Boost Efficiency: Integrate CRM with Apps

In today's digital world, businesses use a variety of applications to manage their operations. The need to integrate these different tools can be a challenge, especially when it comes to customer data. That's where CRM APIs come in, allowing you to connect your CRM system with your favorite apps. And if you're looking for a customized integration solution, Salesboom has got you covered.

What is the API?

API stands for Application Programming interface. An API is a way for programs or apps to share information between themselves, and take action, based on an API call from another app.

What is an API call?

An API call directs the API to perform an action on the CRM or on another app. For example, if a new customer is created in the CRM, an API call can be made to create the customer in Quickbooks, and/or other apps, to keep the databases on the apps synced.

What can the API do?

The API can perform specific actions based on the API calls and functionality in the current edition. Custom API calls can be made on a customer, by customer basis.

What is a Tab, Object, or Record?

Tabs for Accounts, Contacts, Leads, etc are shown in the CRM user interface for users to log in and manage the database records. For example, a Contact Record in the Contacts Tab for each Contact is represented in the Contact database as a database record. These records are comprised of fields that can be standard fields or custom fields, added to the Tab, using the CRM interface. The API creates and updates new records in the database, as if it had been performed by a CRM user, but instead the API call performs the action instead.

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Here are the simple steps to integrate and build new apps using the API:

Step 1: Authenticate your API instance by calling the URI at https://secure4.salesboom.com/jsonapi/?

Step 2: Log in with your API Instance username and password to authenticate.

Step 3: Make API calls. Generally, APIs are used for the Create, Update, and Delete (CRUD) functions as well as the Add function, which adds a new record and attaches it to an existing record in the CRM.

Integrating apps and creating new solutions, is a combination of API calls and updating databases, to keep the information flowing as work flows through the business. There are standard API calls, that we update twice a year, and there are custom API calls that can be provisioned to each customer account, to take advantage of the latest technology before it is included in a general release.

Use the API to work with the following tabs:

Lead

Account

Contact

Opportunity

Task

Note

Calendar Event

Cases

Questions

You can add custom fields to any tab, and use those custom fields in the API calls, to build reports, import and export data, build workflow rules, and more. The API calls ensure data is transferred between applications based on your unique design. Your team can build them yourselves, and we can help you build and maintain them as well.

Following are the API calls used to create new integrations and new apps:

1. Create - Creates a single record in the CRM database.

2. Update - update a single record in the CRM database.

3. Add Related Record - add a new Related Record to an existing record in the CRM database. For example, add a note to a Contact.

4. Delete - Delete a single record. For example, Delete the lead John Doe from the database.

5. List - list a set of records, based on a search query input, pulled from the CRM database, and returned as a set of records.

6. Query - Query the databases with your queries, via the API.

7. Login - Authenticate the API instance. Call the Login API with the API User username and password. Once the API user is authenticated, the API user can make API calls and Access the API. The access to services, databases, and apps is updated in the Control Panel.

8. Check if Record Exists Returns the Record ID If it exists in the database.

9. Ask a Question- Asks questions about ChatGPT and Google Bard.

What is an API app instance?

Each API instance has an API Instance Name field that you create and is passed to the API to tell the API which API app instance you want to run API calls against.

What is an API User?

An API user is a CRM user account login for an account representing the virtual user, called API User. The API user profile, role hierarchy, security, access settings, and access to the CRM as if they were a human user of the CRM, only it is the API user that is performing transactions via the API calls, and the login is for humans to verify what the API has done. Humans log in to the CRM and administer the API, integrations, data, undo/redo, etc as API users. Once logged in under the API user account, there exists the ability to manage each API instance, as listed by App Instance Name.

Are there options to undo and redo transactions committed by the API?

Yes, we do have the technology to undo and re-do transactions, in the Control Panel -> API Administration section. Note, undo and redo options are only available for certain integrations. Please consult your dedicated API representative for more information.

Who is the API for?

The API is for customers who have been vetted and given access to the API. In addition, Salesboom provisions APIs for our customers and uses the API for integrations with all your favorite apps.

We build custom integrations and have pre-built plugins for the most popular apps.

Our APIs are used in the plugins we build with popular apps.

Our APIs are integrated with Zapier, Maker, Apination, and other integration engines.

We build custom integrations that take the best of each platform, and app, and integrate them as a system. Then we roll out and train users on how to best take advantage of the system. Then we add People-as-a-Service to help manage the system, along with the customers' team.

Who can access the API?

Only vetted Technical staff from your organization or your IT partners, or from Salesboom IT will have access to the API. Any application that is integrated using the API will also have to have access to the API. Security and access settings are set up to create API users, and to control access to the API functionality, settings, the ability to pause, stop or cancel API access, and to further control security and access to the API from trusted sources.

How to build and test integrations using the API?

We provision a Sandbox CRM account and Sandbox API accounts to test out any customizations to the CRM tabs and to test out the API calls into and out of the CRM database.

How to migrate from testing the API to production?

Once customizations and API integrations have been set up and tested in the CRM Sandbox account, and connected API Sandbox account, then these changes can be published to the live CRM account and API account.

How to manage the Administration of the API?

Log into your Salesboom account, and click the Control Panel link at the top, right of the screen. Go to the API Administration section. There you will have the ability to handle the administration of your API settings. Only current customers with the Amin rights enabled in the User management settings, have an active API, and have been vetted for identification purposes, and to control access to the API for security.

How to monitor access to the API?

You can monitor access to the API self-service in the Control Panel.

Do you set up and train us on the API and integrations between the CRM plugins, the API, and all our other apps?

We set up and train customers in-house on how to best integrate applications with your CRM system, keeping in mind security & access settings, user-specific needs, compliance, policy management, and all other related questions that arise when integrating your favorite apps with CRM. We have been integrating applications since 2003 and have been bundling the professional services required to build and maintain successful custom integrations. We have built and maintained plugins for all the popular apps such as Outlook, Exchange, Gmail, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Quickbooks online & Offline, DocuSign, and more.

We build a short, medium, and long-term plans for your integration needs.

We consolidate applications so there are fewer logins, and fewer databases to sync, fewer data to import/export, and less time spent building reports, Dashboards, Analytics & KPIs to manage your integrated system, and apps all at once.

We are app agnostic, in that we want to put our customers in the best situation for success, regardless what the technology stack.

We want to integrate and maintain the integrations, and continuously innovate on business solutions, regardless if it is the software we built or integration with the 'Best of Breed' point applications at the time.

What we have learned from setting up and training customers in-house with the Fast Track program, the building of custom integrations and features with our Built-to-Suit model of software delivery, and the People-Powered AI solutions we use to make sure the human element is maintained.

We understand that apps come and go, new features are added all the time, and consolidation of vendors is going to happen, and we work with the right solution for the customer, in the short, medium, and long-term as these things change over time.

We are the wingman for your integration success by combining the experience of translating business ideas into real solutions, combined with the knowledge of the Cloud and SaaS landscape, being a founding Cloud CRM vendor.

How to pause API access, suspend API access, or cancel API access?

Login to your CRM account, click Control Panel at the top right, go to the API Administration section, and you can pause, suspend, and cancel the API access by clicking the respective buttons.

What are the change management procedures for upgrades to the API?

Upgrades are seamless, and we have been updating our systems every quarter seamlessly, since 2003. Previous versions can be pushed on demand to the live accounts. Sandbox accounts are used for testing and retaining the old versions as well as the new versions for testing.

What is a Token?

A token is a unique id to identify the API session when making transactions using the API. A token is returned upon Login authentication. The Token is passed as a parameter on subsequent API calls.

The Token Parameter:

Use the authentication token you got from the authentication request when calling the Login API request.

Integrating your CRM system with other applications using APIs can streamline your operations and provide valuable insights into customer behavior. With Salesboom's custom integration solutions, you can create a unique system tailored to your business needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve seamless integration and take your business to the next level.