Start Using the Slade360 eTIMS API
This is the end-to-end path for integrating with the eTIMS API — get credentials, build against the development environment, then go live with automated VSCU deployment.
1. Get your credentials
Onboard and activate your business,
then obtain a client_id and client_secret for your integration. These are
provisioned per environment (development and production are separate).
2. Authenticate
Exchange your credentials for an access token using Authentication API v2 (OAuth 2.0 Client Credentials):
Code
Send the returned access_token as Authorization: Bearer <access_token> on
every API call. Tokens expire after 30 minutes — request a new one on expiry.
3. Know your environments
| Environment | Authentication host | eTIMS API base URL |
|---|---|---|
| Development | https://identity-dev.slade360edi.com | https://api-dev.slade360edi.com/erp |
| Production | https://identity.slade360edi.com | https://api.erp.slade360.co.ke |
Build and test against development first.
4. Set up your data
Before transacting, make sure the following exist (see the eTIMS API Reference):
- Branches — your operating locations.
- Items / products — mapped to KRA item classifications.
- Customers and suppliers — your business partners.
- eTIMS codes & tax codes — synced for accurate classification and tax.
5. Test end-to-end
Run a full transaction in development: create and sign an invoice, confirm it returns a CU invoice number and QR code, and verify it appears in eTIMS.
6. Go live
When your integration passes in development:
- Switch to production credentials and base URLs (table above).
- Deploy the VSCU. The Virtual Secure Computing Unit (VSCU) is the secure component that signs and transmits transactions to KRA. Slade360 automates VSCU deployment so you don't provision it manually — it is set up per branch as part of going live.
- Initialize each branch device so it can transact (performed once per branch).
- Run a production smoke test — issue one live invoice and confirm it signs successfully.
Note: Exact go-live steps and the automated VSCU deployment workflow are coordinated with the Slade360 team during onboarding. Confirm the production checklist with your integration contact before issuing live invoices.
Related
- Authentication API v2 — token generation reference.
- eTIMS API Reference — all endpoints with interactive “Try it”.

