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Installation and configuration of BL Connect with Edusign

Written by Lucas Minarro-Rey

This guide explains step-by-step how to install and configure BL Connect to ensure synchronization between your management software (Berger-Levrault) and Edusign.

⚠️ This procedure requires a good understanding of your technical environment. If in doubt, contact your Edusign representative.

Please consult this document additionally: Dossier_Installation_BLConnect_Edusign.pdf

Step 1 – Prepare the environment

✅ Prerequisites

  • Have administrative access to the server hosting BL Connect.

  • Ensure email addresses are provided in each student's profile.

  • Complete the GRP EDUSIGN field (group membership) in the student's profile.

  • For trainers, email addresses must also be provided.

Step 2 – Installation of BL Connect

  1. Download and install BL Connect on the designated server.

  2. Verify that the necessary services are running.

Step 3 – Configure the Edusign interface

  1. Open the configuration file BLCONNECT_EDUSIGN.INI.

  2. Enter the following information:

    • API Key provided by Edusign.

    • Connection parameters specific to your institution.

Step 4 – Start the first synchronization

  • Launch a manual synchronization.

  • Verify that students are properly created in Edusign.

  • The Edusign ID must be automatically registered in the RFID Code field.

Step 5 – Schedule automatic synchronizations

We recommend scheduling 3 synchronizations a day:

  • In the morning (before classes start).

  • Between 12 PM and 2 PM.

  • At the end of the day.

This ensures that students, groups, and sessions are always up to date.

Step 6 – Monitor and debug

  • Logs are located in the BL Connect installation folder.

  • In case of error:

    • Check the logs.

    • Ensure required fields (email, group) are filled.

    • Restart synchronization.

Step 7 – Checks and troubleshooting (detailed checklist)

This section gathers the priority checks to perform when synchronization fails or data appears missing. Follow the steps in order:

✅ Quick checks

  • Verify that students' and professors' emails are properly entered (according to EMAIL_COMM: primary or secondary).

  • Confirm that the GRP EDUSIGN field is present and filled in the relevant profiles.

  • Ensure that the Bundle/base name and the identifiers in BLCONNECT_EDUSIGN.INI point to the correct bases.

  • Verify that scheduled tasks are active and the latest executions do not show errors.

🔎 Log analysis

  • Open the \Log folder in the BL Connect installation.

  • Locate the time frame corresponding to the sync attempt.

  • Note key errors: DB connection, timeout, API authentication refusal, record parsing error.

  • Search for occurrences of keywords: ERROR, EXCEPTION, TIMEOUT, AUTH.

🔧 Common corrective actions

  1. DB connection error: check the host/port/credentials in the INI; test the connection from the server (telnet/sqlclient).

  2. Missing absences or students: confirm that the promotions/sessions are within the sync window (7 days recommended) and the GRP EDUSIGN is filled in.

  3. professors without email: complete email addresses in BL Scolarité; restart sync.

  4. Problem writing the RFID Code: permissions on the BL database; check no DB constraints prevent the update.

  5. Edusign API failure: verify the validity and scope of the provided API key (expiration, permissions).

🆘 When to contact Edusign support

If, after these checks, the anomaly persists, contact Edusign support with the following elements:

  • Log excerpts (10-20 lines around the error);

  • Anonymized content of key sections in BLCONNECT_EDUSIGN.INI;

  • Indication of scheduled tasks (names & times);

  • Example of an incomplete record (e.g., student profile with missing fields).

Step 8 – Final checklist

  • BL Connect is installed and functional.

  • student and trainer emails are provided.

  • The GRP EDUSIGN field is filled in.

  • The BLCONNECT_EDUSIGN.INI file is correctly configured.

  • The Edusign ID is present in the RFID Code field.

  • Automatic synchronizations are scheduled.

💡 Best practices

  • Always use a generic email address (e.g., formation@ecole.fr) for notifications.

  • Regularly monitor synchronizations in the logs.

  • Contact Edusign if a synchronization fails multiple times consecutively.

Your BL Connect x Edusign interface is now ready. 🎉

In case of blockage, open a support ticket or contact the Edusign team directly via chat.

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