API Transfer Method

Manual tasks surrounding the Awardco platform, such as user file uploads and pulling reports, could potentially be tedious and time consuming. Implementing API integration gives you time back by automating these processes. This article explains what an API is, what it's capable of, and how you're able to utilize it at your organization. 

API Introduction

1. What is an API?
2. Parts of an API
   • Example: Creating a User
3. What can I do with an API?

What is an API?

API (Application Programming Interface) is a way for two programs to communicate with each other. It is a set of commands and requests that a program (Awardco) is ready to accept from outside sources. All mobile apps use an API to communicate with their parent companies.

API uses HTTP, just like a website. This makes communication simple and even means we can use a browser to make API calls.

Awardco’s API allows two main types of requests, GET and POST.

GET: Get commands request information from the database. They can be used to get reports in .csv format or direct information in JSON/.xml (open in a browser).

POST: Post commands are used to update information in the database. Our Webhooks use the upload users v.2 API to update the users on the platform. The API can also post recognitions and rewards, among other things.

Parts of an API

We always require an API key. It tells the system where to pull or update the information

Example: 

What can I do with an API?

• Upload User Files to Awardco
• Pull reports in .csv or JSON formats
• Automate Awards and Recognitions
• Pull Social Feed information for display
• Retrieve and Post information to create Apps

In order to send a file using the API, you must have a way to mark the file on your system and tell the API call to encode and send it along. There are 3 primary ways to do this:

1. Store the file on an FTP or other publicly accessible server
2. Use an API service to construct the request i.e. Postman
3. Use a C#, cURL, HTML/Javascript or similar to send the request

While the API offers powerful access to the Awardco platform, clients are entirely responsible for its use. Awardco will answer questions but does not provide support beyond ensuring that the endpoints are working as described in the documentation.

The API tools can be accessed at:

https://api.awardco.com/api

If you have any questions, please contact our Awardco Support Team.