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Configuring and Troubleshooting Account & Contact Sync Between Fishbowl and Kinein

How to set up customer accounts and contacts so they sync correctly - and what to check when they don't

When You'd Need This

If you're here, you're likely in one of two situations:

  1. You're setting up Fishbowl so customer accounts and contacts sync correctly into Kinein.
  2. You believe syncing is already configured, but data isn't flowing as expected and you need to troubleshoot.

The same core requirements apply in both cases, and we'll walk through them step by step.

 

How It Works

Kinein syncs customer account data from Fishbowl. For that sync to work, a few things need to be configured on both sides - an account number in Kinein, web access enabled in Fishbowl, and properly formatted contact addresses in Fishbowl. If any of those pieces are missing or misconfigured, the sync won't work (or will only partially work).

Single Login vs. Multiple Logins per Account

Some Kinein sites allow only one user per customer account, while others support multiple users (multiple email addresses) tied to the same account.

Even if your site only needs a single login today, we strongly recommend following all the setup steps below. That way, if you ever expand to support multiple users per account, the data is already in place and no rework is required.

How to Set It Up

Step 1: Set the Account Number in Kinein

Start in Kinein and locate the customer record. For a customer to sync correctly, an account number must be present on the Kinein account. This should match the customer account in Fishbowl.

Once the account number is entered and saved, Kinein should display a Debtor tab on the account. This confirms the account is linked to Fishbowl. If the Debtor tab is missing, the account is not yet connected.

Pro tip: Configure at least one field that should always sync - like tax code, tax name, default terms, or tax-exempt status. If one of these is blank or out of sync, it's a quick indicator that something's not working right for that account.

Step 2: Enable Web Access in Fishbowl

Once the account number is set in Kinein, head to Fishbowl. The Grant Web Access checkbox must be enabled on the customer account. This is a baseline requirement - nothing syncs without it.

Step 3: Configure Contact Addresses in Fishbowl

This is where most sync issues come from. Fishbowl is account-centric, not contact-centric. The closest equivalent to managing individual users is through Addresses.

Each address used for website access needs:

  • A complete physical address - street, city, state, and ZIP code. Missing address data can prevent proper provisioning.
  • A single, properly formatted email address - no commas, no semicolons, no multiple emails crammed into one field. One email per address record.
  • Data Type set to "Email" - make sure the email entry is actually typed as Email, not Phone or something else.

Watch the name field. Fishbowl defaults the name field to the company name. If you leave it that way, Kinein will split the company name into first/last name and create incorrect user records. Enter the actual person's name in the address name field.

Step 4: Trigger Automatic User Creation in Kinein

To automatically provision a new website user during sync, three things need to be true:

  1. The address must be marked as Default.
  2. The email record must be type "Email," contain a single valid email, and be checked as Default.
  3. Grant Web Access must be enabled on the account.

When all three conditions are met, Kinein will create the user account and optionally send a welcome email (if configured).

Important: The Default Address setting is only required for initial provisioning. Once the user exists, the address does not need to remain default. Syncing will continue as long as the email is valid and properly configured. This means you can rotate the default address when onboarding new users without disrupting existing ones.

Common Sync Issues Checklist

If data isn't syncing - or updates aren't flowing - run through this list:

  • Account number exists in Kinein - and it matches Fishbowl
  • Grant Web Access is enabled in Fishbowl
  • Address includes a full, valid physical address - street, city, state, ZIP
  • Email is properly formatted - single email, no commas or semicolons
  • Email type is set to "Email" - not Phone or another type
  • Default settings are correct - for new user provisioning only
  • Name field has the actual person's name - not the company name

Any one of these being incorrect can break syncing or prevent updates from flowing through.

Still Stuck?

If you've worked through the checklist and things still aren't syncing, shoot us an email at support@kinein.com. We can put eyes on your configuration and help get everything flowing smoothly.