Application programming interfaces — more commonly known as APIs — are essential building blocks for modern, high quality applications. With just a few simple clicks, you can do everything from order a takeaway, book a holiday, track a delivery, or even copy and paste a link from an email into a Microsoft Word document, and APIs work behind the scenes to make all these activities possible.

That is why Enable is pleased to announce an API that will provide a simple interface through clients can interact with all the data behind their deals, rebates, and much, much more.

For over a decade, our rebate management software has helped merchants, buying groups, wholesale distributors and retailers to drive mutually profitable growth with suppliers, whilst improving cash flow and reducing risk. That's why we call it the supplier success platform.

What is API?

In simple terms, the API unlocks the data held by Enable, and allows other software to interact with this data. The API presents a simplified, concise view of  data, without the need to get involved in the underlying complexity of how that data is stored and managed by DealTrack.

The development of an API opens up a wide range of new possibilities for clients, including:

   
• Building innovative bespoke apps — including mobile apps;
   
• Automating processes that would otherwise involve laborious manual data entry;
   
• Integrating information into their existing software systems;
   
• Reporting on data in their own bespoke ways.

At Enable, we will also be able to take advantage of the API going forward, allowing us to achieve a cleaner application architecture when extending with new core functionality and add-on modules. All access to data through the API is secure: all data transfers are encrypted and modern, well-recognised OAuth 2.0 standards are employed to authenticate all requests to the API.

How it works

The Enable API is a RESTful HTTP API that follows the JSON:APIs standard. Anyone familiar with working with JSON:APIs will find the API familiar. Even if you've never worked with JSON:APIs before, the adoption of this well-documented and widely used standard means that the API employs a number of good practices for RESTful API design that will ensure that it is easy to get started with.

In the first release of the API, we've launched with support for reading some of the central data stored in Enable. It's currently possible to retrieve information about schemes, deals and deal items, earnings and turnover data, trading partners and their contacts, and activity data. As we extend the API over time, it will be possible to manage other types of data and to update the data held by Enable via the API.

Conclusion

Without APIs, the apps and websites that we use every day would be extremely limited, and as we move further into an increasingly connected world, APIs will go on to play an even bigger role. Enable is excited about introducing an API as part of our expanding product offering and will be continuing to invest development time to build its capabilities.

Right now, we have a working early version of the API and our developer documentation, and we will make further announcements on this during the course of 2019. Check our blog and social media regularly for more news as we announce it.

More about rebate management data

               
• Why your ERP system doesn't cope with rebate accounting
       
• Rebate management integration techniques — which method will you choose?
   

Further reading

To some, income from special pricing agreements, rebate agreements or market development funds is treated as a ‘bonus’. But to other companies, these rebates form a significant proportion of their revenue and therefore warrant accurate management.

How can you ensure you keep track of your rebate contracts effectively and reliably?

Our guide will give you all the information you need to implement a structured approach to effectively managing rebates and complex trading agreements.