API Developers Guide

CommitCRM provides various tools in order to read/add/update information in the CommitCRM database. These tools include: Programming API and API by Email for updating the database, and an ODBC Link for pulling information from the database. The Commit API provides developers with a set of APIs which allow them to perform database transactions in order to add and update records in the CommitCRM database. The API can be used as a Programming API by embedding code which uses the API functions, or as an API by Email which allows you to send XML formatted emails which will be processed and executed.

• Programming API
  The Commit API provides developers with a set of API functions which can be used in VB, C++, Delphi and any other programming language that lets you use a standard Windows dll file. It provides the ability to create a connection to CommitCRM's database, add new records to the database and update them.
• API by Email
  The API by Email allows you to send XML formatted emails which contain database transactions. Commit Email Connector then pulls the incoming XML emails from your POP3 mail server, processes the email and performs the transactions in the XML transaction. XML formatted email gives you an API for the CommitCRM database, which allows you to perform many actions such as linking to external systems, receiving forms submitted from your web site, and more.
• ODBC Link
  While the API provides the means for adding and updating information in the database, you should use ODBC Link in order to read information from the database. CommitCRM uses an open database structure and allows other applications to access the database using ODBC (Open Data Base Connectivity) for read-only purposes.
  
  You can use ODBC Link in order to read data from the database and integrate it with an external system (i.e. Crystal reports, or any other application). You may also use the ODBC Link to read Database Record IDs and update existing records. This will be discussed later in this document.