Introduction

This document describes a generic interface between Navigator and third party.  

The interfaces are based upon generic Web Services.  The web services are RESTFUL and can return either JSON or XML formatted data.

The interface provides a number of calls – all originating from the third party.  Calls can be generated either from a client (either third party software or browser) directly or from a centralized server, as most appropriate for implementation purposes.  

The web services calls generally have a number of parameters passed to them, and will  return a JSON or XML formatted dataset .

The advanced application interface provides a number of functions to be able to retrieve or update records in Navigator. In general these are split into the following areas :-

oCustomer and Vehicle Records

oWorkshop Job Data

oVehicle Stock Record Data

This interface is best used for third party applications which require integration with Navigator.

There is also a Simple Reporting Service which is a reporting based RESTful web service which responds with XML, supported by a XSD style sheet to format the data.  This interface is best used with web applications or where data is required to be consumed by Excel or MS-Access.  The data is based upon standard Navigator reports and the data returned will be in the format of the underlying report.

Use of this document

This document is provided free of charges to any interested party who has an active Non Disclosure Agreement with Dealer Management Services.On application, the third party will need to define the nature of the application that will be using the web services, which services will be used and how they will be used.   DMS reserve the right to refuse to provide access to the Web services at it's discretion.

Development Support

DMS will provide access to a test system and provide developers with a development API key which will gain access to the web services required.  

Further development support is supplied on a chargeable basis at the then current Consultancy Rate.

Licencing

A monthly subscription will be made for support of each third party. This will effectively be per API key supplied by DMS. API keys should only be used by the third party that they are issued to and should not be disclosed.

Certification

Before the live API key is generated, it will be a requirement that DMS certify that the third party application/web site is using the DMS web services correctly.  To do this, the third party will be required to demonstrate the application that is using the web services and follow a test script that has been generated for the purposes of certification.

Once certification is complete, a certificate will be issued to the developer along with the live API Key.

The certification process is designed to ensure that the application is correctly consuming/updating Navigator data correctly and is supplied on a consultancy basis as Development Support.