Integration is not a new concept. It is something that has been done for a very long time in software development and many other fields. In general terms, integration is enabling two systems to work together by exchanging some form of information or data between them.
The first integrations that appeared on the internet were very simplistic and were built using very different approaches and methods. Over time a model for web site to web site integration was standardized and became known as web services. The name really says it all: web services allow a web site to offer out its functionality as a service which can then be used by other web sites. (Note: Sometimes the term API, or Application Programming Interface, is used to refer to web services. When dealing with the internet, the terms API and web service are often interchangeable.)
A good example of how a web service works is delivery tracking for eCommerce web sites. Some eCommerce sites provide delivery information within their own web site. They do this by using a web service from a delivery company such as FedEx. The eCommerce site sends the tracking number to the web service provided by the delivery company, which in turn sends back information about the delivery.
If it sounds simple, that is because it really is. Find a company that provides the web service you need (i.e. the function you want to accomplish), confirm the data that web service needs, and then send it. Writing code for the web services can be more complex, although for a well designed web service, it shouldn't be.
A web service was developed for the current campaignlogic 6 years ago, prior to the standardization mentioned above, and using a customer approach (xml posts over HTTP, which interestingly is the core of how today's web services work). You can find out more about it at http://campaignlogic.truelogic.com.au/xconnect.
But what does all this have to do with the new campaignlogic? One of our primary goals in building the new campaignlogic is to ensure that everything we developed and created could be used via a web service if a client so required. That means for every feature we are building in the new campaignlogic, we are enabling a web service to provide that feature in a way that allows clients, partners and third parties to use that feature as they need.
Some examples of how web services in the new campaignlogic might be used include:
- Automatically send a list of contacts to campaignlogic from a system such as a CRM or a back end database
You might have a list of contacts stored in a CRM such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or even a custom SQL database. You could use the web services to automatically send that list of contacts to campaignlogic each night. Each night campaignlogic would import them, manage the duplicates and opt outs just like it does when you import via the site, and have the list ready for use when you login to send a campaign.
- Send an automated or transactional email from another system
Perhaps you want to send an email when something occurs in a separate company system (e.g. receipt of purchase, thank you message to newly renewed accounts, etc.). The web services in the new campaignlogic will allow this to happen easily. Plus, any automated or transactional email could be sent to as many people as required based on your needs and what you are trying to achieve.
- Build your own email marketing front end
Although this is probably not something most clients or partners would need, the web services we have created do allow you to develop your own email marketing web site, using our servers and network to all the heavy lifting. This means your site could be as simple as login, type a message, enter a recipient and press send. Or it could be something more advanced. It's really all up to you.
