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🚀 Smartbuild Integration Setup

Automatically create jobs in Smartbuild every time a design is submitted through your IdeaRoom Configurator.

Updated over 2 weeks ago

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💡 Who can use it?

  • Customers who have purchased the Smartbuild Integration Add-on

  • Post Frame, Red Iron, and Carport Customers

💡 Why use it?

  • Automatically creates a job of submitted designs in Smartbuild

  • Increase number of leads generated

  • Save time and eliminate manual work

✅ Before you start

Make sure:

  • You have Admin access to IdeaRoom SalesView

  • You have an active account in Smartbuild with API access

  • Dealers:

    • Your supplier has activated Smartbuild on their dataset

    • You know whether you’ll use supplier SKU mapping or create your own

⚠️ Make sure the Smartbuild user has canEditDistributor user permissions enabled. Without this permission setting IdeaRoom can't create a job in Smartbuild.

🔧 How to set it up

1. Activate Smartbuild (Dealers/Builders)

  • Go to Admin > Sites > Integrations

  • Select the Smartbuild Systems Integration card

  • Select the supplier from the drop down, if have multiple suppliers in IdeaRoom

  • Make sure Use Supplier Mapping is checked.

    • You will use this in most cases, unless you have unique data requirements in Smartbuild

  • Enter your Smartbuild username & password

    • You'll want to make sure your username has Admin access

  • Save

📝 Repeat for each supplier.

2. Supplier Activation (Suppliers only)

  • Go to Sites > Integrations

  • Select the Smartbuild Systems Integration card

  • Enter your Smartbuild username & password

    • You'll want to make sure your username has Admin access

  • Save

  • Once saved, select Integration Card again and Select Go to Mapping

3. Setup SKU Mapping

  • Go to Product Catalogs

  • Select Smartbuild Mapping

  • Begin mapping by selecting each category

  • Use the Map Items button to auto map any matching Smartbuild skus with IdeaRoom keys.

  • If auto map is not found, manually map your items

  • Select Preview, submit a design. Confirm a job was created in Smartbuild

  • Click Publish

Mapping Note: Door Colors and Swing

  • Some SmartBuild users create unique SKUs for each component, color, and swing combination (for example, a white-36×80-door-RHI vs. a gray-36×80-door-LHO).

    • Color and Swing for a component in IdeaRoom are defined in separate tables and considered additional attributes.

    • We can only map one IdeaRoom component option to one Smartbuild SKU.

  • Recommendation: Map to the a default color, swing SKU (such as white or RHI ) and update settings later in Smartbuild.

4. Publish to Go Live

  • Once published, Smartbuild jobs will be created automatically for each submitted design 🎉

Advanced User Mapping Options

To support manual mapping, the interface provides multiple menus that include only the essential options required for the integration to function correctly. We've created two powerful options to allow advanced users to map options that are currently not available through the standard mapping UI: Custom Location and Custom Options.

Custom Locations

The Custom Locations menu is intended for advanced users who need to fine-tune the SmartBuild integration to meet specific requirements.

Custom Locations Columns Overview

The table below provides a brief description of each column in this menu and its purpose:

  • Enabled – A boolean value that specifies whether the mapping row should be applied.

  • Location – An enum value that defines where the mapping should be used in the request to create a new job in SmartBuild.

  • Question – A text field containing the identifier of the SmartBuild question to be included in the create job request.

  • Answer – A text field containing the answer to the corresponding SmartBuild question to be included in the create job request.

  • Expression – A conditional expression based on the current state of the IdeaRoom design. When evaluated, it determines whether this mapping should be included in the create job request.

  • Priority – A numeric value that defines the precedence of this mapping when multiple mappings exist for the same question. Higher values take priority.

Custom Locations Overview

The table below describes each supported location and its purpose:

  • customer-email – Specifies which SmartBuild question should receive the customer email provided in the IdeaRoom configurator.

  • customer-phone – Specifies which SmartBuild question should receive the customer phone provided in the IdeaRoom configurator.

  • gable-end-sub-fascia – Provides an answer to a SmartBuild question that applies only when the center section of the building includes a front or back overhang.

  • side-wall-sub-fascia – Provides an answer to a SmartBuild question that applies only when the center section of the building includes a left or right overhang.

  • main-height – Overrides the SmartBuild question that receives the height of the center section. If no value is provided, the center section height is used by default. The standard SmartBuild question for this is CeilingHeight.

  • project-name – Specifies which SmartBuild question should receive the project name. The answer can include the following interpolation keys: versionedEmailId, orderNumber, firstName, lastName, fullName.

    • Example: IR Order for {{fullName}} (#{{versionedEmailId}})

  • shed – Provides an answer to a SmartBuild question that is sent to sheds. Smartbuild uses sheds to identify an attached building or porch (equivalent to leans in IdeaRoom).

  • shipping-address – Specifies which SmartBuild question should receive the shipping address from the IdeaRoom configurator.

  • shipping-city – Specifies which SmartBuild question should receive the shipping city from the IdeaRoom configurator.

  • shipping-phone – Specifies which SmartBuild question should receive the shipping phone from the IdeaRoom configurator.

  • shipping-state – Specifies which SmartBuild question should receive the shipping state from the IdeaRoom configurator.

  • shipping-zip – Specifies which SmartBuild question should receive the shipping ZIP code from the IdeaRoom configurator.

When to Use Custom Locations

  • Only use Custom Options if the IdeaRoom/SmartBuild mapping UI does not support the option you need.

  • This is recommended for advanced customers who require precise control over mappings.

Example 1: Attached Lean Settings in Custom Location

Some customers require certain settings be set by default on the attached leans or porches. You can use the Custom Location table to set those specific settings as needed. In this example, we are going to map the default value for Match Heel, Overhang Style, and Slab offset on attached leans.

Steps to set it up:

  1. Location: shed

  2. Question: MatchHeelHeight

  3. Answer: true

  4. Expression: (none needed)

  5. Priority: (set it to 1 if settings aren't applying)

Repeat these steps for the other questions and refer to the image below for an example of the expected final setup.

Smartbuild for Carports Considerations

Partial Walls

  • In order for IdeaRoom to be able to send partial walls to smartbuild, you have to set NoCombineWalls to falls in customLocation. This also triggers the integration to let us know that your client is a carport client.

Heights

  • Smartbuild offers two roof height measurement styles; Ceiling Height and Top of Wall Material. This determines the method used to calculate the building's height. By default, our Smartbuild integration uses Ceiling Height as this is what the majority of Post Frame customers use.

  • If your customer uses Top of Wall Material, you need to set the main-height in customLocation table to RoofHeight Style = EaveLine and set the EaveLine answer blank, so we send the selected height correctly. (see image)

  • NOTE: some Post-Frame customers may use Top of Wall Material, if they do, you will need to add the main-height updates mentione in above bullet.

Custom Options

The Custom Options menu allows advanced users to create mappings between IdeaRoom and SmartBuild that are not supported through the standard mapping UI.

Use this feature only when the standard mapping does not provide the specific mapping you need.

Custom Options Columns Overview

Each row in the Custom Options table defines a mapping rule:

  • Enabled – Boolean value (true/false) that determines if the row is active.

  • Option Key – The unique key IdeaRoom uses to identify the option.

  • Option Type – The category or type of option in IdeaRoom.

  • Question – The SmartBuild question identifier to include in the job request.

  • Answer – The value that answers the SmartBuild question in the job request.

  • Expression – A condition based on the current IdeaRoom design state. If true, the mapping applies. (Leave blank if not needed.)

  • Priority – A number that determines precedence when multiple mappings exist. Higher values take priority.

When to Use Custom Options

  • Only use Custom Options if the IdeaRoom/SmartBuild mapping UI does not support the option you need.

  • This is recommended for advanced customers who require precise control over mappings.

Example 1: Installation Surface in Custom Options

The installation-surface option is not available in the standard mapping UI, but you can configure it using Custom Options. In this example, we'll set the cement surface to be mapped with a specific package so that it will select this package in SmartBuild by default when a job is created.

Steps to set it up:

  1. Find the IdeaRoom option key for installation-surface in Product Catalog (View Only).

  2. Paste the key into the Option Key column.

  3. Select installation-surface in the Option Type column.

  4. Enter the corresponding SmartBuild Question identifier.

  5. Enter the matching SmartBuild Answer value.

  6. (Optional) Add a condition in the Expression column. Most of the time this is left blank.

  7. Set the Priority to 1 to ensure it takes precedence.

Refer to the image below for an example of the expected final setup.

This ensures that SmartBuild will receive and set the correct installation surface when a job is created.

⚠️ Use the Question dropdown to select the question attribute you need. Then use the Answer dropdown to choose from the available options for that question. If the Answer dropdown does not show any options, the question requires a text response instead.

Product Systems

Use the Custom Product Systems category table to map your product systems.

Unsupported Features

May need to disable or refactor the following options to avoid errors:

  • Storage Units – Not supported. Leaving them active causes integration errors like: “Unexpected section [center-section] and wall key [back-storage / undefined].”

    • Disable all storages for Smartbuild-integrated customers.

  • Combo Units – Because SB doesn't support storages, combo units are not directly supported. To achieve a similar look, refactor Combo unit by removing the storage and adding a front lean-to on the center section.

  • Weathervanes – Unsupported in SB. Remove from configurations.

  • HayRoofs – Unsupported in SB. Remove from configurations.

  • Crows Feet – Unsupported in SB. Remove from configurations.

  • Mezzanines - Unsupported in SB. Remove from configurations or find workaround to alert SB sales user.

Data Mapping for IdeaRoom Options that don't have a Smartbuild Category Table

  • Interior Walls - get sent automatically via code

  • Ceilings - get sent automatically via code, but if need adjustments can be done via customOptions table

  • Overhangs - get sent automatically via code.

  • Eaves - get sent automatically via code.

  • Roof Pitch - get sent automatically via code.

  • Insulation - Need to be mapped via customOption table.

  • Floors - don’t get sent automatically need to map in customOptions

  • Porch Roofs/Awnings - get sent automatically. Although, Smartbuild doesn’t support Hay Roofs. See Unsupported Features above.

  • Wainscot - gets sent automatically via code.

  • Mezzanines - We don’t send to Smartbuild. See Unsupported Features above.

  • Additional Options - Need to be mapped via customOption table.

  • Dormers - get sent automatically via code. If the dormer is cutting the roof, the setbackAmountFromWall column of the dormerComponent table need to be adjsuted to minimum 0.1 - If it's greater than 0.1, no action needed. This needs to be adjusted by IdeaRoom.

  • Vents - If vents are being sent to Smartbuild, they need to be added to the Windows table in IdeaRoom because Smartbuild requires a specified width and height to render. This needs to be adjusted by IdeaRoom.

Choosing what Smartbuild Account to Use

  • We recommend that all customers create or use an SB account that will only be used by the integration.

  • Ensure the account only has access to a single distributorName.

  • Smartbuild charges for each account created, but they will not charge a customer for an account if it is being used specifically for the integration. Notify Smartbuild when they create the new account so you don't get charged.

Resolving API Account Connection Failures

If the Smartbuild API connection fails, it’s often caused by one of these two reason:

  1. Special Characters in the Integration username.

    1. Example of bad email: csmith+idearoom@test.com fails because of the “+”.

    2. To Fix It: Encode special characters before use. Example fixed email: csmith%2Bidearoom@test.com

    3. Note: Email addresses may include special characters, but the integration username must not (unless encoded).

  2. Insuffient Permissions on the Smartbuild User Account

🧠 FAQs & Troubleshooting

  • Why don’t I see Smartbuild Integration card in Sites > Integrations page?
    → Your admin may not have purchased the add-on yet. Confirm with them.

  • Can I use my own mapping?
    → Yes! Dealer-created mappings override the supplier’s. Be careful choosing this option, only setup your own custom mapping, if you truly have unique scenarios that are not supported via your supplier's mapping.

  • No job created in Smartbuild?
    → Check:

    • Is mapping published?

    • Make sure the user has canEditDistributor permissions enabled in smartbuild

    • Make sure the submit button you are using is enabled to create jobs via SalesView | Sites | Workflows

    • Any unmapped SKUs?

    • Is your username and password correct?

  • Why aren't my Product Systems mapping correctly?
    → You may need to map them in Custom Options so they work correctly. See Custom Options Example 2 above

  • Where do I find the IdeaRoom OptionKeys to use in the Custom Option feature?
    → When you select an optionType, the available optionKeys will auto populate

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