Transactional API

Introduction

Our Transactional API makes it possible to integrate TimeLog with other systems to give you a more linked IT landscape. You find the settings in the System administration -> Integrations and API -> Transactional API settings.

Description

API is short for Application Programming Interface. If you do not have experience with development and linking of systems, it might be a challenge to understand what an API actually is. That is why we provide you with a short description of what an API is.

What is an API?

An API is a communication tool which makes it possible for software systems to “talk to each other”. It enables you to send data between the systems and do updates in real time, so you always have the latest updates data across the systems.

A few examples:

• Information from TimeLog to dashboards in Power BI
• Transfer of invoices from TimeLog to your financial system
• Transfer of salary data to your salary system
• Update of contact information from your website to your CRM system

You gain several benefits from using an API, e.g.:

• You save many manual entries, as data can flow freely between the systems
• You get the right data with ongoing real time updates
• It is easier and faster for your developers to develop new solutions and connect your IT landscape

What is TimeLog’s Transactional API good for?

You can use the API to synchronise data between several systems. Let us give you a few examples.

Example 1:

If you have a CRM system outside of TimeLog, you can use the Transactional API to update your customer base in TimeLog with the same data, when you create, change and delete data in your CRM system.

Example 2:

You have an external tool you use for your project offers. Once an offer is approved by the customer, a project can be created directly in TimeLog through the Transactional API.

In general, you can use the API to fetch, create, update and delete data.

Set up and activate TimeLog’s Transactional API

You can enable the API and find your TimeLog URL here, otherwise you cannot use integrations or build your own integrations to TimeLog. We recommend that you have an extra user for your API setup. You need this to gain access to the API methods, and you avoid to lose the connection, if a person changes login information or is no longer working at your company.

External systems

You get a list of the external systems that are integrated to your TimeLog. It can be your financial, salary or file sharing systems.

You can create a new system:

1. Click New external system
2. Add the System key from the new system
3. Add a Description of the system, which you will see in the list afterwards
4. Click Save

What about the REST API?

REST API is a newer standard, which we work on updating with the methods from both our Transactional and Reporting APIs. We will have a longer transition period where all APIs are in use until all methods are available in REST and all customers have changed to the REST API.

The REST API will provide you with more options to e.g. delete, update and fetch information, where you in the reporting API only can fetch data. New methods are only added to our REST API.