Raise Edge connect to external system

Su Fang Lim

Hi,

I'm new to Blackbaud Raiser Edge, and i m looking if Blackbaud Raise Edge can connect to external system (pull data from Blackbaud Raise Edge → process/validate → push data back to Blackbaud Raise Edge).

I would like to know if:

• Blackbaud raiser edge can make a REST API call out to external system?
• can we store external system authentication token in Blackbaud raiser edge? so that the token can be passed when a REST API call to external system for authentication?

Alex Wong

@Su Fang Lim
first to answer your bulleted question directly:

• you cannot “make” RE call other REST API
• you “can” store info in RE to be retrieved using SKY API, however, it would not make security sense
  • for example, you can store a token on a constituent record (your own maybe) custom field and retrieve it

You can pull data from RE > do something with the data > post it back to RE by using another “program/webapp". It is not “RE connect to external system”, it is an external system connect to RE NXT using SKY API to retrieve info, process/validate info, then post back into RE.

that is the “technical” answer.

However, from a user perspective, you CAN create a “add-in” into RE NXT. An Add-in IS an external system/ program/webapp that you created via high code/low code/no code. The Add-in will appears as “part of" RE NXT native experience, and when invoked, you can have data retrieveal, processing, validation, and then update the RE NXT records.

Stu Manewith

@Su Fang Lim depending on the external system, Omatic Software has data integration tools that might furnish a solution for you. Omatic has SKY API connections to RE NXT as well as to a variety of external systems that are used by nonprofit and fundraising organizations in conjunction with RE NXT. Please contact info@omaticsoftware.com for further information.

Su Fang Lim

@Alex Wong You are right that we can connect to RE NXT using SKY API from external system, but is it possible that a button triggered in SKY add-ins(JS/HTML) and call to the external system REST API to initiate the following process?

- send access token to external system which will be required when the external system is trying to connect to RE NXT using SKY API to retrieve info and perform validation and push back the updates back to RE.

Alex Wong

@Su Fang Lim
You can create a SKY Add-in (button) that is added to any location that Blackbaud allows you to add a button (i.e. RE NXT homepage, Constituent page, Gift page, etc). Where you want to add this button depends on your logic (i.e. you don't want to add a “delete gift" button on the RE NXT homepage that doesn't have the gift system record id context to work with).

this button, can trigger a call to an URL and provide context as JSON that can be used. I suggest you take a closer read on this URL.

Note: I do not believe you can use the UIT provided by the context directly as Bearer authorization token, you will need to manage access token in your own applications