> This page is for Documentation, version Integration guides (default).
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> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
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# Build

Guide: E-Invoicing and Live Reporting

E-Invoicing and Live Reporting (ELR) uses token-based authentication to secure API access.

To call ELR APIs, you must obtain an access token and include it as a Bearer token in your requests.

## Sandbox vs Production environments

Avalara provides 2 different environments for Avalara ELR: **Sandbox** and **Production**. Each environment is separate, and each has its own credentials. If you have a Sandbox account, you can't use that account to log onto Production and vice versa.

You may want to share your Sandbox credentials with developers, and reserve Production credentials for accountants or financial controllers. Keeping accounts separate helps avoid the risk of reporting test data to a tax authority.

Sandbox

Production

API service URL

[https://api.sbx.avalara.com](https://api.sbx.avalara.com/)

[https://api.avalara.com](https://api.avalara.com/)

ELR Portal

[https://app.sbx.avalara.com/elr-activations](https://app.sbx.avalara.com/elr-activations)

[https://app.avalara.com/elr-activations](https://app.avalara.com/elr-activations)

Identity service URL

[https://ai-sbx.avlr.sh](https://ai-sbx.avlr.sh/)

[https://identity.avalara.com](https://identity.avalara.com/)

Monitoring

[https://app.sbx.avalara.com/asm](https://app.sbx.avalara.com/asm)

[https://app.avalara.com/asm](https://app.avalara.com/asm)

Data

All Sandbox data is separate from Production data

All Production data is separate from Sandbox data

Updates

Updates are available earlier than Production

Updates are available after Sandbox

## Authentication method

Authentication for the e-invoicing API works by obtaining an access token which, used as the Bearer Token, will allow access to the ELR service API.

> **Note**
>
> Part of the **E-Invoicing & Live Reporting** integration guide. [Open the full "Build" milestone on Avalara](https://developer.avalara.com/products/e-invoicing/integration-guides/elr/authenticating-in-avalara-elr/) to see every page in this section.