What is an API, in plain language?
API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a fixed entrance through which a system shares or receives data, according to clear agreements. Compare it to a service desk: you ask for something in an agreed way, and you get an answer in an agreed form.
Your accounting software, your web shop, your CRM and your planning software almost all have such a desk. An integration is a small piece of software that lets the desks of two systems talk to each other.
When do you need an integration?
You recognise it by manual work that keeps coming back:
- 01Orders from your web shop are entered into your accounts by hand.
- 02Every week someone copies figures from five systems into one Excel overview.
- 03Customer details live in your CRM, your email tool and your invoicing, and they never fully match.
- 04A new employee has to be created separately in six systems.
Do the maths: ten minutes per order, twenty orders a day, is over three hours a day. That is the work an integration takes over, without typing errors and at weekends too.
Can every system be connected?
Most modern systems have an API. Packages such as Exact Online, Google Analytics and most e-commerce platforms offer one. If a system does not, there are often other routes, such as an automatic export, a secure file exchange or a shared database. Some vendors charge extra for API access. That is good to know upfront.
Do you choose a tool like n8n, or code?
There are two ways to build an integration:
- A workflow tool such as n8n or Make. Quick to set up and easy to change for simple flows, such as a notification or an overview.
- Code, for example in Node.js. More robust for large volumes, complex rules or sensitive data, and without monthly costs per step.
We choose what fits the situation, and sometimes combine them: a tool for the simple flows, code for the core.
What if an integration stops working?
Systems change. A vendor updates its API, a password expires or a service is briefly down. That is why we monitor integrations automatically. On an error we get an alert and fix it, often before you notice. Data that could not be processed is offered again once things work, so nothing gets lost.
Is an integration secure?
A good integration sends data encrypted, uses keys with only the permissions it needs, and never stores passwords in the code. If personal data flows through the integration, we record the agreements in a data processing agreement under the GDPR.
In summary
- An API is a fixed entrance through which a system shares data; an integration connects two systems.
- You need an integration as soon as data is regularly retyped by hand.
- A good integration is monitored, encrypted and uses only the permissions it needs.
Frequently asked questions
An integration makes your systems exchange data automatically. Automation goes a step further: recurring processes run by themselves, from a daily report to an order that passes itself on to your accounts.
A simple integration between two well-known packages can often be built in a few days. More complex integrations with many rules cost more. After an introduction you get a fixed price.
You do. The code and settings are yours, and they are documented so another party can carry on with them.