) If you will be running as a local application then you may use either a System DSN or a User DSN.
9) If you will be running as a ‘Windows Service’ then install the ‘ndLink2Service’ service into the windows service manager by clicking on the included ‘Setup’ program.
10) Install and run the ndLink program. This program is necessary whether you run as a local application or as a ‘Windows Service’. The necessary data folders and files will be created in the same folder where you install the ndLink program. The ndLink2Service program (if you are running as a Windows Service) will read its settings and data from the same install directory location.
11) After running ndLink click on the ‘Help’ button and read the included help documentation to determine how to establish and run the syncing activities. The ndLink program allows you to set all the necessary parameters and settings to sync up to three NetDocuments lookup tables.
12) For firewall purposes the NetDocuments IP addresses to allow through are:
Service | URL | IP Address |
US | upload.vault.netvoyage.com | 192.100.0.212 |
EU | upload.eu.netdocuments.com | 185.83.176.158 |
AU | upload.au.netdocuments.com |
103.225.142.212 |
Ndlink will use port 443 by default.
When Implementing ndLink...
- Obtain a workable ODBC driver
- Ensure it is a 32-bit version of the ODBC driver
- Configure the ODBC driver
- Setting up the SQL query to retrieve the data
- Whether they need to include both Client & Matter info when loading the Matter lookup table or just Matters
- Do they want to use coded lookups for the Matter values or just the names (descriptions)?
- Are they wanting to automatically close Matters (and do they understand the implications of that for their users)
- What format the information returned by the query will take
- The basic operation of the query editor in ndLink and how to do things outside it if investigations are needed.
- Whether they are using Client & Matter or just Matter
- If they want the Client to default when they choose the Matter
- Whether their users are accustomed to using Client & Matter codes (keys) or the full names (description)
Comments