Partner program without sharing to marketplace?

I had used the api to build into the backend of a website a feature which gives logged in members the ability to create new quickfile invoices. I recently received an email saying that use of the api in this way will be discontinued in September. Would I be able to do this with the partner api? From what I have read about the partner API program, you have to make your app publicly available on the marketplace - can I not just use the API to integrate into a private website?

Hi @Dean_Morgan

Does your app connect to multiple QuickFile accounts?

The marketplace is for publicly available apps, but you can still have private apps through the normal process:

  • Go to Account Settings
  • Select 3rd party integration
  • Select API
  • Create a new app with the relevant permissions
  • Use the App ID and API key shown on this screen, along with the account number.

If your app is used between a handful of accounts for private purposes (e.g. if you have 5 accounts linked to a custom built platform), you would need to repeat the above process for each. In that instance, nothing would be public and the apps are treated individually.

I hope that helps, but please don’t hesitate to ask further questions if you need clarification on anything.

It’s a members only section of a website where logged in members should be able to cr are invoices and push them directly to QuickFile so ideally don’t want each of them to have to create an app. I thought the partner api would allow the website owner to be the only one that has to create an app then use that key/secret, then registered users of the site can simply authorise access by entering their normal QuickFile login to then be able to create an invoice?

The way the partner API works is like this:

  • User finds the app in the marketplace and clicks ‘Connects’
  • A token is provided to the user unique to this instance (if they disconnect and reconnect, the token changes)
  • The app is also created on their account with the permissions you set up when adding the app to the marketplace
  • The user then provides your app with their account number and token
  • Your app sends these details to the API
  • If successful, the API returns their API key and AppID so the user doesn’t have to set anything up, it’s done for them
  • The user can revoke the app at anytime through the marketplace

How many accounts do you connect to at the moment? The partner API is still relatively new. As with most of QuickFile, we’re open to feedback and suggestions.

It only connects to one account at the moment as it is a work in progress which has now been halted since I received the email saying the API I am using is being scrapped in September. All I want to know is which version of the API I can use to allow (possibly) 100s of users to create customers & invoices via the backend of the website I have built. In the backend of the site they already have customers and invoices but need to be able to push those into their own quickfile accounts via the API. Also I want it to have nothing to do with a ‘marketplace’ as it is a private site

Hi @Dean_Morgan

Private apps on the Marketplace is not something that we support at this time. We do however allow up to 5 accounts to be included on a beta testing list for any application. We could possibly extend this to allow for 100+ accounts to be defined and have an option to “launch as a private app” on our listing procedure.

I will discuss this internally and report back here to update you. I think however it is something that would be beneficial and I’m confident it can be supported in the near term.

All I want to know is can I use the API to allow 100+ users to login to my website, click ‘copy this invoice to my quickfile account’, authorise this by entering their quickfile login details, then the invoice details are sent to quickfile creating a new invoice. Is this possible and which version of the API would best suit? I have managed to do this in xero no problem already.

Yes you can, for each account you just need to create a new app and when calling that account include the ApplicationId in the request. The Partner API is more suited for when you want to host an application to many users as it negates the need for each connecting party to create an app definition in their QF account.

So the partner API would be a better choice. Can I do this using the partner API or is the fact that it must be included in the marketplace hindering this?

Yes the Partner API would simplify the on-boarding of users as it removes that step where they need to create an app within their QF account (not that this is too difficult) and instead it just generates a token that they can pass back to you for future API calls.

The issue right now is the Partner API setup will list your app on the public Marketplace, so we need to make an update our side to allow for private apps and a form where the app creator can maintain a list of accounts.

The alternative to this is to just ask each of your users to create an app (name, description and list of methods) and then pass back their account number, API Key and ApplicationId. You can then store these credentials and make calls direct to the regular API.

Whichever of the two methods you use will allow you to connect to any version of the API 1.1 or 1.2, XML/JSON.

Thanks Glenn. I can just plod on with what I have already built for now and await the partner API update that allows private apps.

Obviously this update to the partner API would probably be welcomed by a lot of people as I expect quite a lot of general users will struggle to understand the ‘create an app’ process and would much rather just type a username/password to authorise. And it doesn’t require giving them authentication instructions if a QF login form pops up.

Ok excellent, we should have this ready by the end of this week.

Hi Glenn, any updates on this?

Hi @Dean_Morgan

I’ve checked with our development team, and this has been completed but just needs to be tested. Do you have accounts that you could perhaps test this with yourself?

I don’t have a partner API account, just a normal quickfile account which I have been using to test previous integration of the normal API

The Partner API account sits inside your main QuickFile account. You can enable it by going to:
Account Settings >> 3rd Party Integration >> API, and selecting the API Partner page:

This is where you can create your app.

While in draft mode, you can add beta testers. These automatically become part of the private group once it’s published.

If you’re happy to give it a go, set up an app, have a look around, and let me know if you need any help with anything. This is still a new feature, so any feedback appreciated!