Getting Started with the XML API and SOAP API

Step 1: Enabling API Access

API Access must be enabled for your account before you can start using the XML API or SOAP API in your integration applications. API Access is a licensed add-on. To enable API Access, contact your SuiteProjects Pro account manager.

The following information is issued when API Access is enabled:

• API Namespace

• API Key

This information is required in addition to valid authentication details (user credentials or OAuth 2.0 access token). The API namespace and API key are used to verify that the request is coming from a valid partner that has permission to use our API.

Step 2 — Read the Relevant Documentation

This guide provides a reference for using the XML API and SOAP API.

• Review API Best Practice Guidelines before you start using the XML API or SOAP API.

• Review Getting Started with the XML API and SOAP API for guidance about setting up and using the XML API and SOAP API. The section also includes information about:

  • XML Schema and WSDL Definition Documents

  • XML API Call and Response

  • Building SOAP API Client Applications with Apache Axis.

  • Building SOAP API Client Applications with Microsoft Visual Studio IDE

• The following help topics describe specific type of operations:

  • Authentication

  • Reading Objects

  • Adding, Updating and Upserting Objects

  • Deleting Objects

  • Approval-Related Operations

  • Utility Operations

  • Handling Errors

• The final section gives reference information about API commands, business objects and object properties.

  • XML API Commands

  • SOAP API Commands

  • Business Object Properties Overview

  • XML and SOAP API Business Object Reference

For reference documentation about the SuiteProjects Pro database, see Database and the SuiteProjects Pro Data Dictionary.

The business logic configured for your account may impact API requests and responses. Make sure you consult the relevant documentation, for information about SuiteProjects Pro business rules. For example:

• For a description of account global and application settings and access control mechanisms, see Administrator Guide and Security.

• For a description of optional features that may impact behavior, see Optional Features.

• For a description of user scripting, see User Scripting.

Step 3 — Register an API Integration Application

Even though the XML API and SOAP API support other authentication methods, you should use OAuth 2.0 access token authentication to access the API. This eliminate the need to store SuiteProjects Pro user sign-in details outside of SuiteProjects Pro or to prompt users for credentials with every request. To use OAuth 2.0 access token authentication, an account administrator must register an application in SuiteProjects Pro and enable it before you can use the API.

For more information about registering an API integration application, see Managing API Integration Applications.

For more information about OAuth 2.0 access token authentication, see OAuth 2.0 Authorization.

Step 4 — Test and Familiarize Yourself with the XML API and SOAP API on a Sandbox Account

You can use a GUI API client to test and familiarize yourself with the XML API and SOAP API. A GUI API client lets you:

• Execute HTTP requests from a user-friendly interface instead of using a command-line utility such as cURL.

• Save your requests and other important information and reuse them again later.

• Get a new access token using the built-in GUI API client functionality.

• Enter request information more easily and in the right format.

• See the response in a prettified XML view or a raw format.

You can use most XML API sample codes in this guide with a GUI API client. For information about how to form a XML API request and read a response, see XML API Call and Response.

This guide does not currently describe the XML syntax for SuiteProjects Pro SOAP web services that could be used for testing with a GUI API client.

Step 5 (SOAP API) — Set Up Your Development Environment and Build a Sample Client Application

You need to generate the SuiteProjects Pro WSDL definition and import it into your development platform so that your development environment can generate the necessary objects required to build applications that consume SuiteProjects Pro SOAP web services (SOAP API).

For information about generating and saving the SuiteProjects Pro WSDL definition, see XML Schema and WSDL Definition Documents.

The following topic provides steps for setting up Apache Axis web service framework and Microsoft Visual Studio IDE. These steps are provided for illustration purposes only. For detailed instructions about setting up these or other development platforms, refer to the vendor documentation.

• Building SOAP API Client Applications with Apache Axis.

• Building SOAP API Client Applications with Microsoft Visual Studio IDE

After you have imported the SuiteProjects Pro WSDL definition into your development platform, you can walk through the following sample codes to create simple client applications.

• Java Sample Code – Authentication (SOAP API)

• C# Sample Code — Read (SOAP API)

Step 6 — Connect your Application to the API

Configure your client application to connect to the relevant endpoint:

• XML API endpoint – https://<account-domain>/api.pl

• SOAP web services (SOAP API) endpoint – https://<account-domain>/soap