API integration: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What api integration is

A developer connects your software to other services through their programming interfaces, so data such as orders, payments or contacts moves between systems automatically. You need it when you enter the same information in two systems, when a process is done by hand between tools, or when a tool you use cannot talk to another.

Signs you need it

  • Your staff copy orders, contacts or invoices from one tool to another by hand
  • Data in two systems does not match and no one knows which is correct
  • You want a payment, a booking or a shipping step to happen automatically
  • A new tool you bought cannot read the data from your old one
  • You are paying for a workaround that breaks when either tool changes

What the pro does

  • Reviews the systems, the data that must move and the direction it moves
  • Reads the documentation for each service and confirms what it allows
  • Builds the connection, the data mapping and the error handling
  • Tests the connection with real and test data, including failures
  • Sets up monitoring and documents the connection for your team

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The number of systems to connect and the number of data types
  • The complexity of the data mapping and the rules for it
  • Whether the connection is one way or two way
  • The volume of data and how often it must sync
  • How well the outside services document their interfaces
  • Whether monitoring and ongoing support are included

What a written quote should spell out

  • The systems connected and the data that moves between them
  • The rules for the data mapping and the error handling
  • Testing done and the test cases covered
  • Monitoring and alerts set up, if included
  • Documentation and the support period

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Who owns the accounts and the API keys for each service?
  • What happens when one of the systems is down?
  • Will you test failures, such as duplicate or missing data?
  • How will I know when the connection breaks?
  • Can I see the documentation for the connection?
  • What changes are needed if one service changes its interface?

Red flags

  • Puts the API keys or accounts only in the developer's name
  • Will not explain how errors are handled
  • Says the connection needs no testing
  • Stores passwords in plain text in the code

What you can do yourself

List the systems you use, the data each one holds and the steps you repeat by hand, and find out whether each system offers an official connection option in its settings. Do not share your API keys or passwords in email or chat. Hire a developer to build the connection, test it and set up the alerts.

Licenses and permits

A license is usually not required for API integration. Check with your state or local licensing agency about any business registration that applies, and ask the developer for its contract terms and how it protects your data.

API integration questions

Can I connect two tools myself?

Some tools offer built in connections or no code options. A developer is needed when the connection must handle your own rules or large amounts of data.

What happens if the connection breaks?

A good setup alerts you and retries the failed step. Ask the developer how it handles failures before you approve it.

Will the connection keep working when a tool updates?

Not always. Ask the developer how changes are monitored and who updates the connection when a tool changes.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer api integration remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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