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Install Flexoworks CDI Agent on the Windows workstation that can reach your CDI and read the DFS folders. It runs as a background Windows service, connects to Flexoworks over outbound HTTPS, and sends status and diagnostic logs to Organization → CDI agents. This guide covers the 0.2.1 MSI installer. The cloud screenshots use a demo workstation. The Windows screenshots show the actual setup application on Windows Server 2022; the window frame may look different on Windows 11.
The agent currently supports diagnostics and LEN package preparation. Installing it does not enable automatic exposure or direct CDI queue submission. Continue submitting jobs through DFS as described in the CDI workspace guide.

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Before you start

  • A 64-bit Windows 11 workstation on the DFS/CDI network and permission to install software as a Windows administrator.
  • A Flexoworks account with the Org admin role and the CDI equipment already listed in Organization → Locations & equipment.
  • The CDI hostname or IP address used by DFS. Copy it from DFS → Edit Device List; the agent does not scan the whole network.
  • The exact DFS folders to inspect and permission for the Windows service account to read them. The operator can help identify these folders.
  • Outbound HTTPS access to the Flexoworks API and file storage for downloads and evidence uploads. The cloud connection does not require an inbound internet port or a VPN. The workstation still needs local network access to the CDI and DFS shares.
The package includes its own runtime. You do not need to install PowerShell, a compiler, or a separate .NET runtime.
This pilot installer is unsigned. If company policy blocks the MSI or application, ask site IT to approve the package. Keep the exact Windows message and error code; disabling Windows security is not an installation step.

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1. Download the installer and configuration

Open Organization → CDI agents in Flexoworks and select Download Windows agent. Save Flexoworks-CDI-Agent.zip so you can transfer it to the Windows workstation. Expand Add workstation and fill in:
English CDI agents screen with the Windows download button and a completed Add workstation form

Register the workstation and choose its CDI equipment. The host and folder paths shown here are examples.

Select Add workstation, then Download agent.json. Transfer both the ZIP and agent.json to the Windows workstation. Download the configuration before refreshing or leaving this page: its download is available only during the current setup session.
English workstation form showing Download agent.json and MSI installation instructions

Download agent.json after creating the workstation. This file pairs the service with your organization.

The downloaded agent.json contains a workstation credential. Do not put it in shared documentation or attach it to a support request. Each workstation needs its own configuration; do not reuse one file on several computers.

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2. Install the MSI on Windows

  1. Close any older portable agent window on this computer.
  2. In File Explorer, extract Flexoworks-CDI-Agent.zip.
  3. Double-click Flexoworks-CDI-Agent.msi in the extracted folder.
  4. Follow the installer, keep the default installation folder, and approve the Windows administrator prompt when it appears.
  5. Open Start → Flexoworks → Flexoworks CDI Agent after installation. Opening the setup application also requires administrator permission.
The installer registers and starts the Flexoworks CDI Agent service. The service creates its own Data folders; do not create them manually. Before pairing, a waiting-for-configuration or starting status is expected.

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3. Import the configuration

Choose English or Українська using the selector at the bottom of the setup window. Select Import configuration…, open the downloaded agent.json, and acknowledge the confirmation.
English Flexoworks CDI Agent 0.2.1 window with configuration import, CDI address, DFS folders, status, and support log controls

The Windows setup window before import. After pairing, it also shows service status and recent errors.

Importing saves the configuration and restarts the service. The installed credential is protected with Windows machine encryption. Check the CDI address against CDI hostname or IP for the selected workstation in the cloud: the values must match exactly. You can edit DFS folders locally and select Save and restart to apply those folder changes.

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Change the CDI address

Save and restart changes only the local configuration. It does not update the address in the cloud registration. If the two addresses differ, cloud commands fail with CDI_HOST_MISMATCH, even while the workstation shows Online. If you accidentally edited only the local address and the cloud address is still correct, restore the exact cloud value in CDI address and select Save and restart. Then request diagnostics again. If the device address has changed or the cloud address is wrong:
  1. Let active diagnostics, file preparation, and evidence uploads finish.
  2. In Organization → CDI agents, select the old workstation and choose Revoke access.
  3. Use Add workstation to register a replacement with the same equipment, the correct CDI address, and the required DFS folders. Download its new agent.json before leaving the page.
  4. On the same Windows computer, select Import configuration… and import the new file. This replaces the local configuration and restarts the service; reinstalling the MSI is unnecessary.
  5. Select the replacement workstation in the cloud, verify Online, and run Collect diagnostics. Delete the downloaded configuration after verifying the connection.

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4. Check DFS folders and service access

Ask the operator to show where DFS keeps saved layouts, configuration, logs, and job output. Use the folders from this installation; there is no single default path for every DFS station. For a mapped network drive, use its underlying UNC path. For example, if Z: maps to \\dfs-station\DFS, enter \\dfs-station\DFS\Layouts instead of Z:\Layouts. Enter one folder per line and select only the folders needed for capture, rather than an entire drive. The service runs as LocalSystem by default. A folder you can open in File Explorer may still be inaccessible to that service. Ask IT to grant the service identity access or configure an appropriate account in Windows Services. After an account change, open the agent setup as administrator before starting the service so its local data permissions are updated. Do not put network passwords in paths. A custom service account also needs the Windows permissions required for network capture.

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5. Verify the connection and diagnostics

  1. In Windows, wait for Service: Running and Cloud: Connected to Flexoworks. A running service alone does not confirm a working cloud connection.
  2. Return to Organization → CDI agents and choose the new Workstation.
  3. Check Online, a recent Last contact, and Agent version 0.2.1 or the newer version you installed. The page refreshes automatically.
  4. Select Collect diagnostics. Watch Recent commands and Diagnostic log. Expand events for details; use Warnings and errors to focus on failures.
  5. Confirm that the configured DFS folders are accessible to the service. Inspect the CDI connectivity results and download the ZIP under Evidence bundles when it appears.
Online confirms that the agent has contacted Flexoworks. A successful candidate-port check confirms only that a network endpoint responded. Diagnostics completed does not mean the CDI accepted or exposed a job. After verifying the connection, delete the downloaded plaintext agent.json and any transfer copies. Keep the installed configuration in C:\ProgramData\FlexoworksCdiAgent. The service starts automatically after Windows restarts, before user sign-in. You can close the setup window while the service keeps running; reopen it from Start when needed. At a convenient time, restart the workstation and verify a fresh Last contact in Flexoworks.

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Capture one DFS submission

Once the connection and folder access work, coordinate a known test job with the operator:
  1. Select Capture DFS submission in the cloud or Windows setup window and confirm the request.
  2. Wait for Capture ready — send the test job through DFS now in the cloud log, or CAPTURE_READY in the Windows log.
  3. Have the operator submit that one test job through the existing DFS workflow.
  4. Let the 120-second capture finish. Download its ZIP from Evidence bundles.
The capture records traffic to the configured CDI and changes in selected DFS folders. Packet traces can contain job data and credentials; share the private archive only with people investigating the integration. If the service is stopped during capture, version 0.2.1 saves partial evidence and queues its upload for restart. The interrupted command requires review and is not replayed.

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If something does not work

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Export logs

Select Export support logs… in the Windows window. The ZIP includes recent agent events, status, available startup errors, and the recorded MSI installation log. Text logs are redacted; raw packet capture bundles are separate. If setup cannot open, IT can use Command Prompt as administrator:
This works even if the agent cannot create its primary Data folder. Startup errors may also be in %TEMP%\FlexoworksCdiAgent, C:\Windows\SystemTemp\FlexoworksCdiAgent, or the older C:\Windows\Temp\FlexoworksCdiAgent location. For an installation failure, run the MSI from its extracted folder with a known log filename:
Send support the exact error, installer version, this MSI log or support ZIP, and approximate time of failure. Do not send agent.json.

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Update, repair, or remove

Install a newer MSI on the same computer to update the agent; it does not self-update. Configuration and evidence are retained. Afterward, check the version and fresh cloud contact again. Repair or uninstall through Windows Installed apps when needed. Uninstalling preserves configuration and evidence in C:\ProgramData\FlexoworksCdiAgent; it does not revoke cloud access. Use Revoke access in Flexoworks when retiring a workstation.