PIPELINEGuide
API Interfaces: Process, approach, and what you need to provide
The process for API interfaces from the first question to live operation — including what you need to contribute to make it work.
An API interface project runs in 4 steps: from “Check feasibility” to “Monitor”, 2 to 6 weeks total. Each step ends with a clear approval before the next one begins.
01 — Process
The steps in detail
Check feasibility
Is there a usable interface on both sides? That's the question that needs answering first.
Map fields
Which field corresponds to which, and what happens with missing values.
Build and test
With real data, including the cases that go wrong.
Monitor
The connection reports when it stalls — before anyone notices in daily operations.
02 — Participation
What we need from you
- A contact person who can make decisions — not just forward them.
- Access to the affected systems, in time and not on launch day.
- Real examples from daily business — the messier, the more useful for testing.
- Two to four hours for coordination, distributed over the project duration.
- An answer to the question of what success means. Without it, nothing can be assessed afterward.
03 — Scope
What's included
- Review of existing interfaces in both systems before anything is promised
- Mapping of data fields between systems, including edge cases
- Error handling with retry and notification
- Logging of every exchange for traceability
- Monitoring that reports when the connection goes silent
- Documentation in case someone else needs to maintain it later
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is an interface more secure than a manual export?
Significantly, because human errors during export and import are eliminated and every exchange is logged. A manual export leaves no trace if something was overlooked.
What does maintenance cost during operation?
As long as none of the connected systems changes fundamentally, ongoing effort is low — monitoring reports itself when something doesn't fit.
Who maintains it later?
You receive code and documentation. We deliberately build with widely used technologies so that switching is possible.
What happens during an outage?
The connection remembers what hasn't been transferred yet, tries again, and reports after multiple failed attempts. Data isn't lost, it arrives delayed.
What if our legacy system has no interface?
Then there are usually workarounds: database access, automated file exchange, in exceptional cases surface automation. All are more fragile than a real interface. We'll honestly tell you how stable such a solution will be before you decide.
Can multiple systems be connected simultaneously?
Yes, that's actually the more common case — for example, shop, inventory management, and accounting together. Each connection is planned and tested individually, even if everything works together in the end.
How often is data synchronized?
From immediately to nightly — depending on what's technically necessary. Immediate synchronization isn't always better: for systems with post-processing, a nightly run is often the more stable choice.
05 — Decision
How to move forward
The most affordable next step is a conversation, not a quote. Twenty minutes is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense, what scope it involves, and whether we're the right fit.
If we're not, we'll say so. An honest no costs less than a project you abandon after three months — for both sides.
06 — Next
Related pages
Next step
We'll look at your starting position.
Tell us what's eating up time today. That becomes an assessment with effort and benefit — and only then an offer.