Standard integration process and how integration works

First, we want to provide you with some basic explanations on integration via API. Heads up, this article is for the interested reader only. Feel free to skip this chapter if you feel you already know all of this.

API is the abbreviation for application programming interface. These application programming interfaces are a standardized method that enables communication between different software components and even external providers if they are granted access. This means that APIs make it possible to integrate different applications with each other. If you would like to have explained this a more detailed, check out this little video which explains it very vividly:

The objective of babelforce is to make it easy for you to integrate our software with your applications without coding and IT knowledge. However, we also provide the possibility to make use of our REST APIs to give you control over your core communications services, because a REST API provides a concept for the communication between a client and a network server. However, we don't want to dive into the details here. Instead, if you are interested to use these APIs, stop by in our category on API power.

Our integrations comprise roughly the following elements:

• user synchronization and authentication: select users to import to babelforce
• end-user lookup: Identifies your CRM / helpdesk end-users and store the info in the babelforce call context for later use
• create a new end-user if it is not stored in your system application yet
• create resources like a new ticket or a call record
• update this resource by associating it with an agent or end-user or updating fields that help you to improve your processes and reporting

Integrating tools to babelforce is easy for most cases. All you need to do is allow babelforce to access your CRM / helpdesk (sometimes you will need to add babelforce to your tools) and to add your CRM / helpdesk in our babelforce manager app. Our help center gives you a step-by-step instruction for every integration that we offer. The basic steps are as follows:

1. First, you have to setup or find the API token of your CRM. It is usually stored somewhere in the settings or administration section and called API Token or OAuth Key. Copy that key and go to the babelforce manager app.
2. Go to the Integrated processes > Integrations section on the left hand side and click on add: 

1. Select the tool you wish to integrate to.
2. Fill in the information required for this integration. Besides the API key you might need to add your API-host or the subdomain of your integration tool. If a username is required, enter the email address of the admin owner of your integration tool.

Enough with the basics now. Let's dive into the different integration tools in the next articles of this chapter...