# Infor Birst API: Web Services for Data Loading and Automation

> Source: https://netray.co/erp-help/infor-birst-api-web-services-data-loading-automation
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: ERP Help

## Short answer

Birst exposes web services that let a script log in, upload data to a space, publish it and run queries. Use them to automate loads and extracts, with a service account, polling for completion, and logging each step.

## Kind

how-to

## System

infor-os

## Erp

Infor Birst

## Module

Web Services API

## Query

infor birst api

## Alternate Queries

- birst web services api
- birst api data upload
- birst automate reporting

## Applies To

Birst web services. Method names and the REST or SOAP surface vary by version, so confirm against the API documentation for your tenant.

## Steps

### Automate a data load through the API

**Items:**

- Create a dedicated service user in Birst with access to the target space only.
- Authenticate through the login operation and keep the returned token for the session.
- Begin a data upload for the target source and set its options such as the format and whether it replaces or appends.
- Upload the file in parts if it is large, then finish the upload.
- Poll the completion status until the upload is finished, and fail loudly on error.
- Trigger the publish of the space and poll again until it completes.
- Log out and write the outcome, row counts and duration to your job log.

## Sections

### Typical operations

**Body:**

- The common calls are login and logout, listing spaces, beginning and finishing a data upload, uploading data, publishing, and executing a query. Together they cover load, refresh and extract.
- Always treat load and publish as asynchronous. Calling publish before the upload completes is a common cause of partial data.

**Code:**

1. login(user, password) -> token
2. beginDataUpload(token, spaceId, sourceName)
3. uploadData(token, uploadId, bytes)
4. finishDataUpload(token, uploadId)
5. poll isDataUploadComplete
6. publishData(token, spaceId) then poll isPublishComplete
7. logout(token)

### Error handling and scheduling

**Body:**

- Wrap each step with retries for transient failures, but stop on validation errors. Send an alert when a load fails so reports do not silently show yesterday's data.
- Run the job from a scheduler you already trust, and keep credentials in a secret store, not in the script.

### Governance

**Body:**

- A service account that can publish can also overwrite data, so scope it tightly, log its activity and review who can read the scripts.

## Pitfalls

- Publishing before the upload is complete.
- Storing passwords in scripts.
- No alerting, so failed loads go unnoticed.
- Using a personal account that breaks when the person leaves.

## Ai Angle

Scripts handle scheduled loads, while an assistant grounded in the same data handles the ad hoc questions afterwards, showing the query behind each answer. For on-prem sensitive data the model can run inside your network.

## Faq

### Does Birst have a REST API?

**Answer:** Birst provides web services, and the exact protocol options depend on version. Check the documentation for your tenant before choosing a client library.

### How do I know when an upload is complete?

**Answer:** Poll the status operation until it reports completion, and treat any error state as a failure.

### Can I run queries through the API?

**Answer:** Yes, there is a query operation that returns results for use in other systems, subject to the user's data access.

### What account should the script use?

**Answer:** A dedicated service user limited to the target space, with credentials stored securely.

## Search terms

infor birst api, birst web services, birst api upload data, birst publish space api, birst automation, infor birst integration

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