# How to configure the data importer {#how-to-configure-the-data-importer} The Data Importer communicates with Firefly III over the [API](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/references/firefly-iii/api/index.md). On this page you will read how to: 1. Configure access to the Firefly III API. 2. Configure third party data providers (optional) Please also refer to the following guides. - [How to install the data importer using Docker](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/data-importer/installation/docker/index.md) - [How to install the data importer on your own server](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/data-importer/installation/self-managed/index.md) - [General introduction to the data importer](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/explanation/data-importer/introduction/index.md) - [What are third party data providers?](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/tutorials/data-importer/data-providers/index.md) - [How to get a personal access token](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/firefly-iii/features/api/index.md) ## Access to Firefly III {#access-to-firefly-iii} First, you must tell the data importer where to reach Firefly III. Firefly III can be reached over two URLs at the same time. In most cases this URL is always the same. For Docker installations, these URLs are often different. The `FIREFLY_III_URL` is the URL that the data importer uses to reach Firefly III. The `VANITY_URL` is the URL that you use to reach Firefly III. In case of Docker installations, the `FIREFLY_III_URL` is an "internal" URL, often in the form you see below, `http://app:8080`. Because you cannot browse to that URL, there is a second variable, the `VANITY_URL`, which is the URL you use to reach Firefly III. Most often, this is `http://localhost`. If you are not using Docker, both URLs are the same and you can safely set `FIREFLY_III_URL` only. | Environment variable | Probable value when Docker | Probable value when not Docker | |----------------------|----------------------------|--------------------------------| | `FIREFLY_III_URL` | `http://app:8080` | `https://localhost` | | `FIREFLY_III_URL` | `http://172.16.2.2:8080` | `http://myserver.lan` | | `VANITY_URL` | `http://localhost` | `http://localhost` | If you use Docker, remember that the `FIREFLY_III_URL` is a reference to Firefly III from inside the data importer container. Therefore, in most cases, the URL is `http://app:8080`, as you can see in the examples above. This happens because Docker containers can use the container name to refer to each other. If you do not use Docker, the `FIREFLY_III_URL` is probably your localhost or the location of your existing Firefly III installation. The `VANITY_URL` is rarely used outside of Docker containers. It contains the URL of Firefly III as you see it in your address bar. This is often not the same as the `FIREFLY_III_URL`. The `FIREFLY_III_URL` is optional. If you don't set it, the data importer will ask for the URL. If you do not set it, the `VANITY_URL` will be ignored. > [!WARNING] > **Docker and 127.0.0.1** > > Docker cannot connect to a Firefly III installation using `http://localhost` or `http://127.0.0.1` because this address refers to the Docker container itself, and not Firefly III. ## Authenticate to Firefly III {#authenticate-to-firefly-iii} Second, to authenticate with Firefly III you must set ONE of the following variables: 1. Set a [Personal Access Token](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/firefly-iii/features/api/index.md) in the `FIREFLY_III_ACCESS_TOKEN` environment variable. 2. OR set a [Client ID](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/firefly-iii/features/api/index.md) in the `FIREFLY_III_CLIENT_ID` environment variable. You can get these variables by reading [how to talk to the API](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/firefly-iii/features/api/index.md). > [!NOTE] > **Authelia and other tools** > > Firefly III combined with [external identity providers](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/firefly-iii/advanced/authentication/index.md) such as Authelia can only handle Personal Access Tokens. These variables are mutually exclusive. If you set both, the data importer will use the Personal Access Token. If you set neither, the data importer will ask for the client ID. ## Configure third party data providers (optional) {#configure-third-party-data-providers-optional} The following steps are also listed on the [page about data providers under the tutorials section](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/tutorials/data-importer/data-providers/index.md), but here are just the connection instructions for each provider the data provider supports. And also, the instructions for data importers not yet supported. Sorry about that, I am working hard to get them integrated into the data importer! ### basiq.io {#basiqio} Not yet supported. Stay tuned! ### Enable Banking {#enable-banking} Not yet supported. Stay tuned! ### FinTS {#fints} Not yet supported. Stay tuned! ### GoCardless {#gocardless} This is necessary if you wish to connect to your bank through GoCardless. * `NORDIGEN_ID` is your GoCardless Client ID * `NORDIGEN_KEY` is your GoCardless Client Secret * If you set `NORDIGEN_SANDBOX` to `true` the data importer will only connect to the GoCardless sandbox. If you do not set these, the data importer will ask for them. ### Lunch Flow {#lunch-flow} This is necessary to set if you want to connect to Lunch Flow: Set the following environment variable. It depends a little bit on how you run the data importer how you must do this. You may have to edit `.importer.env` or set it in your Docker configuration. ``` LUNCH_FLOW_API_KEY=your_api_key_here ``` ### Open Banking/HBCI {#open-bankinghbci} Not yet supported. Stay tuned! ### SimpleFIN {#simplefin} The SimpleFIN connection can be set up through the UI, but you can also set the following environment variable: - `SIMPLEFIN_TOKEN` is your SimpleFIN connection token. ### teller.io {#tellerio} Not yet supported. Stay tuned! ### Configure Spectre {#configure-spectre} > [!WARNING] > As of October 31st, 2025 Salt Edge no longer offers free-tier access for Firefly III users. To prevent disappointment, the instructions for Salt Edge have been removed and in due time, Salt Edge support will be removed from the data importer. ## Where to set the configuration? {#where-to-set-the-configuration} All the configuration values mentioned on this page are stored in environment variables. For example: * `FIREFLY_III_URL` * `FIREFLY_III_ACCESS_TOKEN` * `FIREFLY_III_CLIENT_ID` You can use the `.env` file to store them, use Docker's `-e` flag to set them or use your operating system to set these values. This depends on your installation method, [Docker](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/data-importer/installation/docker/index.md) or [self-managed](https://sourcey-firefly.pages.dev/how-to/data-importer/installation/self-managed/index.md). > [!TIP] > **Cookie warning** > > You may need to clear your cookies, browse to `/flush` or press \[Reauthenticate\] after changing these values.