Guided SPU Install for IT Partners

Topic

SPU Installation for IT Partners

For

IT Company / IT Partner

Read Time

~20-25 minutes

Before we can activate a practice’s Smile Advantage connection, the Sikka Platform Utility (SPU) needs to be installed and configured on the server where the practice management system (PMS) runs. This guide walks your IT team through that setup: downloading the SPU, configuring its sync schedule and data path, and whitelisting it in the firewall. Complete everything below before your scheduled remote install session.

What is the SPU, and why does my team need to install it?

The Sikka Platform Utility (SPU) is a desktop application built by Sikka, our integration partner for PMS connectivity. It runs quietly on the practice server and keeps patient records, appointments, and payment data synced between the practice management system and the Smile Advantage dashboard. Your team installs and configures it once; after that, it runs in the background with no ongoing maintenance.

Note

This setup happens on the server where the PMS itself runs, not on an individual workstation. Have server-level admin access ready before you start.

Before you begin

Gather the following before you start:

• About 20-25 minutes
• Admin access to the practice server, to install software and configure the firewall
• The office’s Smile Advantage registration email and password - you will use this twice, once in the Sikka account portal and once in the SPU app itself
• The Installation key from that same registration email - entered on the first screen of the installer
• The PMS master username and password, provided by the office

Start here

On the server computer, open the Sikka account portal:

Open the Sikka account portal

All five steps below start from this portal and the SPU app it installs.

Steps at a glance

Step	What you do
1	Log in to the Sikka account portal and download the SPU
2	Configure the sync scheduling and data points
3	Configure the PMS data path and credentials
4	Final check: refresh data and confirm the connection
5	Whitelist the SPU executables and URLs in the firewall

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Step 1: Log in and download the SPU

Log in to the account portal using the office’s registration email and password (the credentials they created when they registered with Smile Advantage). Click the Account Details tab, then click Download SPU. Once the file finishes downloading, run the installer.

On the installer’s first screen, enter the Installation key from the office’s registration email, then continue through setup.

Tip

Once installed, the Sikka Platform Utility app launches on its own and asks you to log in again. Use the same office credentials from earlier in this step.

Step 2: Configure scheduling

Once you are logged into the SPU app, click Settings in the left sidebar, then the Scheduling tab. Set Every to 30 and the unit to Minutes.

Click the Data Points button. In the window that opens, click Select All, then Save.

Step 3: Configure data path

Click the PMS Data Path tab. Confirm the detected practice management system and data path look correct - the SPU usually auto-detects this. Enter the PMS master username and password, provided by the office, in the user details fields, then click Apply.

Step 4: Final check

Open Service Status in the left sidebar and click Refresh Data to confirm the SPU can reach the PMS.

Caution

Leave the SPU running and at the login screen when you are done. Do not close the app.

Step 5: Update the firewall

Finish by whitelisting the SPU through the firewall so it can sync with Smile Advantage. Allow these two executables:

• C:\Users\<windows username>\AppData\Local\SSCService\SSCService.exe
• C:\Users\<windows username>\AppData\Local\SSCService\SSCWindowsService.exe

Then whitelist these URLs and ports:

URL	Port(s)
https://webservices.sikkasoft.com	80 and 443
https://centraldata.s3.amazonaws.com/	443 only
https://spuupdates.s3.amazonaws.com/	443 only

What happens next

That is everything on your end before the install session. From here:

• Confirm your remote support session is scheduled and ready to go.
• During the session, our team activates the Smile Advantage connection and configures the payment type. You should not need to do anything further on the SPU side.

For the practice-side steps that happen before this install, see:

• Integration Installation Guide