API Authentication
API Access Overview
API access requires being a user of the system. A user in this context is anyone who has access to your data. Each user has a 2 tabs on their record which control this:
- The Website and Call-round Access tab controls access to your data via our website, and/or our mobile app, Call Round.
- The 3rd Party Systems tab controls the access to your data that other systems have via the API
Using this approach, there are 3 possibilities:
- Website/Call-round access only. This will be most users of the system doing day-to-day tasks
- API access only. This could be to migrate data in from other systems, reporting dashboards etc
- Both. An example of this would be if Alice sometimes logs in via the website, and sometimes using a 3rd party app. Alice's access controls are the same in both situations, i.e. she will have the same access to branches, projects and fields.
API Keys
Instead of a user name and password, the API grants access based on three headers:
- Source. Identifies the 3rd party software provider. If Example Software Ltd supplies a number of Dizions clients, they will use the same Source key for all requests. The Source key is provided, and periodically updated, via text message.
- Org. Identifies the charity or company, and the system type. So Example Charity's Live system will have a different Org key to Example Charity's Training system
- User. Identifies the user within the charity or company.
Managing users
The settings on a user record (User Group, project access, branch access etc.) control what a user can see and do. This is broadly the same whether the user is using the website or the API. Remember, that as a system administrator, you are responsible for controlling who has access to your data, whether via the website, Call-round or a 3rd party application. Switching off a user is the same regardless - make them inactive on their General Details tab. To create a new API user:
* In the web application, click the Settings Cog > User Access > Users. Click Create New User * Fill in the General User Details as normal * On the Website Access tab, consider un-ticking the Charitylog / Crossdata if you want this user to only access your data through the API * Save the record * On the 3rd Party Systems tab
