Freewheel Media Integration Set-Up

Enable Accountability's API-based connectivity with Freewheel to synchronize master data and automate media postings.

Overview

Accountability's integration with Freewheel enables the seamless flow of data between the two platforms:

Media client, product and vendor records in Freewheel are automatically synched in Accountability, so there's no need to manage these records in multiple places
Once a client invoice is generated in the Freewheel Strata Media Billing system, the invoice header and details (down to the vendor and MOS level) are recorded in Accountability in real-time. The transaction is automatically approved and posted to the AR sub-ledger and mapped media accounts. See Freewheel Configuration below.
Once a vendor invoice is cleared for payment, the invoice header and details are recorded in Accountability in real-time. The transaction is automatically approved and posted to the AP sub-ledger and Cost Control Account. See Freewheel Configuration below.

To avoid duplication of records, exclude media clients and vendors from the initial database set-up. The integration does not reject duplicate master data records. Instead it will append a 1 to the client, product, or vendor code. For example, if client XXX was added manually and the integration subsequently brings in client ABC from Freewheel, the system will add the Freewheel client code as XXX1.

Pre-requisites

The Freewheel agency needs to be on the hosted version of SBMS to take advantage of this integration
Freewheel enables the integration and sends the agency its API credentials
Freewheel and agency initiates transition plan from current media billing tool to the Strata Media Billing system (if applicable)
Enable vendor validation in the Strata platform. In the FinancialAPISettings in Application Settings in SBMS, there is an option called 'Validate Spot Vendors when Billing or Clearing'. This option needs to be checked to prevent clearances on stations that do not have a vendor ID. Please reach out to your TechOps team at Freewheel for more information.
If the Billing Code in Freewheel represents a master supplier that "reps" multiple vendors, add a supplier record in Accountability prior to enabling the integration. This ensures that this master supplier is linked to all relevant vendors.
Accountability enables the Freewheel Media Integration (Set Up Files>Set Up Options>Media Options: Use Freewheel Media)

Freewheel Configuration

Navigate to Set Up Files>Set Up Options and click the API Integrations link. Select Freewheel Configuration from the list of available integrations.

General Settings

These settings contain the API keys to enable the 2-way integration between Freewheel and Accountability, as well as default settings.

Field Name	Description
API Key	Enter the API Key from Freewheel.
Subscription Key	Enter Subscription Key from Freewheel.
Default Administrator	Defaults to Accountability Support. Select the name of the agency admin for this integration.
Default Client Manager	Defaults to Accountability Support. You can set the Client Manager to a specific employee here or use the Client Import Template to update the Client Managers at once.
Default Client Type	Select the Client Type for client records created through the Freewheel integration.
Default Supplier Type	This is auto-populated with the Supplier Type default from the Supplier Master File. To override, click on the dropdown and select the supplier type for vendor records created through the Freewheel integration.
Tax Code 1
Tax Code 2
Option Name	Description
Invoice Due Date from Supplier Payment Terms?	Keep this box checked if you want to use the Payment Terms from the Supplier Record to calculate the Invoice Due Date.
Update Accountability with Freewheel Vendor Address Changes?	Keep this box checked if you want vendor address changes in Freewheel to automatically update the supplier address in Accountability.
Create Client in Freewheel When New Client Created in Accountability?	Uncheck this box if you don't want new clients created in Accountability to automatically create a corresponding client record in Freewheel.
Create CIA Reversal Supplier Invoices?	Keep this box checked if you are prepaying vendors and would like to leverage the CIA reversal invoice functionality within Accountability. Learn more.
Send Payment to Strata?	Keep this box checked to automatically send cash receipt and vendor payment details to Freewheel for cash flow reporting.
Supplier Invoices Post to Cleared Month?	By default, Accountability uses the transaction date (Invoice Date) to determine the Accounting Month. If the month of the invoice date is closed, the system will post to the next open month. Check this date if you want to use the clearance date, i.e. posting date, to determine the Accounting Month.

GL Control Settings

Control Accounts ensure that all accounting transactions received from Freewheel are are accounted for within the Accountability platform.

Control Account	Description
Billing Control Account	This control account reflects the total media billings posted to the Billing Account.
Special Amount Due	Not applicable
Withholding Account	Not applicable
Barter Cost Account	For Barter/Trade transactions. Requires additional set up in Freewheel Strata.
Trade Account	For Barter/Trade transactions. Requires additional set up in Freewheel Strata.
Cost Accrual	The Cost Accrual Account (aka Media WIP) is used to capture media pending amounts . This entry captures the cost of a media buy against the media billing for that buy, before receiving the cleared vendor invoice.
Media Inventory Account	Not applicable

Entity and Office Mapping

Once the API and Subscription Keys are entered, create an Entity by going to Set Up Files>Offices and clicking on the Entities link. Once created, link the Accountability Entity to the corresponding Freewheel Agency on the list.

Map the relevant Accountability Office(s) to the corresponding Freewheel Media Office(s).

This mapping is required to retrieve the media types from Freewheel.

Important:

Once this mapping is done, your Accountability Lead will submit a DevOps request to enable the integration.

Sales and Cost of Sales GL Accounts

You can define the account mapping for invoices received from Freewheel at the media type level. The available Media Types for each Module is retrieved from Freewheel through the API.

Account	Description
Billing Account	The Billing Account is used for informational purposes, i.e. you can see your Production and Media Billings broken out on your P&L . You can use a single account for all media billings or map different accounts by module (or media type).
Fee Billing Account	To post agency fees/commission to a separate account, select the corresponding account here.
Sales Account	This account is credited at the time of media billing
Fee Sales Account	Use this to post Fees to a separate Fee Sales Account.
Cost Account	This account is debited at the time of media billing
Trade Sales Account	For trade transactions only. Additional set up required in SBMS.
Trade Cost Account	For trade transactions only. Additional set up required in SBMS.
Barter Cost Account	For SBMS barter transactions only. Additional set up required in SBMS.
Cost Accrual Account	In addition to the Cost Accrual Control Account, you have the option to break out media pending postings by media type.

Note: Module-level mapping was only available for V4 of the Freewheel API. As of September 2023, all agencies have been migrated to V5 of Freewheel's API. V5 is module agnostic and no longer includes module information.

Note: In order for the invoices to flow from Freewheel to Accountability, the Billing, Fee, Sales, and Cost Accounts must be mapped for each media type.

Fee Media Type

This Media Type is specifically for Fee vendors from the Strata platform. Fee vendors are not part of the master data vendor API from Freewheel, hence there is no media type associated with it. If you are using Fee vendors in lieu of Alternate Ad Servers for Digital, please map the relevant GL accounts for this media type.