API Architecture and Authentication
SyteLine REST APIs are served through the IDO Web Services component, which exposes IDO operations as HTTP endpoints. 0 with Infor ION for cloud deployments or token-based authentication for on-premise installations. Each API call operates within a session context that determines the user, company, site, and security profile.
Properly managing session lifecycle, creation, reuse, and cleanup, is critical for both performance and license compliance.
- Use OAuth 2.0 client credentials flow for service-to-service integrations, not user impersonation
- Reuse API sessions across related calls to avoid the overhead of session creation per request
- Implement session cleanup in your error handling to prevent orphaned sessions consuming licenses
- Configure rate limiting on the IDO Web Services to protect the application server from API overload
IDO Endpoint Patterns and Payload Design
IDO REST endpoints follow a consistent pattern: specify the IDO name, the operation (LoadCollection, UpdateCollection, InvokeMethod), and the payload. LoadCollection supports filtering, sorting, and property selection. UpdateCollection handles create, update, and delete operations within a single transactional call.
InvokeMethod executes IDO business methods. Design API payloads to minimize data transfer by specifying only the properties needed and using server-side filtering.
- Specify a property list in LoadCollection calls to return only required columns, reducing payload size
- Use filter expressions to push query logic to the server rather than retrieving and filtering client-side
- Batch related updates in a single UpdateCollection call to maintain transactional integrity
- Call InvokeMethod for business operations instead of direct data manipulation to enforce business rules
Error Handling and Integration Resilience
Production API integrations must handle failures gracefully. SyteLine APIs return standard HTTP status codes with detailed error messages in the response body. Implement retry logic with exponential backoff for transient failures (503, timeout).
Log all API interactions with timestamps, payloads, and responses for troubleshooting. Build idempotency into your integration design so that retried operations do not create duplicate transactions.
- Implement exponential backoff retry for 503 (service unavailable) and timeout responses
- Log complete request and response payloads for troubleshooting failed integration calls
- Design idempotent operations using external reference numbers to prevent duplicate transactions
- Build circuit breaker patterns that stop calling a failing API and alert operations teams promptly
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Frequently asked questions
What are IDO web services in SyteLine?
IDO (Intelligent Data Objects) web services are SyteLine's data access and business logic layer exposed as REST API endpoints. IDOs support three core operations: LoadCollection (read/query data with filtering and sorting), UpdateCollection (create, update, delete records transactionally), and InvokeMethod (execute business methods). Each IDO corresponds to a SyteLine form or business entity, making the API surface mirror the application's functional structure for intuitive integration development.
How does SyteLine REST API authentication work?
SyteLine CloudSuite Industrial uses OAuth 2.0 with Infor ION for cloud deployments, supporting client credentials flow for service-to-service integrations. On-premise SyteLine installations use token-based authentication through the IDO Web Services component. Each API session carries a user context determining company, site, and security profile. Properly managing session lifecycle is critical: reuse sessions across related calls, implement cleanup in error handlers, and avoid orphaned sessions that consume licenses.
What is the recommended rate limit for SyteLine API integrations?
SyteLine IDO Web Services should be rate-limited to 50-100 concurrent API calls per application server to prevent performance degradation. Configure rate limiting at the integration layer, not just the server. For high-volume integrations processing thousands of transactions hourly, batch related updates into single UpdateCollection calls, implement connection pooling, and use asynchronous patterns with Infor ION messaging. Monitor API response times; sustained responses above 2 seconds indicate server overload.
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