Networked retailers grow. This has been demonstrated by the rise of the omnichannel principle in recent years. In order to coordinate both online and offline sales channels efficiently and profitably, interface-flexible systems are a key requirement. By developing an API for our merchandise management system JTL-Wawi, we are creating the ideal basis for you to use your ERP system as the “control center” of your retail business without system discontinuity. In this developer diary, we will bring you up to date on the completion of our JTL-Wawi API. We also give you a foretaste of its numerous possible uses and potential.
Before we take a deep dive into the world of JTL, let’s start with a brief explanation of the term API. APIs (Application Programming Interface) are programming interfaces that enable communication between two different systems or applications in IT. In e-commerce, too, all data exchange processes, such as between merchandise management, store system and marketplace, run via APIs. A REST API (Representational State Transfer), which is what the JTL Wawi API is, is a special interface that is particularly suitable for web services or client-server-based applications such as cloud, social media or app services – so much for the term. You can find even more information about APIs in multichannel retail here: https://www.jtl-software.com/blog/loesungen-von-jtl/e-commerce-api
Why are we developing a JTL-Wawi API?
The central goal of all API systems is to create system openness with minimal development effort. With solutions such as the marketplace interface JTL-eazyAuction or the third-party store connection JTL-Connector, we already enable users to connect software from other providers to our ERP system JTL-Wawi in order to manage all processes and data centrally and without system interruption. The JTL-Fulfillment Network (JTL-FFN) and our voucher system JTL-Vouchers are also characterized by their respective connections.
If we already use a number of programming interfaces within the JTL solution world, what exactly is so special about the JTL Wawi API? In a nutshell: The possibilities with it are far more extensive. When using the JTL-Wawi API, the focus is on individual merchandise management. Its advantage is that it can be controlled by the user themselves and operated on their own server. The JTL-Wawi API can be used to create orders, create customers, create workflows or statistics and much more – basically almost everything that is possible for users in JTL-Wawi itself. However, it is important to note that, from a technical point of view, the actual functions of merchandise management are not accessed here, but so-called endpoints are used. These are specific interfaces or URLs within the API. An extension for JTL-Wawi, such as the one we offer in the JTL Extension Store for JTL-Shop, also uses the API and its endpoints. The user can then install the specific function as required.
Advantages of the JTL-Wawi API
With an API, we want to take the principle of “JTL-Wawi as the control center for the retail of tomorrow” with all its possibilities to the next technical level – here are the most important advantages that our JTL-Wawi API will bring you retailers:
- Standardization: The API offers service partners and merchants a uniform system for communicating with a JTL Wawi database. If different systems are connected to JTL Wawi, an API minimizes the development effort and increases efficiency at the same time.
- Customization options: Technology partners and retailers can use an API to connect external applications to our merchandise management system in order to tailor their functionalities even better to specific requirements.
- More security: Anyone who wanted to connect third-party systems to JTL-Wawi previously had to access the database to ensure the exchange of information. The API does not require a direct connection. Instead, in simple terms, it uses a standardized endpoint that ensures communication between the systems.
- Less maintenance effort: Those who use JTL-Wawi with self-developed solutions need not worry about updates in the future. The API ensures that the endpoints used by external systems to access data remain constant. When changes are made to the database, the API interface is updated at the same time. This means that interaction with the database remains consistent and smooth, even if the underlying structure changes. Last but not least, the API is regularly maintained and serviced by us. Third-party providers and users can therefore rest assured that the connection is always up to date in terms of security and technology.
So much for the theory. Here are also a few application examples for the JTL-Wawi API:
- With an API, merchants and service partners are able to develop extensions that quickly and smoothly enable their own individual functions and features for JTL-Wawi, in line with the extension principle of our store system JTL-Shop.
- JTL-Wawi as middleware: With the API, users are able to easily connect the ERP system to other ERP systems. This approach is particularly interesting for manufacturers and companies that do not require a fully comprehensive merchandise management system and want to connect their existing ERP system in order to gain a foothold in online retail, keyword D2C.
- Creation of user interfaces: The API for JTL-Wawi allows you to customize the GUI (Graphic User Interface) or user interfaces in JTL-Wawi according to your individual requirements. This allows you to create article data, among other things.
- Connection of CRM systems: Larger retailers in particular will eventually reach the point where they need a professional CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system to efficiently manage customer data and inquiries. With the connection, they can develop a corresponding interface to JTL-Wawi or have one developed without in-depth knowledge of SQL or database structures.
- As we are using the API to open up the further development of JTL-Wawi even more to interested parties outside the JTL cosmos, there are no limits in terms of possible applications. Our experience in setting up the JTL Extension Store for JTL Shop has shown that partners and merchants contribute a variety of their own ideas. So we are excited to see what you make of it!
Requirements for the use of the JTL-Wawi API
As you may have already gathered from this article, a certain amount of IT expertise is required to make full use of the JTL Wawi API. For larger retailers in particular, it offers the opportunity to adapt the JTL systems to the individual requirements of their day-to-day business and to put together a customized system.
If you don’t have internal IT skills, you won’t be left empty-handed! Retailers can make use of our extensive service partner network to receive advice on the use of our API and to get expert support for the actual implementation of a solution. Our service partners can be found in almost every corner of the DACH region and other European countries and specialize in a wide variety of (omnichannel) retail areas.
Support for getting started - JTL training courses for the JTL-Wawi API
The specific application of the JTL-Wawi API in day-to-day business will be as individual as each retailer. Here we want to ensure a consistently high level of quality and uniform standards. We will therefore provide merchants and JTL service partners with appropriate training and clear guidelines. The developer documentation for our JTL Wawi API is already available in English:
However, external service providers outside our service partner network are also free to use the JTL Wawi API for their development. Because we want to make our systems as open as possible so that as many companies as possible can benefit from them!
These are the next development steps
What are the next steps for the JTL-Wawi API project? We were recently able to enter the closed beta phase with around ten pilot customers and are excited to see what we will learn from the first use of the solution in the “wild”. In the next step, the open beta launch is planned for around the beginning of fall.
If you would also like to participate in the closed beta pilot program, please register in the JTL Customer Center. Simply go to the overview of the pilot programs and select JTL-Wawi API.
The API for JTL-Wawi forms the basic technical prerequisite for two central goals that we as a software company have strategically committed ourselves to: to further advance the networking, expansion and opening, but also the individualization of our solutions. Last but not least, the interface in combination with AI, i.e. artificial intelligence, opens up further undreamt-of potential. Over the past two years, we have therefore worked intensively on the design and implementation of the interface. Now we are joining forces once again to accelerate the realization of this project. Among other things, we have recently increased our development team to 15 team members.
The flawless and reliable performance of the programming interface is particularly important to us. Frankly speaking, this requirement is not without its challenges for our experts, as compatibility with a wide variety of systems must be guaranteed due to the numerous possible uses. The more articles a merchandise management system contains, the more difficult it is to guarantee fast data traffic. This becomes even more complex when only specific data, e.g. features such as categories, prices or article numbers, need to be adapted for a large number of articles. The challenge is to develop a logical structure for how data can be retrieved, entered, changed or deleted. However, we are happy to take on this challenge so that customers and partners can benefit as much as possible from the JTL Wawi API! We are also working even more intensively than usual with our JTL service partners in order to take as many requirements and application scenarios as possible into account right from the start.
Finally, we would like to thank all JTL service partners involved in the project for their commitment, feedback and professional exchange! Our JTL service partner network has once again confirmed for us what we wrote at the very beginning of this article: Those who network their trade grow.
