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Connect ServiceM8

DocketBridge needs read-only access to your ServiceM8 account. It reads jobs, completed forms, attachments and clients, and never creates or changes anything in ServiceM8.

What DocketBridge reads from ServiceM8

  • Jobs, to match the job number and total to a Xero invoice.
  • Completed form responses on the job and their PDFs, which are the dockets.
  • Form template names, so you can choose which forms are dockets.
  • Client names and records, for your client rules.

The PDFs pass through memory on their way to Xero and are never stored. See the Privacy Policy for everything DocketBridge keeps.

Connect with a read-only API key

DocketBridge connects to ServiceM8 with a read-only API key that you create in ServiceM8. The step-by-step guide with photos shows each screen.

  1. Sign in to ServiceM8, open the Account menu and select Settings.
  2. Select API Keys, then the green Add API Key button.
  3. Enter DocketBridge as the name, choose Read Only, then select Create.
  4. Copy the key. In DocketBridge, paste it into the "ServiceM8 read-only API key" box on the "1. ServiceM8" card and press Save ServiceM8 key.

Choose Read Only. DocketBridge only reads jobs, clients, forms and attachments, so Full Access is not needed.

What you see

  • DocketBridge tests the key by reading your ServiceM8 form list. A working key shows "ServiceM8 connected" and the card shows "connected".
  • "ServiceM8 key did not work, check it and try again" means ServiceM8 did not accept the key. Check you copied all of it.
  • The "3. Which forms are dockets?" and "4. Which clients should receive dockets?" cards appear once ServiceM8 is connected.

Replacing or removing the key

  • To replace the key, save a new one in the same box. It replaces the old one and does not change whether DocketBridge is running or paused.
  • Press Remove ServiceM8 API key on the "Your account and data" card at the bottom of your dashboard to delete the saved key from DocketBridge. It also pauses DocketBridge. Then delete the key in ServiceM8 under Settings, API Keys, so it can never be used again.
  • Treat the key like a password. Do not email or share it. If it is exposed, remove it in ServiceM8 and create a replacement.

If the key stops working

If the key is removed in ServiceM8, checks fail. After the next check the "1. ServiceM8" card shows needs attention and says "ServiceM8 no longer accepts your API key, so DocketBridge cannot check your jobs. Create a new read-only API key in ServiceM8 (Settings, API Keys) and save it here." The top card says "A connection needs attention, so checks are failing. See below." The forms list is empty, the clients card says "No active ServiceM8 clients were found." and Run once now shows "Run failed: ServiceM8 refused the request, check the ServiceM8 connection". Create a new read-only key and save it. The message clears once the new key is saved.

If the key stays refused for 10 minutes, DocketBridge emails you once: "Reconnect ServiceM8 to keep dockets attaching". You only get another one if the key is fixed and later stops working again. DocketBridge finds out when a check runs, so while it is paused the card only changes after you press Run once now. ServiceM8 outages and rate limits never show needs attention.

Still need help?

Email laurits@specializedcg.com.au. DocketBridge is supported by its developer, not by ServiceM8 or Xero, so please contact us rather than ServiceM8 or Xero support. If it is about a docket, include the invoice number.