Best way to deploy Acumatica API integration - acumatica

Question

I have an integration that pulls data from an API for a POS system and imports it into Acumatica via the contract API. It's written as a console application in Visual Studio, similar to the applications built in the Integration Developer trainings from Acumatica.
What is the best way to deploy this for a SaaS instance of Acumatica?
Non-SaaS, I could put it on the Acumatica server and have it run on a schedule, but I'm not sure of the best way to handle it in this instance of not having access to the server where Acumatica is running.

Answer 1

You should not host it on SAAS instance cause you cannot control it and moreover there can be no PC to run your console application.
If you want your integration to be a running service (console application) you should deploy it on your own server (hardware or cloud). Another option is to implement your integration in your POS terminal (if it give you such possibility).
Do not include this to your Acumatica instance as was recommended by HB_ACUMATICA, because it is not necessary for contract based API integration and will leads to performance issues of this acumatica.

Answer 2

EDIT:
Please refer to Kirill Bestemyanov answer. My answer below suggest a way to execute a scheduled task inside a SAAS environment without circumverting security measures.
It doesn't reflect Acumatica official stance on what should or should not be done on Acumatica SAAS server.
Running console/desktop applications on a SAAS server is likely prohibited due to security issues. You can however run your code inside Acumatica IIS instance.
You can create an Acumatica process screen that pulls the data from the API and inserts it into Acumatica database. The Process action of that screen can be executed by an automation schedule.
Usually code on the server would only be executed by a user request (ex: human navigating to the webpage).
Using Automation Schedule you can run your code at a periodic interval without the need for human intervention.
Documentation for Scheduling Process can be found here:
https://help.acumatica.com/Main?ScreenId=ShowWiki&pageid=1b5b4e81-a71a-4335-892e-ccf6d3b28439
I have copied the documentation here as plain text for reference:
In Acumatica ERP, you can schedule processing on any needed processing forms. The processing will be
performed automatically according to the schedule, which you assign on the Automation Schedules
(SM205020) form. At any time, you can view the history of this automated processing.
T O S C H E D U L E P R O C E S S I N G T H R O U G H T H E P R O C E S S I N G F O R M
Navigate to the processing form you want to schedule.
On the processing form, do the following:
Optional: In the Selection area, specify the criteria for selecting the documents for
processing. View the list of documents that match the selected criteria, and make sure all the
documents you want to process are displayed (that is, that you have selected the criteria
correctly).#_d3f43076-587f-4090-aa74-47cbdfff72e7
On the form toolbar, click Schedules > Add. This opens the Automation Schedules (SM205020) form
as a pop-up.#_a9fdd3d2-d5c6-49e0-8235-cff8e3b9b557
On the Automation Schedules form, in the Description box, enter a description of the new
schedule.
Make sure the processing form you want to schedule is selected in the Screen ID box.
In the Action Name box, select the action that should be performed by the schedule.
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On the Details tab, specify the additional settings of the schedule:
Optional: In the Starts On box of the Details tab, select the start date. By default, the
schedule execution starts on the current business date.
Optional: If you need to specify an expiration date for the schedule, clear the No Expiration
Date check box, and specify the expiration date in the Expires On box.
Do one of the following:
If you want to limit the number of executions, in the Execution Limit box, specify the number
of times the schedule should be executed.
If you do not need to limit the number of executions, select the No Execution Limit check box.
Optional: In the Process with Branch box, select the branch under which the schedule should be
processed. For example, if documents are created by this schedule, the system creates these
documents and specifies the selected branch for each document.
Optional: Change the time zone in which the schedule will operate. By default, the time zone
specified on the User Profile (SM203010) form for the currently signed-in user is selected.
_75a40630-9d40-4a0a-bb6e-f5012bd2bb37
On the Schedule tab, configure the execution dates and time as follows:
Specify how often the schedule execution should be performed:
To execute the schedule daily or every x days, do the following:
In the Schedule Type section, select Daily.
Optional: In the Schedule Details section, in the Next Execution Date box, select the date
when the schedule should be executed next.
In the Every x Day(s) box, type the number of days between successive executions of the
schedule.
To execute the schedule weekly or every x weeks, do the following:
In the Schedule Type section, select Weekly.
Optional: In the Schedule Details section, in the Next Execution Date box, select the date
when the schedule should be executed next.
In the Every x Week(s) box, type the number of weeks between successive executions of the
schedule.
Select the appropriate check boxes for the day or days of the week on which the schedule
should be executed.
To execute the schedule monthly or every x months, do the following:
In the Schedule Type section, select Monthly.
Optional: In the Schedule Details section, in the Next Execution Date box, select the date
when the schedule should be executed next.
In the Every x Month(s) box, type the number of months between successive executions of the
schedule.
Select when the schedule should be executed: the day of the month, or the week in the month
and the day of the week (such as the third Friday of the month).
To execute the schedule once per financial period or every x financial periods, perform the
following steps:
In the Schedule Type section, select By Financial Period.
Optional: In the Schedule Details section, in the Next Execution Date box, select the date
when the schedule should be executed next.
In the Every x Period(s) box, type the number of financial periods between successive
executions of the schedule.
Select the appropriate option button to indicate when the schedules should be executed: at
the end of the period, at the start of the period, or on a fixed day of the period (which
you should specify if you select this option button).
In the Execution Time section, specify the particular time of the day to start and stop the
processing as follows:
In the Starts On box, select the hour and minute when the first execution of the schedule
should start.
If you want the processing to be stopped at specific time or you want the processing to be
repeated multiple times a day, in the Stops On box, select the hour and minute when the first
execution of the schedule should stop.
If execution of the schedule should be repeated multiple times a day, in the Every box,
select the interval between successive executions of the schedule.
In the Next Execution Time box, make sure the next execution time is correct.
If you want the system to execute the schedule at exactly the time specified in the Next
Execution Time box, select the Exact Time check box. If the check box is cleared, the system
may shift the next execution time of the schedule by multiple minutes.
Optional: On the Conditions tab, specify conditions to select the documents or objects by and for
which there are no corresponding elements in the Selection area of the original processing form
as follows:
Make sure the Active check box is selected.
In the Field Name column, select the field to which you want to apply the filter.
In the Condition column, select the condition on the field.
If the field selected in the Field Name column for this row is a date field and you want the
date field to be relative with respect to the current business date, select the Relative check
box.
Select the filtering value in the Value column and, if Is Between is selected in the Condition
column, in the Value 2 column.
Optional: On the Filter Values tab, review the list of elements with the values. Notice that all
the listed elements have the values you have selected in the Selection area on the original
processing form.#_55beb587-21f7-4992-b140-5de4ee4d029d
Click Save on the form toolbar to create the schedule. When you save a newly created schedule,
the system gives it an identifier in accordance with the built-in numbering sequence intended
for automation schedules.
T O V I E W O R E D I T T H E S C H E D U L E S F O R T H E F O R M
Open the processing form for which a schedule has been created (or multiple schedules have been
created).
On the form toolbar, click Schedules > View.
On the Automation Schedules (SM205020) form, which is opened, in the Schedule ID box, select the
schedule.
View or edit the schedule.
T O V I E W T H E H I S T O R Y O F S C H E D U L E E X E C U T I O N S
Open the processing form for which a schedule has been created (or multiple schedules have been
created).#_6acc5114-ca3c-46c6-b6dd-e2baa5d708ab
On the form toolbar, click Schedules > History.#_c4fbf9a5-aabd-4f65-96f2-108ccfcca4c5
In the dialog box that opens, select the schedule whose history you want to view, and specify the
date range for which you want to view the history.#_e560ddd9-b4a5-475f-905b-51b39fe85e25
Click History in the dialog box to view the history of schedule execution.
R E L A T E D A R T I C L E S
Scheduled Processing
To Set Up Automatic Release of GL Batches
To Create a Salesforce Sync Schedule
To Create a Schedule for Full Data Resync
To Set Up Automatic File Synchronization
To Create a Send and Receive Email Schedule
Automation Schedules (SM.20.50.20)