To function optimally UpSlide needs to communicate with the user's database on our server. This article describes the nature of these exchanges and how to configure it.

Communication

UpSlide communication to our server is done through HTTPS and encrypted with AES256.

Automatic activation/Renewal

With this feature, UpSlide is automatically activated after the user enters their email address during first use. The license is later automatically updated when the UpSlide contract is renewed each year.

If communication is blocked, the user will have to manually request and enter their license using this procedure: Manual activation. They will need to complete this procedure again each year.

Usage statistics

Every user machine sends usage information to a centralized server. The push is made once per day at startup of a single Office application. This information can later be retrieved in the form of dashboards detailing the most useful features for your company as well as the percentage of users who are, in effect, using UpSlide.

This feature can be turned off for all users. If communication is blocked the statistics are not sent but the user will not be affected.

Team settings

If a team setting changes after UpSlide is deployed its new value can be pushed automatically to all users. This feature relies on a weekly check by UpSlide for the path stored on our server.

If communication is blocked, these settings cannot be updated centrally and each user will need to change them individually using the UpSlide Settings button. Examples of available settings:

• Shared folder location
• Link options
• Default support mail address

UpSlide upgrades

When new versions are available UpSlide can update itself at startup. If communication is blocked to our server updates will not be downloaded. A fall back mode is available to update UpSlide from a local network folder. For more details see this article. 

How it works

The UpSlide add-in makes web requests (HTTPS: GET) through the host application (Excel, Word or PowerPoint) on port 443. To make it work:

1. Authorize HTTPS requests to the domains and all subdomains of upslide.net

2. Excel, PowerPoint and Word must not be blocked by Windows firewall

 To prevent it from working, you can either 

1. Not fulfil the prerequisites of the last paragraph or
2. Add options to the application settings file (please contact us)

Detailed subdomain explanation

Please find below the details of the data exchanged between UpSlide and the server. All data is encrypted using an AES 256 algorithm.

• License Request and Renewal - license.upslide.net
• Sent data: User Email, Contract ID, Machine ID, Computer Name, Domain, User Name, Windows Version, Office version, UpSlide Version.
• Data retrieved: license code
• Usage statistics - stats.upslide.net
• Sent data: same as license request plus usage statistics in a number of clicks.
• Data retrieved: success flag
• Team settings - autoupdate.upslide.net
• Sent data: Contract ID, user email
• Data retrieved: library path, default Linking options...
• UpSlide upgrade - autoupdate.upslide.net
• Sent data: Contract ID, user email
• Data retrieved: URL of the latest update (compressed as a .zip file, later downloaded using BITS protocol)