The VOW API key and editing documents
A VOW API key can be used by an external application to connect to VOW.
Your API key is unique to you, and should not be shared.
The most common use case for the VOW API key is for use in editing cloud files on your computer, using Word or Excel, via the VOW Helper.
Getting a VOW API key
To generate an API key, go to Settings | My settings and look for the API key section in the Security panel.
If you don't have an API key yet, it'll look like this:
Click the Refresh
button to generate a key. You should now see your api key appear like this:
You can use the Copy
button to copy the key to your clipboard to paste into an external application.
The VOW Helper
Your attachments are stored in the cloud, so you don't have the ability to just open them in Word or Excel directly from the application. The arduous way of going about this is to download the attachment, edit it, then upload it again. Because you're wanting to replace the original, you'd have to delete the original at some point, otherwise you'd lose track of which was the most recent version.
The VOW helper program gives you a way around this. The upshot is that you're able to click a link in the VOW app, start editing the document in your local application, save and then close, and have the attachment replaced within the application by the version with your changes. VOW can only do this if you download and install a helper application that runs on your computer and facilitates this behind-the-scenes transferring of files.
Installing the helper
Download the helper by clicking the button below:
Windows might object to you running the helper installer because it doesn't trust it. You might see this:
If you see this, click the More info link on the popup and you'll see this:
Click the Run anyway button to install the helper.
Install step 1
The helper installer will start, and you should see this window:
Click the Next > button to continue.
Install step 2
Leave the defaults in place and click Next > to continue.
Install step 3
The next step is the confirmation step, and you'll need to click Next to continue.
At this point, Windows will require administrative access to copy the program into the location specified during install step 2. It will pop up a window showing this information:
Do you want to allow this app from an unknown publisher to make changes to your device?
C:\Users\your-login\Downloads\VOWHelperInstaller.msi
Publisher: unknown
File origin: Hard drive on this computer
You have the option of choosing Yes or No. You must choose Yes to install the software.
Install step 4
At this point, the installation is complete, and you should click the Close button to dismiss the installer.
Editing files
With the helper in place, you're now able to handle the downloads that the server sends when you click to edit an editable attachment. The edit button is circled in the screenshots below.
| Flat view | Folder view (context menu) |
|---|---|
 |  |
The first time you click this, you'll see a button in the bar at the bottom of your browser that looks like this:
Click the caret (^) at the end of the button to show the popup menu.
First, click the Always open files of this type menu item so that you won't have to open the files manually:
Then choose the Open menu item to open the helper document.
After you choose Open Windows will tell you that you need to choose an app to open the file. You should click the More apps link to show all of the installed applications.
Then scroll to the bottom of the list and click the Look for another app on this PC link.
Windows will open a window that will let you browse for the helper application. You should go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Essential Cloud Services\VOWHelper and double-click VOWHelper.exe.
Depending on your system, you might be done. If you still have to choose an app every time you click the Edit button
in VOW, then you'll need to take the following steps.
First, click the Edit button and then choose not to open the helper. Then open your Downloads folder. Right-click the downloaded file (it'll be named something like vow_edit_01234567890123456.vowxfer, where the 16 digits could be any letters or numbers) and choose Open with | Choose another app.
In the popup, tick the Always use this app to open .vowxfer files and then click the VOWHelper item followed by OK (or double-click the VOWHelper item after ticking the box).
At that point, the VOWHelper will open, and it will always open whenever you click to edit a file from within VOW.
Edit your document in Word or Excel (or whatever you're using), then save it and close it. When you're done, the file will be sent up to the cloud, to replace the one that you originally downloaded.
Configuring the Helper
There are a few configuration fields in the Helper that you'll need to set up.