General introduction to LittleBig Connection's APIs

At LittleBig Connection, we give you the possibility to use Application Programming Interfaces (API) to link the platform to your internal tools. Our APIs enable you to share your data in a simple and secure way to reduce manual actions, probability of errors, and multiple entry. This article is a general introduction to our APIs.

Within this article

• API glossary
• APIs in general
• LittleBig APIs

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API glossary

The following concepts will be used in our API related articles:

• REST (also known as RESTful): technology/architectural style on which LittleBig APIs are built
• JSON: Standard language for data exchange. It can be read by information systems (https://www.json.org/json-en.html)
• Request: Command and information sent to LittleBig Connection API to be executed
• Response: Returned information by LittleBig Connection API with the request result
• Endpoint: Address of LittleBig Connection servers where the requests should be sent to
• API Resource: Resource to request, update, search, or delete, etc. For example: /activityReports
• Operation: Unique identifier of a resource and an action. For example: activityReport/upload

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APIs in general

APIs can automatically send or receive data from other information systems following a request-response pattern. It allows a user to perform a request to a server so it can immediately execute the action and return a response. Example of request: Get the list of proposals received on the RFP XXXX-Y.

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LittleBig APIs

The LittleBig Connection APIs follow widely adopted standards, which allow it to communicate (and exchange data) with most information systems (IS) available such as SAP, Coupa, Determine, Corcentric, etc., without too much effort, all over the world 24/7.

Its technical details are available to the public. Thanks to them, you will be able to liaise with your internal IT teams, and get from there, the steps to follow in order to be able to use the API features with LittleBig.  And you will be fully supported during the Onboarding process by our dedicated Professional Services team. 

Thanks to the APIs we offer, you can:

1. Automate certain tasks to avoid multiple entry
   • Examples: integration of an external Purchase Order number to LittleBig Connection; uploading a document to an Activity Report
2. Interface your internal tools with the LittleBig platform to access data linked to your LittleBig account, directly from your own tools in order to streamline the processes 
   • Examples: validation of Purchase requests; validation of Activity Reports
   • We offer two interfacing schemas with our APIs: Procure to order and Procure to pay, as illustrated below

3. Recover real-time data to generate KPI reports to manage performance.

• • Examples: number of ongoing projects; details of Purchase Orders created per manager/department, live follow up on expenses, etc.
  • It can also include data from Premium features if activated on your account (Project Codes, Custom Fields, Profile Codes)

APIs being themselves a premium feature, if you want to benefit from it, you can contact your Customer Success Manager, or our Support team who will redirect you to the Professional services team.

Please follow the links below to know more about each of our API: 

• Requests for Proposals and Proposals APIs
• Purchase requests and Purchase orders APIs
• Activity Reports and Service Receptions APIs

All our APIs are documented online, on this page, and you will also find information about Project codes APIs and Webhooks.

 Besides, to protect the servers, the following limitations have been set up:

• One service call per IP at a time; concurrent calls are not allowed
• The number of service calls is limited to 10 per second
• The number of daily service calls is limited to 50,000