Successful use of the crossbase API server at CREATON

Initial situation

CREATON's website was previously maintained separately from crossbase in a self-sufficient Typo3 system. As a result, a lot of information had to be stored redundantly and processes, e.g. for translation and image conversion, had to be mapped on two tracks. As part of the update of the CMS system used to the latest version, the product section of the website was to be linked to the crossbase database and populated with the product information already maintained there.

The aim of this connection was to reduce the data maintenance effort and the susceptibility to errors, as the product information is no longer maintained in parallel in two systems, but only in crossbase and then automatically transferred to Typo3.

Procedure

An API interface with web services in JSON/REST format (Representational State Transfer) was chosen for the connection. The advantage here is the highest possible flexibility. No XML interface needs to be configured; instead, the data can be flexibly retrieved via various customer-specific web services and integrated into the target system.

The interface was implemented with the API server (crossbase.api). A service runs on a server that can be queried via defined ports and returns the data when called via web services. The data is processed using DTOs ("data transfer objects") defined together with the customer and transmitted in the desired form.

The API interface provides all data in prepared objects for the nightly comparison. These can be easily read in and processed by the target system. An import program for data migration was implemented by the agency Techdivision, which also implemented the website in Typo3.

However, the API interface is not only used by CREATON for the product part of the website, but also for the provision of data for the newly implemented mobile app "myCreaton". Both systems use the same DTOs. This eliminates additional maintenance and coordination work.

All product data displayed in the product section of the website and the "myCreaton" app now only needs to be maintained in one place - in the crossbase.pim PIM system. This means that adjustments and additions to the database can be made quickly and automatically to the various channels.

Result

By connecting the website and the "myCreaton" mobile app to the crossbase.pim system, the data maintenance effort has been significantly reduced and the susceptibility to errors minimized. Changes and additions to the product data are maintained centrally and automatically transferred to all channels, resulting in an efficient and future-proof system landscape.