Custom APIs

Services Systems Custom Apis TLDR

APIs - you have likely heard this term being thrown around but have no idea what it is. API stands for Application Programming Interface, and the most simple way to describe them - they are tools that allow different software to exchange data and work together.

Thanks to the rise of cloud computing, businesses can now build an ecosystem between key systems - linked with custom APIs living in the cloud, reading, cleaning and processing data while you and your employees focus on the important day to day tasks.

Many businesses might be aware of excellent tools like Zapier. Zapier is a good solution for relatively simple APIs, especially those for popular applications with large user bases. However tools like Zapier still require strong systems thinking to work effectively and quickly fall short when handling complex workflows and logic.

With building custom APIs there is an initial phase of research to understand the existing systems, how their own APIs work and how a business needs to apply rules to the data between each platform. This requires a solid understanding of the business and the desired outcome, usually needing several consultation sessions. Once a plan is mapped out, the next step is handling authentication and security to safely access the data, before finally actually writing the code and uploading it to the cloud.

Talk with Wallace Corporation about building your internal business ecosystem with custom APIs now.

Pros:

Extremely powerful
Elimate unstimulating grunt work for employees
Improve speed and accuracy
Reduce employee expenses
Increase efficiency of the workforce
Low ongoing cost leading to large productivity gains in medium to long term

Cons:

Complex initial set up, requires attention of key personnel to work with consultants
Reliant on third-party API documentation and functionality (some are better than others)

TLDR:

Custom API development is an essential part of building a complete business ecosystem - where all of your different software and systems can exchange data to maximum efficiency. Building this ecosystem takes an initial investment of time and money, but pays big dividends in the medium-long term.