How to use web services (API)

Last updated: 2022-03-02

Working with web services

  • The Aptien.com platform provides web services for reading data and for writing data to the database
  • Web services work under a specific user
  • Their permissions to access data are therefore determined by the range of permissions of the user (in a specific role) 
  • You can either use an existing user (a specific person) or create a new one
  •  The call list of each web service is recorded in the Aptien.com administration under a specific user
  • There is a list of WS call logs in the administration
  • The log records the date and time of the WS call, the input and output parameters of the WS

General rules for web services

  • If all mandatory input parameters are not entered, or the input parameters are not in the appropriate structure, the output message will alert the calling system
  • If no record matches the input parameters, the output message will be empty
  • If no access to information is allowed, the message will return this information to the calling system
  • In case of other (e.g., system) error, the service will return this information to the calling system
  • Due to the standardization of the individual service object components, it is not strictly necessary to maintain the order and enumeration of the service input parameters

Users for web services

  • Web services operate under a specific user
  • You can either use an existing user (a specific person, for example, John Doe) or create a new one and name it after the application that uses it (for example, Web service application XY)
  • Changes to the data carry an audit trail, so any changes to the data made under a specific user carry information that the specific user made the changes. Thus, if the web service makes changes to data under the user "John Doe", the changes will be marked with "John Doe as the author of the changes"

Recommendations on the use of web services

  • Create a new user
  • Name it according to the application that calls the WS (Ex. HR system) 
  • WS will log in under this user and make all changes under this name 

Where and how web services are available

  • Web services are accessible on the server in the WSDL standard 
  • They are available to any user who can use them within the scope of their permissions. Therefore, he cannot access web services that he is not authorized to access
  • At the URL /ws.wsdl
  • They are available to every customer at: https://yourURL.aptien.com/ws.wsdl