Albert Sync

Albert Sync allows you to automatically upload files from your device directly into Albert. Customers leverage Albert Sync every day to upload Results data from their local device into Albert. As you update and modify files on your local device, the most recent version of that file will automatically be updated to Albert via Albert Sync.

Albert Sync + Instron

Albert Sync's integration with Instron's Bluehill software allows you to sync test results directly from lab machines to Albert. Every time you create a Task in Albert, it will send the job to the equipment and upload the results from the equipment automatically, decreasing duplicate data entry and allowing Albert to be more integrated with your laboratory.

How does Albert Sync work?

Albert Sync will pull files from a designated watch folder on your computer. Albert Sync will associate the files from the watch folder with a Task in Albert based on the Task ID, and will upload the file as an attachment to the Task's notes section.

Note: Albert Sync is currently only available for Windows operating system.

Setting Up Albert Sync

1. Download Albert Sync via the Albert Sync Installer. You can obtain this installer from your organization's Administrator(s).
2. Once you launch the application, you need to authenticate the application. Navigate to https://app.albertinvent.com/#/syncactivate to authenticate.
3. Albert will ask you to copy the code from Albert Sync into the web browser.
4. Copy the code from Albert Sync and paste it into the designated field within Albert as instructed:
   
5. Then, Albert will ask you to select a Watch folder. This is the folder that Albert will pull files from based on their Task ID.

Note: Your watch folder cannot be the same as the Albert Sync folder.

Note: Albert Sync will automatically upload to the latest version. There is no need to re-download Albert Sync when feature enhancements are made.

Syncing Files to Albert

As long as Albert Sync is running, it will always be watching the watch folder and uploading and updating files. When files are edited and saved, Albert Sync will watch the folder for any changes to your file and upload the latest version of your file to Albert. 

Albert Sync knows where to upload your file based on the file's name. To upload your file to a particular Task, the file name has to have the Task ID included somewhere in it. The Task ID does not need to be separated by spaces or punctuation.

Albert Sync will upload any file type to Albert, and can upload files up to 20 GB in size. Albert Sync will upload folders that contain the Task ID as a .zip file with all of the files inside of it, regardless of what the files inside it are named. When new files are added to this folder, it will update the .zip file. 

Navigating Albert Sync

Sharing and navigating Tasks directly from Albert Sync

Within Albert Sync, you can click on three dots next to your file name and select "View Task" to easily navigate to the Task associated with the file in Albert. You can click on the same three dots next to your file name and select "Copy Link" to share the Albert Task link with colleagues.

Pausing Albert Sync

You can pause Albert Sync at any time from within the Albert Sync application, meaning that Albert will stop searching for updates in the watch folder. To pause Albert Sync, navigate to Albert Sync, click on the Settings icon, and then click on Pause Data Sync (as shown below).

Creating Tasks to Send to Albert Sync

Note: This functionality is only available for customers who have Albert Sync + Instron.

To create a Task to send to Albert Sync, navigate to your Albert environment and select the Task option after pressing the blue Create button at the top of your page. 

Fill out the information about your task as prompted:

After filling out your Data Template(s), instead of adding a Parameter Group, you will add a Smart Parameter Group.

A Smart Parameter Group is a Parameter Group that is specifically designed to be sent to an Instron machine via Albert Sync. 

To add a Smart Parameter Group, click on the plus sign shown to the right of the 'Add Parameter Group' option.

Once you click Add Smart Parameter Group, you'll be able to select which Smart Parameter Group you'd like to select.

Note: Smart Parameter Groups are configured within Bluehill software based on available test methods and will show up automatically in your Albert environment.

Select your desired Smart Parameter Group configuration and input the desired values for each of the listed parameters. 

Once you've added all of your Smart Parameter Groups and have filled out all of the information about your Task, press the Create + Send Job button. This will send your Task to Albert Sync, where it will wait in the queue. 

Once in the queue, jobs can be submitted to machines. To send your job to Bluehill software on the desired machine, click on the desired Task ID within Albert Sync.

From there, click Submit Job. This will send the job to Bluehill and the machine will begin running the test method. 

After the test is run, from within the Bluehill software, click on Save Sample as and ensure that the output folder is the same folder as your Albert Sync watch folder. 

Note: You will only need to set your watch folder one time. For every subsequent job, this same output folder will automatically be set within Bluehill. 

Saving the file will save it to the watch folder where it will be picked up by Albert Sync. 

Note: Albert Sync is an Albert system user, does not have an email address, and will not show up in the People module.