Setting up Reftown and Google Maps for Embedded Maps

This is used to set up Reftown for calculating precise driving distances related to assignments.

Logging Into a Google Cloud Account

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console
2. If you do not have an Account,
   • Click the "Create account" link.
     • Fill out the form to create an account with Google (below are the approximate steps which may vary as Google updates things)
       1. Enter your email address
          1. You will be sent a code to proceed.
       2. Enter the code
       3. Complete the signup process, creating a password
          1. Reftown will NEVER need that password.
       4. Agree to their  Privacy and Terms (a couple of times)
3. If you have an Account
   • Log In
4. You may be asked to create a payment profile in the event you go over the free levels
   • Each account will include a number of free accesses per month. Most organizations will not individually exceed those limits..
5. On the "Welcome" screen, click "Skip for now"

Creating a Google Cloud API Key for Embedded Maps

After logging into the Google account as described above, execute the following steps to create your Google Maps key.

1. Click on the menu at the top left and choose "APIs & Services" -> "Enabled APIs &* services"
2. Look for "Routes API".
3. If you do not have the "Routes API":
    
   1. Click on "+ Enable APIs and services" (at the top in blue).
   2. At the top, in the search box, type in "Routes"
   3. Click on "Routes API"
   4. Click "Enable" (if you see "Manage, it is already enabled)
       
4. Click on the menu at the top left and choose "APIs & Services" -> "Credentials"
   1. Click "+Create credentials"
   2. Click "API key"
      • You will be shown your key here. You can copy/paste this into Reftown now or later)
   3. Click "Close"
   4. In the list of API keys, click the dots on the right for the key just created and choose "Edit Key"
   5. At the top, change the name to something like "Reftown Embedded Maps"
      
      (the following restrictions are optional but protect your account from unauthorized use)
       
   6. Under "Application Restrictions", click "Websites"
   7. Under "Website restrictions" (which will appear after the above step), click "+ Add" (in blue)
      • Enter
        • *.reftown.com/*
   8. Under "Website restrictions" (which will appear after the above step), click "+ Add" (in blue) (again)
      • Enter
        • reftown.com/*
   9. Click "Save" (blue at the bottom)
       
5. Click "Show Key" for this API key (blue on the right)
   • A window will open where you can copy the key to your clipboard

Applying the Key for Use on Reftown.

After creating the API key on the Google Cloud Console, you will then need to copy the key and paste it into the Reftown configuration pages.

1. First, go to the Google Cloud Console pages as mentioned above.
2. Copy the key by selecting the entire key and pressing Ctrl-C or by clicking the copy icon
3. Navigate, on Reftown, to Admin -> Configuration, ASSIGNMENTS, Limits
4. Paste the key copied above into the setting called "Google API Key: Embedded Maps"
5. Click Update