API: Overview

Overview of the Clear Impact Scorecard API.

The Clear Impact Scorecard API allows you to interact with our system programmatically from your own application. Using the API you interact with Scorecard Objects such as:

• Scorecards
• Results
• Indicators
• Programs
• Performance Measures
• Actions
• Tags
• Data Values

The API is grouped into several modules that each implement add, update, insert, delete, details and list operations for a particular section of the Results Scorecard data.

For security reasons, all API handlers are decorated with [HttpPost] attribute, forcing the API user to invoke the API using HTTP POST method.

All data submitted by the API client is sent as a XML or JSON payload of the POST request. This payload consists of some common data, such as the sitecode and API key, and some API specific data, for example an id of a database object.

You'll likely need access to a web developer or programmer (if you're not one) to get the most use out of the API.

Authentication is implemented using an API Key included in each JSON or XML payload over SSL (https), as described in API Authentication.

URL

The URL for API requests includes the resource URI:

https://api.resultsscorecard.com/<resource URI>

Response Data

Response data is sent as either XML or JSON, depending on the type of data requested (HTTP Content-Type header) or the type specified as being accepted (HTTP Accept header).

Response codes are sent via the normal HTTP Response Code, and are documented separately for each resource.

Request Data

POST request data may be formatted as either XML or JSON. For best results, you should set your HTTP Content-Type request header accordingly, although you may also specify your format by appending .xml or .json extensions on to the resource URI.

Note that Clear Impact Scorecard does not accept POST data sent as query params or form encoded data – data must be sent as either XML or JSON. If you fail to set your Content-Type to either application/xml or application/json, your request may fail due to triggering of forgery protection mechanisms.

Example JSON Request Formatting

Note the content-type header and the request parameters entered in the body of the request.

Debugging

For development purposes we also have a publicly available API test application that will allow you to send test requests to verify your call is correct. You can access the API test tool here:

https://api.resultsscorecard.com/test

Another handy tool is RequestBin You could create a RequestBin and send your request to them instead of us to see visually what it is you're sending, if you're not sure.

For more development information check out our Development Tips page.