ODBC Driver Setup

Syntra ODBC ships with a bundled ODBC driver that allows any ODBC-compatible application to connect to the Syntra server. This page covers how to configure the driver as a Windows ODBC Data Source.

How It Works

Syntra runs a local SQL server on port 5433. The bundled ODBC driver connects to this server, allowing any ODBC-compatible application, including Excel, Access, Crystal Reports, and many others, to query QuickBooks data with standard SQL.

Creating an ODBC Data Source (DSN)

Step 1: Open ODBC Data Source Administrator

Press Win + R, type odbcad32, and press Enter. This opens the 64-bit ODBC Data Source Administrator. If your application is 32-bit, use C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe instead.

Step 2: Add a New Data Source

1. Click the User DSN or System DSN tab (System DSN is available to all users on the machine).
2. Click Add….
3. Select Syntra ODBC - QuickBooks ODBC from the list.
4. Click Finish.

Step 3: Configure Connection Settings

Fill in the following fields:

Field	Value
Data Source	SyntraODBC (or any name)
Database	quickbooks
Server	localhost
Port	5433
User Name	syntra
Password	Your configured password

Click Test to verify the connection, then click Save.

Step 4: Verify in Your Application

Open your target application (Excel, Access, etc.) and look for the DSN name you just created when choosing an ODBC data source.

DSN-less Connections

You can also connect without creating a DSN by providing a connection string directly. See the Connection Strings reference for full syntax.

Driver={Syntra ODBC - QuickBooks ODBC};Server=localhost;Port=5433;Database=quickbooks;Uid=syntra;Pwd=yourpassword;

Troubleshooting

• Driver not listed: Ensure the Syntra ODBC installer completed successfully. The driver DLL (syntra-odbc.dll) must be registered in the Windows registry under the name Syntra ODBC - QuickBooks ODBC.
• Connection refused: Confirm the Syntra service is running and listening on port 5433.
• Authentication failed: Double-check the username and password in your config.toml.
• 32-bit vs. 64-bit mismatch: If your application is 32-bit (e.g., older Excel), you must use the 32-bit ODBC administrator and install the 32-bit driver.