Google Maps API setup

Connect EasyTaxiOffice to Google Maps Platform to:

  • Suggest and validate addresses

  • Geocode locations

  • Calculate routes, distances and journey prices

  • Display interactive and embedded maps

You will create two separate API keys:

  • Browser key — restricted to the website addresses shown in EasyTaxiOffice

  • Server key — restricted to the server IP addresses shown in EasyTaxiOffice

Using separate keys is important because Google applies different security restrictions to browser and server requests.

Important: Do not use the same API key for both browser and server fields.

 

1. Create or select a Google Cloud project

  1. Sign in to the Google Cloud Console.

  2. Use the project selector in the top navigation bar.

  3. Select an existing project or click New project.

  4. Enter a project name, such as your company name, and create the project.

  5. Make sure the correct project remains selected before continuing.

 

2. Link a billing account

Google Maps Platform requires an active Cloud Billing account.

  1. In the Google Cloud Console, open Billing.

  2. Link the project to an active billing account.

  3. Confirm that billing is enabled for the project.

Google may provide monthly usage allowances or free usage for some services, but usage above the applicable allowance can generate charges.

 

3. Enable the required APIs

Open APIs & Services > Library and enable the following services:

  • Maps JavaScript API

  • Maps Embed API

  • Geocoding API

  • Directions API (Legacy)

  • Places API

Legacy API notice: EasyTaxiOffice currently uses Google’s legacy Directions and Places services. Google recommends Routes API and Places API (New) for new development, but these are not direct replacements for the existing EasyTaxiOffice integration. Do not enable them instead of the services listed above unless EasyTaxiOffice Support confirms that your software version supports them.

If Directions API (Legacy) or the required Places service cannot be enabled in a new Google Cloud project, contact EasyTaxiOffice Support before continuing.

You can review enabled services under APIs & Services > Enabled APIs & services.

 

4. Find the required restrictions in EasyTaxiOffice

In EasyTaxiOffice, go to:

Settings > Google > API keys

Keep this page open. It displays:

  • The website addresses required for the Browser key

  • The server IP addresses required for the Server key

  • The five EasyTaxiOffice API-key fields

Copy the restrictions exactly as displayed. Do not replace them with example domains or IP addresses from this guide.

 

5. Create the Browser key

In the Google Cloud Console:

  1. Open Google Maps Platform > Credentials or APIs & Services > Credentials.

  2. Click Create credentials > API key.

  3. Open the newly created key for editing.

  4. Change its name to EasyTaxiOffice Browser key.

 

Configure the application restriction

Under Key restrictions:

  1. Select Set an application restriction.

  2. Choose Websites. In some Console views, this may be labelled HTTP referrers (websites).

  3. Click Add.

  4. Add every website address displayed in the EasyTaxiOffice Browser key section.

Add each address as a separate entry, including its protocol and wildcard exactly as displayed, for example:

  • https://example.com/*

  • https://www.example.com/*

Only use addresses shown in your EasyTaxiOffice settings.

Configure the API restrictions

Under API restrictions:

  1. Select Restrict key.

  2. Select:

    • Maps JavaScript API

    • Maps Embed API

    • Directions API (Legacy)

    • Places API

    • Geocoding API

  3. Click Save.

Copy the Browser key after saving it.

 

6. Add the Browser key to EasyTaxiOffice

Return to:

Settings > Google > API keys

Paste the Browser key into both fields:

  • Maps JavaScript API key

  • Maps Embed API key

Do not paste the Browser key into any Server key field.

 

7. Create the Server key

Return to Google Maps Platform > Credentials or APIs & Services > Credentials:

  1. Click Create credentials > API key.

  2. Open the new key for editing.

  3. Change its name to EasyTaxiOffice Server key.

 

Configure the application restriction

Under Key restrictions:

  1. Select Set an application restriction.

  2. Choose IP addresses.

  3. Click Add.

  4. Add every server IP address displayed in the EasyTaxiOffice Server key section.

Add each IP address as a separate entry.

The restriction must use the public source IP address Google sees for requests from the EasyTaxiOffice server. If EasyTaxiOffice shows multiple IP addresses, add all of them.

 

Configure the API restrictions

Under API restrictions:

  1. Select Restrict key.

  2. Select:

    • Directions API (Legacy)

    • Places API

    • Geocoding API

  3. Click Save.

Copy the Server key after saving it.

 

8. Add the Server key to EasyTaxiOffice

Return to:

Settings > Google > API keys

Paste the Server key into all three fields:

  • Directions API key

  • Places API key

  • Geocoding API key

Do not paste the Server key into the Maps JavaScript or Maps Embed fields.

Save the EasyTaxiOffice settings.

 

9. Test the integration

Google Cloud changes can take several minutes to take effect.

After saving the keys:

  1. Open a booking or quotation form.

  2. Enter part of an address and confirm that suggestions appear.

  3. Select addresses and calculate a journey.

  4. Confirm that the route, distance and price are calculated.

  5. Confirm that maps display correctly.

If something does not work immediately, wait approximately five minutes and test again.

 

10. Create a budget and alerts

To monitor Google Maps Platform spending:

  1. Open Billing > Budgets & alerts in the Google Cloud Console.

  2. Click Create budget.

  3. Select the billing account and project.

  4. Enter a monthly budget amount.

  5. Configure alert thresholds and recipients.

  6. Save the budget.

Important: A Google Cloud budget does not automatically stop API usage or cap charges. It sends alerts when the configured thresholds are reached.

You can also configure API quotas under APIs & Services > Quotas & System Limits where supported.

 

Troubleshooting

“This page can’t load Google Maps correctly”

Check that:

  • Billing is enabled for the selected project.

  • Maps JavaScript API is enabled.

  • The Browser key is entered in EasyTaxiOffice.

  • The Browser key contains every required website restriction.

  • The Browser key’s API restrictions include Maps JavaScript API.

 

“Requests from this referer are blocked” or RefererNotAllowedMapError

The website making the request is not allowed by the Browser key.

Open the Browser key in Google Cloud and compare its website restrictions with the addresses shown under:

Settings > Google > API keys

Check the protocol, hostname, subdomain and wildcard.

 

“This IP, site or mobile application is not authorized”

The Server key does not allow the IP address Google received.

Add the IP address shown in the error to the Server key’s IP addresses application restriction. If requests can originate from several server IP addresses, add all of them.

ApiNotActivatedMapError

The requested API has not been enabled in the selected Google Cloud project.

Open APIs & Services > Enabled APIs & services and confirm that every service listed in section 3 is enabled.

LegacyApiNotActivatedMapError

EasyTaxiOffice attempted to use a legacy Google Maps service that is not enabled for the project.

Confirm that Directions API (Legacy) and the required Places API service are enabled. If Google does not allow one of these services to be activated for the project, contact EasyTaxiOffice Support. Enabling Routes API or Places API (New) is not a direct workaround for an EasyTaxiOffice version that still uses the legacy endpoints.

 

“You must use an API key to authenticate each request”

Check that:

  • All five EasyTaxiOffice API-key fields have been completed.

  • The Browser key is used in the two browser fields.

  • The Server key is used in the three server fields.

  • The keys belong to the correct Google Cloud project.

  • The required APIs and billing are enabled.

 

The integration works only when restrictions are removed

This normally means an application or API restriction is incorrect.

Temporarily removing a restriction can help identify the problem, but do not leave production keys unrestricted. Compare the domains, IP addresses and API selections with the values shown in EasyTaxiOffice, correct the restriction and test again.

 

Security recommendations

  • Use separate Browser and Server keys.

  • Apply both application and API restrictions to each key.

  • Never publish the Server key.

  • Do not leave production keys unrestricted.

  • Delete unused keys.

  • Review key usage and unexpected traffic in Google Cloud.

  • Rotate a key if you believe it has been exposed.

For more information, see Google Maps Platform security guidance.

Google Maps Platform is a third-party service. Its interface, availability, pricing and terms can change. Questions about the EasyTaxiOffice integration should be directed to EasyTaxiOffice Support; questions about a Google Cloud account or billing should be directed to Google Cloud Support.