Online store, invoicing software, customer relationship tool: when these programs do not talk to each other, the same information gets typed in several times. Connecting them through an API lets data flow automatically. Here is how to approach it.
What is an API?
An API (application programming interface) is a doorway that a piece of software opens to other programs, so they can read, create or change data without going through the screen. Most online software offers a web API, often of the REST type, which exchanges data in JSON format.
Check what your software offers
- Is there API documentation?
- Is the API included in your subscription?
- Does the software offer native connectors, or an integration with a tool such as Zapier?
- Can it notify another program when an event happens (webhooks)?
Describe the data flow
Before writing a single line of code, you need to describe precisely what must flow:
- which data (customers, orders, invoices…);
- in which direction, and at what moment;
- which shared identifier recognises the same customer or order on both sides;
- what to do in case of an error or a duplicate.
Think about security
API access uses a key or a token: it must not be stored in a shared file, and its rights should be limited to what is strictly necessary. Keeping a trace of the exchanges helps understand what happened when something goes wrong.
When there is no API
Much software can at least export and import files (CSV, Excel, XML). A script can then prepare the files to exchange automatically. A starting point: exporting the data of a JSON API to a CSV file, which I can build on request.
Software to connect?
I help you define the data flow, then build the connection.