No matter the size of your company’s IT department, APIs play a crucial role in its communication and technology infrastructure. In this guide, we will evaluate the use of APIs in the workplace and learn why fax APIs are such a worthwhile upgrade.
APIs: What Are They?
An API, also known as an application programming interface, is a link between two software components. The mFax API is a communication protocol, which is a rule set that allows different pieces of software to work with one another.
Even if you’re not sure what an API is, you’ve likely been using them for years. APIs, for instance, allow users to cut text from one document and paste it into another. Without APIs, we wouldn’t be able to complete most of the tasks we take for granted.
How an API Works
Now that we’ve explained what APIs are, we’ll show how they work. When a developer creates a smartphone app or a software component, they typically code the application with a focus on the other tools and apps customers will use with it. For instance, if a photo editing app is being created, the coder will likely want to simplify the process of storing saved images online. Therefore, they’ll need to work with Microsoft, Dropbox, or Google APIs.
In terms a coder would understand, APIs are based on the relationship between a client and a server. Using the example from above, the developer creates the API’s server side, or the rule set that other developers would use when integrating their software (or client) into the application when necessary.
That’s how cloud apps such as Dropbox and Google Drive create value for existing customers and bring in new ones. APIs make it easy for software, services, and applications to work together, which makes those tools more valuable to users.
The Inner Workings of a Web Service API
Every enterprise is different, and some need workflow functionalities that can be completed only with multiple technologies. A good example would be the generation of standard documents in a conventional application along with the need to fax copies of those documents.
If a company uses traditional fax machines, that means workers must save these documents to computers, print them, take them to a fax machine, send a fax, and wait for delivery confirmation. Then, the employee must retain a physical copy of the document for record-keeping and auditing purposes.
In these cases, web service APIs are quite useful. These APIs are used to create a link between separate systems that businesses use to perform standard functions. With our API, businesses can include fax functionality in most of the applications their employees use each day, including CRM platforms, ERP systems, and electronic record-keeping systems.
With a built-in fax API, an employee can easily generate a document, open the fax interface, attach a file (which will be translated into PDF or TIFF format) and send it to a recipient. Everything happens within the same platform—no telephone, printer, fax server, or fax machine is required. Additionally, with our fax API, senders will receive an email notification when a fax is successfully delivered.
Why APIs are So Important to Cloud-Centric Businesses
APIs, especially web service APIs, create a significant income stream for today’s cloud vendors. As reported in a Harvard Business Review article, up to half of Salesforce’s revenue is generated via APIs. The article goes on to explain that in the AppExchange marketplace, over 300 companies have offered apps that integrate with the Salesforce platform.
With the number of cloud apps and services being used today, as well as the range of tools businesses use during daily operations, it’s easy to imagine how challenging it would be for companies to function optimally without APIs to connect various pieces of software. Businesses in all industries would need in-house programming teams to build bridge code for the software used to perform important functions.
Many of today’s large and established businesses suffer from similar problems. As pointed out in a Fortune article, combining these crucial functions consumes a significant amount of a corporation’s resources. However, the article also notes that it’s possible to eliminate most of the cost, time, and hassle by using solutions such as APIs. When companies use our fax API to streamline workflows by linking separate business functions, they can attain significant cost-cutting and productivity-boosting benefits.
Increasing Productivity
Businesses that use software and related technologies understand why integrations are so important. The better these systems work together, the easier and more efficient operations become. With our API, an enterprise can eliminate the step of transferring data from a third-party platform before sending an online fax. APIs make it easy to receive and send faxes and to transfer data from one application to another, saving organizations a great deal of effort and time.
Sending Faxes Securely
Because nothing matters more than the security of your customers’ sensitive data, we’ve built our fax API on Google’s Cloud Platform. Your faxes will be transferred safely and securely so no one but the receiver and the sender can read the contents. With Google’s world-class infrastructure, we can deliver enterprise-level security to even the smallest businesses.
Our secure service is a top-rated option for receiving and sending faxes online. Because a medical practice will no longer have to print documents, there’s no need to store or destroy physical files to ensure security compliance. While it can be tough to understand the medical field’s regulations, choosing a fax API is easy. Our HIPAA-compliant fax service is authorized to store and send sensitive data, including ePHI and PHI.
Our Fax API Helps Businesses Leverage Existing Platforms
By facilitating integration into almost every application platform, our fax API allows companies to increase the ROI and usability of the systems they utilize each day. With this API, as well as the sample code, user guides, and SDKs that go along with it—even a new programmer or developer will find it easy to bring cloud fax functionality into a company’s crucial systems.
