PASconcept and APIs
With the growing numbers of PASconcept users, we have been given the luxury of incredible feedback. Among this feedback one key name kept popping up; QuickBooks. This provided a unique challenge as some clients use Quickbooks Online and others QuickBooks Pro Desktop. Lacking an integration would require users to go through the trouble of double entry and we consider this to be unacceptable. So, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. But First lets dive into what an API is and how it Works.
How API's Work: A Helpful Analogy
API, or application programming interface, is a concept in software technology that essentially refers to how multiple applications can interact with and obtain data from one another. Besides, APIs operate on an agreement of inputs and outputs.
To use an analogy here, we’ll compare this to ordering a coffee at your local Cafe.
When you step up to the counter, you see a menu with several drinks listed. To look at this like an API, consider that the menu existing convention you can follow to state your order and obtain a drink. In this example the menu as it’s presented to you is the interface, remember the “I” in api stands for interface. All the drinks listed on the menu are what the barista has agreed to serve.
When you ask for a certain drink on the menu, like a Nitro Cold Brew, you receive it. But if you try to ask for something off the menu, such as a Cheeseburger instead of a Nitro Cold Brew, the barista can’t provide it because it’s not something they agreed to serve, (i.e. its not on the menu).
Similarly, let’s say you want that Nitro Cold Brew delivered to your home.
You call a delivery service and you order a Nitro Cold Brew that appears on the menu. When you order it, someone will tell the barista your order, the barista will prepare the Nitro Cold Brew and then someone will deliver it to your home. This is an example of an additional service (delivery) built on an “API” (the menu).
To relate this back to software, an API can help one application retrieve specific types of data from another. If the API doesn’t support certain types of data, it won’t be able to facilitate the retrieval of that “off-menu” data.
We have built PASconcept to have a robust API that can integrate with a wealth of online and offline programs, the latest of which includes QuickBooks.
Fully Quickbooks Integrated
In observing comparable project and business management software we noticed that most others allow you to export the data onto a CSV document which can then be uploaded into your Quickbooks instance. However, this may have been an adequate solution in the early 2000’s, with the advent of modern technology, this method has become obsolete and can even cause data on both sides to be outdated and even erroneous.
PASconcept, making use of Quickbooks robust API, is now able to seamlessly receive and send data to and from your Quickbooks. Some of the key functionality now possible thought this integration includes but is not limited to the following:
Clients/Customers
Once connected, PASconcept will allow users to either replicate all of the clients/customers from QuickBooks in PASconcept or associate existing clients/customers to those in QuickBooks. This piece is critical as this way both systems know that when an action, such as invoice, is taken it can reflect on the correct customer.
Invoices
One of PASconcepts most powerful features its its ability to automatically generate invoices and provide users with a wealth of information around these invoices. Now through the integration, invoices generated in PASconcept will appear in QuickBooks without the need to manually enter them.
We are proud to announce that as of Sept. 1st PASconcept is fully integrated with both Quickbooks Online and others QuickBooks Pro Desktop.
Other Integrations
This is just the beginning! We at PASconcept are committed to constantly improving and bettering our program while making that impact value driven for our users. Currently the following systems have been integrated via API with PASconcept:
- PayPal – Allowing your clients to pay online
- Twilio – Allowing you to send SMS messages to Clients, Administrators, Employees and Subcontractors
- AgileCRM – To allow for recipients of Marketing Campaigns to be derived from PASconcept
- and many more!
In addition to the API integrations, we look forward to expanding the services provided by PASconcept over the coming months to include the full management of Project Phases and Project Revisions. Be on the look out for next month’s post to learn more.
