API Frequently Asked Questions

API frequently asked questions

November 27, 2023

Discover the top recurring questions that our API team at PCI has encountered while working with hundreds of clients. Get the answers you need right here on API integrations with PCI.

How long does it take to develop an integration?

If it is a brand-new integration that the team has never created before, this generally takes about 8 weeks to complete. If it is a repeat integration that we are familiar with, it can be as fast as 6 weeks. However, these timeframes are dependent on factors such as if the client or third-party software rep is able to provide us access within a timely manner, if the client is knowledgeable on how their software is set up and how they want they data to translate from one to another, and if the client is able to create testing scenarios or give PCI access to create testing scenarios in a timely manner.

Can PCI work with locally hosted Costpoint clients?

Yes, but there are a few items to keep in mind. Locally hosted clients generally have higher security thresholds and therefore, can be more costly because of the extra time spent on connecting. If a client is ok with using a VPN though, we can connect through that quickly.

Can you work with clients who have very secure networks?

Yes! We can work with SSL certs, data encryption, secure HTTPS requests, VPNs, and any other security measures your company may have.

What if the person from the client company who worked with PCI leaves the company?

As described in a previous blog about our post-live support, when we finish working with a client, we create an Astrata account for them which allows them to monitor all the activity of the integration. If any errors occur, an email is sent to the client to make them aware. What we ask of the client is to create a generic/group company email for those emails to be sent to. That way, if the person PCI was working with ever leaves, whoever takes their place will still be able to access it. We are also happy to give another demonstration of the Astrata dashboard to the new employee.

What are all the Costpoint environments used/What if my Costpoint environment is not in PROD or changes?

The possible live Costpoint environments are CONFIG, TEST, and then finally PROD (production). The possible development Costpoint environments that the API team uses while we are testing your integration are WIC and DEV. Once we are done with the testing phase, we will point your integration at whatever your live Costpoint environment is (CONFIG, TEST, or PROD). So even if your Costpoint is not in the production stage yet, that is ok. If your live environment ever changes (for example, from CONFIG to TEST or from TEST to PROD), we can simply just update your integration to point to whatever the new environment is.

Do I need a sandbox/testing environment for my third-party software?

It depends on which way the data is flowing in your integration. If you want the data to flow TO your third-party software, then yes, you will need to create a sandbox/testing environment in it, since we do not want to be adding/editing/deleting live data. However, if you just want the data to flow FROM your third-party software to, for example, Costpoint, then no, you do not need a sandbox environment. That is because we will just be reading/grabbing the data from it, which doesn’t alter it. Therefore, it is ok to use live data. If the data is flowing into Costpoint, then PCI will automatically set up a testing environment for you.

Get Started

PCI offers cutting-edge solution integrations to complement and enhance your Deltek product investments. Our consultants help to identify and bridge gaps between various business systems, offering several third-party integrations into Deltek Costpoint and Deltek WorkBook. Our API capabilities include data pulls and custom-built integrations.

[Learn more] about our integrations here: PCI Integration Options

[Contact us] Interested in starting an API? Contact sales!

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