SQL Server Sync is the database integration mode of WasteBolt Gatehouse, the free Windows desktop app that stages weighbridge loads into WasteBolt. It used to be marketed as “WasteBolt Bridge Linked” — that functionality now lives inside Gatehouse, alongside CSV Watch Folder and direct Log Job entry. If you landed here from an old Bridge Linked link, this is the right page.

SQL Server Sync connects directly to your weighbridge’s SQL Server database and polls it on a schedule, so tickets are staged into WasteBolt without anyone exporting a CSV. It’s a Pro/Enterprise feature and setup is developer-assisted — WasteBolt only needs read-only SELECT access to your weighbridge database, never write access.

If you haven’t installed Gatehouse yet, start with the WasteBolt Gatehouse setup guide for the download and sign-in steps first, then come back here to configure the SQL connection. You can also see the WasteBolt Gatehouse feature page for a general overview.

What SQL Server Sync Does

Gatehouse runs a SELECT query against your weighbridge database on a configurable interval and tracks the last processed transaction ID (a “watermark”). On each poll it only stages rows newer than that watermark, so nothing is re-imported. No CSV export is required, and nothing is ever written back to your weighbridge database.

Supported Weighbridge Systems

SQL Server Sync is built for weighbridge software that stores ticket data in a Microsoft SQL Server database, including:

  • Globeweigh
  • Avery Weigh-Tronix
  • Other SQL Server-based weighbridge systems

See which weighbridge software works with WasteBolt if you’re not sure whether your system qualifies, or use CSV Watch Folder instead — covered in the main Gatehouse guide — for weighbridge software that isn’t SQL Server-based.

Prerequisites

  • WasteBolt Gatehouse installed and signed in on the PC that will run the sync (see the Gatehouse setup guide)
  • Network access from that PC to your weighbridge’s SQL Server instance
  • ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server (or later) installed on the same PC — this is a free download from Microsoft
  • A SQL Server login with read-only SELECT access to the relevant ticket table(s) — or Windows Authentication if your network is set up for it
  • Pro or Enterprise WasteBolt plan

Because this involves database credentials and a custom SELECT query, we recommend setting it up with help from the WasteBolt team rather than trial-and-error. Contact us and we’ll help you build the query and column mapping for your specific weighbridge database.

Setting Up SQL Server Sync

  1. Install ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server (or later) on the PC running Gatehouse, if it isn’t already installed.
  2. In Gatehouse, go to Settings → Data Source and select SQL Server.
  3. Enter your SQL Server address, database name, ODBC driver, and credentials — or tick Windows Authentication if applicable.
  4. Enter your SELECT query, aliasing columns to the standard WasteBolt field names — for example CompanyName, NetKg, and VehicleReg. Contact the WasteBolt team if you’d like help writing or checking this query against your schema.
  5. Set the poll interval (default: every 5 minutes).
  6. Click Save, then Start Sync. Gatehouse connects and stages any records newer than the saved watermark ID.

Once records are staged, the rest of the workflow — Import Templates, Staged Records review, and DWT Submit — is identical to CSV Watch Folder and Log Job mode. See the main Gatehouse guide for how templates fill in DWT fields and how to process staged records into WTNs.

Read-Only Access & Security

WasteBolt Gatehouse only ever issues SELECT queries against your weighbridge database — it never inserts, updates, or deletes anything there. Your weighbridge software and its database are completely unaffected by the sync; Gatehouse simply reads new ticket rows and copies them into WasteBolt’s staging queue. We recommend creating a dedicated read-only SQL login for this purpose rather than reusing an administrative account.

Troubleshooting

  • SQL Sync option isn’t available in Settings — this means ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server (or later) wasn’t found on the PC. Install it from Microsoft; everything else in Gatehouse continues to work normally in the meantime.
  • A record doesn’t appear after a sync — check the activity log on the Sync tab. If a row failed to stage (for example due to a network issue or validation error), the watermark ID is not advanced, so the failed row is retried automatically on the next poll.
  • Duplicate tickets — Gatehouse checks every incoming record against the staging queue before inserting, using the Ticket ID. Records that already exist are skipped and flagged in the activity log.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to install anything extra for SQL Server sync?

Yes — you need the ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server (or later) installed on the same Windows PC as Gatehouse. Download it free from Microsoft. If the driver isn’t found, Gatehouse starts normally but the SQL Sync option is disabled in Settings; everything else works fine.

Is this the same as the old WasteBolt Bridge Linked?

Yes. WasteBolt Bridge Linked has been folded into WasteBolt Gatehouse as its SQL Server Sync mode. The setup and read-only access model are the same — Gatehouse just also offers CSV Watch Folder and direct Log Job entry alongside it, all from one app.

What happens if a record fails to stage during SQL sync?

Gatehouse logs the error in the activity feed on the Sync tab, and the watermark ID is not advanced — so the failed row is retried automatically on the next polling cycle rather than being skipped.

Does WasteBolt ever write to our weighbridge database?

No. SQL Server Sync only runs SELECT queries. WasteBolt never inserts, updates, or deletes data in your weighbridge database.

Who sets up the SELECT query and column mapping?

Because every weighbridge database schema is different, we recommend contacting the WasteBolt team to set this up together rather than configuring it blind — we’ll help you write a query that aliases your columns to the correct WasteBolt fields.

What’s Next