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How to Validate that the API will work for the Customer

Updated

How to Validate that the API or SSO will work for the Customer

 

Any time a customer asks for the API or SSO/OAUTH or some sort of Integration Websupport will look to validate that what we currently offer is something that will work for the Customer

 

 

First Steps

The first thing you would want to do is figure out what exactly the customer is looking to accomplish, I know this sounds obvious but its amazing how often we do not get this information or the customer is not exactly sure what they want.
 

2nd Steps

Then we would want to make sure what they are trying to do is technically possible,  This is a little up in the air and you kinda need to have a good idea of what is possible with the various systems but it basicly boils down to the following points.

 

  1. If they want the API it can do everything the Database can do EXCEPT Run Credit Cards, this does not mean what they want to do will be easy or we will be able to support it but it should be technically possible.
  2. For SSO/OAUTH you need to ask the following questions
    1. Who do you want to be the Point of Truth? - This means who do you want to go to to validate usernames and Passwords, GrowthZone or the Third-Party.
      1. GrowthZone Is the Point of Truth We need to ask them who they are integrating with and find out if we already have a built in integration with them.
        1. No - its possible but they will need to create the integration them selves, we will provide the documentation and provide the Client ID and Secret but its on them to build out the integration not us
        2. Yes - Point them to that integration and if that is not what they are looking for find out why and see if this is something we need dev to build out or let them know that they can build it themselves.
      2. Third-Party is the Point of Truth.
        1. Find out who the Third-Party is and Find out if we Already have a Build in Integration for them.
          1. No - We will not be supporting this.
          2. Yes - Make sure that the features of the Existing Integration will actually do what they want to accomplish.
            1. To expand on this a bit, Most of the third Party integrations are broken into 2 different types.
            2. Full integrations were we are pulling information from GrowthZone and moving it over to the other database
            3. SSO OAUTH integrations were they are just signing into the Info Hub using someone the third-parties username and password.
            4. And if they are looking for a full integration and we only offer a Login option some one is going to be dissapointed when they find out that we can not do everything they want.

 

 

Below you will find a list of the various reasons that people have asked for the Keys and what we advised them.

 

  • The Customer Has no specific issue just wants to play with it.
    • As long as they are aware of the monthly charge and setup fee go ahead and set it up for them.
  • They do not like the Built-in Module page integration Method and want to do something custom.
    • This is possible and we have a number of people doing it, they need to know that its not built for this and they will need to cache a bunch of information but it certainly is possible.
  • They want to use the API to pull customer information out to insert it into there own apps or run reports on the data.
    • We probably want to know what information that they are not getting out of the Reports module but this is a really good use of the API.