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Difference between revisions of "TrackAbout API and Integration Points"

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[[Welcome_to_the_TrackAbout_Wiki|<< Back to Wiki Home Page]]
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== Overview ==
 
== Overview ==
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TrackAbout integrates with several business accounting systems including [[Integration with Computers Unlimited 3.0|Computers Unlimited]] (TIMS, TIMS 3.0, WISDOM), Infonetics, Syntax, Mind Your Own Business, and Oracle.
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TrackAbout has an open and flexible approach to integration. We want to help our clients find the best ways to integrate with whatever other systems they are using today and in the future. About half of TrackAbout's customers do some kind of integration with their business system.
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TrackAbout integrates with third-party bill presentment and procurement systems from [http://www.srcp.com/sourcecorp SourceCorp].
 
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TrackAbout supports several ways of getting data into and out of the system.
 
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* Manual user-uploading of CSV, fixed-width, tab-delimited or XML files
 
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* Automatic pickup and processing of files transferred via FTP or other means
 
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* Exported text and XML reports made available for automated pickup
 
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* Fully integrated Web Services based on the RESTful model (see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_State_Transfer here], [http://www.ics.uci.edu/~fielding/pubs/dissertation/rest_arch_style.htm here] and [http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/WebServices/restful here]).
 
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TrackAbout also provides a set of published URL Redirects for getting quick access to such things as customers, invoices, assets and more via the web site.
 
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===[[Accounting System Integration]]===
 
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===File-Based Import/Export===
 
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====Import====
 
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Importing data files into TrackAbout can be done in one of the following ways:
 
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==== Uploading Manually To a Page ====
 
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* User logs in and navigates to a page in the Integration section of the web site. 
 
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* User uploads the file manually and specifies some settings to use while processing the file.
 
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* User waits for processing to finish.
 
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* Page displays warnings or errors upon completion.
 
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==== Automated Processing of Uploaded Files ====
 
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* User or automated process transfers the file to the TrackAbout server (usually via FTP).
 
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* Periodically the files are picked up and processed using preconfigured settings.
 
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* Any warnings or errors are sent to a list of preconfigured email addresses.
 
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====Types of Imports====
 
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* Import Certificates Of Analysis
 
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* Import Crib Inventory
 
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* Import Invoices
 
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* Import Legacy Asset Info
 
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* Import Legacy Deliveries
 
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* Import Quality Control Data
 
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====Export====
 
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TrackAbout can export data to flat files in various file formats to an FTP location for pickup.
 
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====Types of Exports====
 
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* Export Asset Info
 
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* Export Crib Orders
 
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* Export Delivered Assets
 
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* Export Deliveries
 
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* Export Fills
 
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* Export Inventory
 
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* Export Lots At Customer
 
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* Export Post Fill Analysis
 
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* Export Rental
 
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* Export Verified Invoices
 
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=== Automated Invoice Imports ===
 
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The most common integration linkage to establish is the regular and automated exporting of invoice data from the accounting/order entry system and importing into TrackAbout.  This enables TrackAbout to compare the invoice/order info to the actual records collected in the field by workers doing deliveries. This is a huge value-add for TrackAbout, as we help our customers catch mistakes in the field.  Being able to compare expected to actuals allows TrackAbout to automatically verify delivery records when the two match.
 
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=== Occasional Balance Imports for Comparison ===
 
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Another integration point is the balance import.  The client's accounting system maintains its own record of each customer's balance, independent from TrackAbout.  Because of the lack of strong two-way integration, it is possible, over time, for balances in the accounting system to drift away from those of TrackAbout, the system of record.  We have created a process by which a user can export customer balance reports from their accounting system, then import these reports into TrackAbout for comparison.  The user can then see where the differences lie.  If they so wish, they can perform a "right-sizing" and force TrackAbout to agree with the accounting system. This is achieved by adding Not-Scanned Assets to the customer balances.  Generally, we prefer that customers do not right-size TrackAbout to match the accounting system, because we feel TrackAbout is the more accurate system.  However, clients will sometimes have an established history with a given customer and an agreed-upon balance for which the customer is being billed rent.
 
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===TrackAbout Support Tools===
 
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To get a new customer up and running with TrackAbout requires bulk loading certain types of data. TrackAbout Support has private tools which provide for bulk loading the following:
 
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* Asset Categories, Asset Groups and Asset Types
 
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* Product Codes (aka part numbers) and mapping of Product Codes to Asset Types
 
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* tracking data from legacy tracking systems
 
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* Custom Asset Info, such as manufacture date, retest date, valve types, and other asset-specific data.
 
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* Customers
 
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* Rental Rates
 
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* Asset Agreements (leases)
 
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* Subactions (i.e. specific types of Maintenance)
 
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* Orders for Paperless Delivery
 
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* Billing Exchange Balances (for Exchange Type assets)
 
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* Customer Owned Offsets for Rental
 
  
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== Web Services ==
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== Pricing ==
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For our customers who run their businesses on more modern back-end systems (such as those who have adopted the TECSYS/TrackAbout combined platform, or those on Oracle Financials or other similar systems), integration can be made much tighter.  We have integrations in place where completed and verified order data from TrackAbout is pushed back to the client's system in order to release invoicing, and where monthly calculated rental bills are exported to the back-end systems for clients who wish to print their own rental bills.
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Use of our suite of API endpoints is included in your TrackAbout subscription.  Should you need assistance with the endpoints, using the documentation, any development to change endpoints, or custom reporting, a Professional Services project will be required.  Talk to your TrackAbout Support team for details.
  
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TrackAbout maintains web services for the following purposes:
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== Pre-Built Integrations ==
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* Add/Modify/Delete of Order data for Paperless Delivery
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The following business systems have a pre-built integration that can be used by new clients
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* Posting of Cylinder Fill data
 
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* Posting of Cylinder Validation data
 
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* Posting of Telemetry Device data
 
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* Exporting of Verified Deliveries
 
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* Exporting of Customer Balances
 
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* Exporting of Rental Invoices
 
  
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== Public Redirect URLs ==
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* [https://www.epicor.com/products/prophet-21.aspx Epicor's Prophet 21] integration built and maintained by Epicor
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The following published URLs will not change over time and will be supported indefinitely.
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* Oracle's [http://www.netsuite.com NetSuite] integration built and maintained by [http://www.solution-source.net/ Solution Source]
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* [http://www.infor.com/product-summary/distribution/sxenterprise/ Infor SX.e] integration built and maintained by [http://www.dsa.us/ DSA]
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* [http://www.tecsys.com TECSYS Elite Series] integration built and maintained by TECSYS
  
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Note that these URLs do not provide for authentication.  That is, you cannot specify username/password as part of the request. Instead, upon the first request to a URL, the user will be redirected to the standard login screen. Upon successful login, the user will then be automatically redirected to the requested page.
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There is also an integration to the following system for bill presentation and delivery (used for mailing rental bills for customers)
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* [http://www.sourcehov.com/ SourceHOV] integration built and maintained by SourceHOV
  
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All URLs must begin with the path to the server (i.e. "https://www.trackabout.com"), so this is omitted below.
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== Custom Integrations ==
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Most of our clients who do integration have set it up themselves or with the help of their ERP system consultants.
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Our clients have configured integrations to many systems over the years and we have a lot of experience helping new clients with integration projects.  
  
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Any special characters or spaces in the querystring portion of the URL must be properly url-encoded. For reference, see http://www.w3schools.com/TAGS/ref_urlencode.asp  
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*Should you need assistance with the endpoints, using the documentation, any development to change endpoints, or custom reporting, a Professional Services project will be required. Talk to your TrackAbout Support team for details.   
  
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For example, replace a plus sign "+" with "%2B". So 12300+12345 becomes 12300%2B12345.
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Some of the systems our clients have integrated with include these more common systems:
  
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SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, Microsoft Dynamics and Sage
  
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These URLs are implemented as regular-expression-based URL redirects, so there are no ?, & or = characters.
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Though not a formal integration, here are some notes on integrating with [[Integration_with_Computers_Unlimited_3.0|Computers Unlimited]]
  
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===Asset URLs===
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There are many more systems that our clients have used in specific industries or geographies. Please contact us for more information on any specific system
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{| border="1" cellpadding="6"
 
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!URL
 
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!Redirects To
 
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|-
 
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|/barcode/(a barcode)
 
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|The Asset Search results page, or directly to Asset History page if only one match is found.
 
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|}
 
  
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===Customer URLs===
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== Preferred Integration Methods ==
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These all work with either /cust or /customer. We will show /customer in all examples below.
 
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Be sure to use the full customer number.
 
  
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If you are using '''TECSYS''' and the link is to a ship-to, then include the full customer+ship-to number. Be sure to url encode the plus sign with %2B. So the customer ID 12300+12345 becomes 12300%2B12345 in the examples below.
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=== Standard REST API ===
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TrackAbout preference for integration is to use our standard API (Application Programming Interface). This API is well documented and we continue to support it going forward.
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* [[RESTFUL APIs]]
  
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{| border="1" cellpadding="6"
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=== Push Integration (Webhooks) ===
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!URL
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This integration method is used to have TrackAbout trigger pushing information to your systems when an action takes place in the TrackAbout system.
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!Redirects To
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* [[Action-Based Integration]]
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|-
 
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|/customer/(a customer ID)
 
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|Customer Detail page. If more than one match, then redirects to the Customer Search results page.
 
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|-
 
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|/customer/(a customer ID)/assetlist
 
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|Asset List page. If more than one match, then redirects to the Customer Search results page.
 
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|-
 
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|/customer/(a customer ID)/assetbalance
 
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|Asset Balance page. If more than one match, then redirects to the Customer Search results page.
 
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|-
 
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|/customer/(a customer ID)/rentalbalance
 
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|Rental Balance page. If more than one match, then redirects to the Customer Search results page.
 
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|}
 
  
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===Lot URLs===
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=== Public Redirect URLs ===
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{| border="1" cellpadding="6"
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These are URLs used to create links to pages inside the TrackAbout application website. These are standardized and shortened URL formats that TrackAbout will continue to support even if our normal URLs were ever to change.
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!URL
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* [[Public Redirect URLs]]
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!Redirects To
 
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|-
 
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|/lot/(lot #)
 
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|Lot Search results page.
 
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|}
 
  
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===Order/Invoice/Delivery Ticket/Packing Slip/PPS URLs===
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=== Read-Only Database Access ===
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Some of our customers use the term "invoices", others call them "orders", "packing slips", "delivery tickets", or "PPS". This is the number used by drivers during deliveries.
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TrackAbout allows direct read-only access to a simplified view of your TrackAbout database.  
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* [[OpenData]]
  
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{| border="1" cellpadding="6"
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== Other Integration Methods ==
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!URL
 
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!Redirects To
 
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|-
 
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|/invoice/(an invoice #) or <br />/order/(an order #)
 
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|Invoice/Order Search results page, or directly to the invoice/order summary page if only one match is found.
 
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|}
 
  
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===Rental Invoice URLs===
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=== Bulk Loading Data by TrackAbout Support ===
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These are used to link to TrackAbout generated rental invoices.
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When getting started there is often a need to load some data one-time at the start of the project. TrackAbout's support and implementation team has tools to help with this.
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* [[TrackAbout Support Tools]]
  
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{| border="1" cellpadding="6"
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=== File-Based Import/Export ===
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!URL
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Clients unable to call the Standard REST API can fall back on exchanging text files.
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!Redirects To
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* [[File-Based Import/Export]]
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|-
 
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|/rinvoice/(a rental invoice #) or <br/>/rentalinvoice/(a rental invoice #)
 
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|Rental invoice search results page.
 
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|}
 
  
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'''If you require shortcut URLs to be added to our public API, let us know. '''
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=== Web Services using SOAP ===
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These SOAP webservices still work, but are not being maintained going forward. Please contact us for more information if you are interested in using these integration methods.
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* [[Web Services]]

Latest revision as of 15:06, 13 October 2020

<< Back to Wiki Home Page

Overview

TrackAbout has an open and flexible approach to integration. We want to help our clients find the best ways to integrate with whatever other systems they are using today and in the future. About half of TrackAbout's customers do some kind of integration with their business system.

Pricing

Use of our suite of API endpoints is included in your TrackAbout subscription. Should you need assistance with the endpoints, using the documentation, any development to change endpoints, or custom reporting, a Professional Services project will be required. Talk to your TrackAbout Support team for details.

Pre-Built Integrations

The following business systems have a pre-built integration that can be used by new clients

There is also an integration to the following system for bill presentation and delivery (used for mailing rental bills for customers)

  • SourceHOV integration built and maintained by SourceHOV

Custom Integrations

Most of our clients who do integration have set it up themselves or with the help of their ERP system consultants. Our clients have configured integrations to many systems over the years and we have a lot of experience helping new clients with integration projects.

  • Should you need assistance with the endpoints, using the documentation, any development to change endpoints, or custom reporting, a Professional Services project will be required. Talk to your TrackAbout Support team for details.

Some of the systems our clients have integrated with include these more common systems:

SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, Microsoft Dynamics and Sage

Though not a formal integration, here are some notes on integrating with Computers Unlimited

There are many more systems that our clients have used in specific industries or geographies. Please contact us for more information on any specific system

Preferred Integration Methods

Standard REST API

TrackAbout preference for integration is to use our standard API (Application Programming Interface). This API is well documented and we continue to support it going forward.

Push Integration (Webhooks)

This integration method is used to have TrackAbout trigger pushing information to your systems when an action takes place in the TrackAbout system.

Public Redirect URLs

These are URLs used to create links to pages inside the TrackAbout application website. These are standardized and shortened URL formats that TrackAbout will continue to support even if our normal URLs were ever to change.

Read-Only Database Access

TrackAbout allows direct read-only access to a simplified view of your TrackAbout database.

Other Integration Methods

Bulk Loading Data by TrackAbout Support

When getting started there is often a need to load some data one-time at the start of the project. TrackAbout's support and implementation team has tools to help with this.

File-Based Import/Export

Clients unable to call the Standard REST API can fall back on exchanging text files.

Web Services using SOAP

These SOAP webservices still work, but are not being maintained going forward. Please contact us for more information if you are interested in using these integration methods.

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