Articles in this section

Overview of Webhook Service

Lily Page
  • Updated
Follow

This article contains the following:

What is it?

We can broadcast a near real-time stream of FastDraft events to a specific URL and you can use third party software or cloud-based integration hubs to configure rules to monitor that information and use it to trigger an action in another application. 

How will it help?

Here are some common business uses you'll be able to solve using FastDraft webhooks:

  • Save FastDraft documents/attachments to your OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox or a CDE
  • Save a pdf copy of a FastDraft notice to your OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox or a CDE
  • Create a new Outlook calendar event or reminder after 'critical' FastDraft events occur
  • Create a push or text notification for 'critical' FastDraft events to a distribution list of senior stakeholders
  • Update a programme date or milestone based on an implemented Compensation Event
  • Create a new draft notification in FastDraft based on a previous FastDraft notification (coming soon).

Process Automation

The webhook service can be used to power automations that support complex and unique project processes within FastDraft and other business systems, including accounting automation platforms, messaging applications, quoting/contracting solutions and more. These automations can save project teams significant time and help close more project issues, and deliver projects faster and safer by effectively facilitating the contract management process and highlighting priorities.

For example, you can use an Integration Hub, such as Microsoft PowerAutomate or Zapier, to configure a workflow to connect to a webhook and listen for a specific type of event in FastDraft (e.g. an implemented Compensation Event) and, based on rules you configure, use that to trigger creation of a related event in another system (e.g. update a Project Plan/Programme).

Business Intelligence and Analytics

The broadcast service can also pass a continuous stream of events directly to business intelligence and analytics platforms. Event-based data with AI machine learning aids in identifying the types of activities that are mission critical to successful project delivery, the ideal number of touches needed to close a project issue, and other actionable insights. It can also be used to fuel real-time commercial team performance dashboards.

Critical Alerts

Finally, the broadcast service can be used to generate critical alerts within FastDraft and external systems based on granular information in FastDraft, or other systems. For instance, Firehose can power a hot lead notification in Slack, or a reminder via push notification to schedule a meeting or make a call. 

What data can be synced?

In most cases, FastDraft sends data in the form of events. You can read more about the type of events we send in our webhook documentation. The broadcast service delivers a continuous stream of data from FastDraft in near real-time, enabling high volume data integrations and event-driven workflows within FastDraft or other third-party software systems. 

Broadcast service is designed around the concept of resources, such as a workflow notice, contract, projects, companies, people or attachments. The service is therefore broken down into endpoints for:

  1. Activities across all workflow events (e.g. a new notice sent, new risks logged, etc.)
  2. Activities against a user profile (e.g. new account created or an update to an account)
  3. Activities against contracts (e.g. change of status)
  4. Activities against projects (e.g. new project set up or an existing project updated)

The way those events are represented in third-party systems differs slightly, so please read the individual support article for the integration you're interested in using. 

FastDraft will generally broadcast all event activity when you turn on any integration, but some integrations allow you to customise or filter what actions are taken based on filtered event triggers. For example, you might wish to look out for "early warnings" using the workflows webhook and filtered to only react to risks logged that are classified as "high priority", so that you can create an email alert for "new high-risk events" (i.e. a critical event alert).

Using the traditional API request and response method you would need to iteratively call each API endpoint in order to drain the event queue. A webhook, on the other hand, provides a stream of changes to FastDraft data.

How do webhook integrations work?

When an event happens in the source application (FastDraft) an HTTP post request is sent to a predefined URL (the webhook URL). The request contains data about the event in JSON format (known as the payload). The target application performs a predefined action based on the data received. 

Are there any limitations?

The broadcast service is currently limited to the event types listed above although we will very likely expand these if and when there is demand. Also, webhooks don't retain any event history. So, if you need to back-fill your data in a third-party application based on data in FastDraft you'll need to use our Core APIs.

It's important to point out that the webhook acts as a trigger for an automation. When it comes to performing an action based on that trigger, we have no control over the capabilities of third party applications. Theoretically, you can use webhooks to trigger an API request to any third party software but you'll need to populate those requests with all of the information the software requires (using data from the webhook payload and/or populated based on rules you define) and you'll be limited by the availability and capabilities of the third party's API's.

How quickly actions appear in third-party services will vary, depending on how the third-party system is configured, so some systems may have a bit of a delay before data trickles into those systems.

If you're using an Integration Hub you will need to check whether the receiving software already has a pre-built connector and what actions that connector supports. 

How do I activate a webhook integration?

If you're using an Automation Hub you can create a flow that is triggered by catching a webhook. The Automation Hub will generate a URL that the webhook needs to be published to. If you pass that onto us we can activate that service for you very quickly. Please contact us.

The webhooks are a very powerful function of FastDraft but provide a broadcasting service which contains your commercial sensitive information, so the webhook keys should not be shared with anyone.

What type of webhook integrations have you previously implemented?

Standard Integrations

  • Integration Hubs
    • Microsoft PowerAutomate (currently 1,500 third-party software connectors)
    • Zapier (currently 6,000+ third-party software connectors)

What type of webhook integrations are you considering supporting in the future?

Premium Integrations (coming soon)

  • Project Management
    • Asite
    • Aconex
    • Autodesk Build (ACC)
    • BIM 360
    • BIM 360 Field
    • BIM Track
    • Fieldwire
    • HCSS HeavyJob
    • InEight
    • PlanGrid
    • Procore
    • e-Builder (Soon)
    • eSUB (Soon)
    • Newforma (Soon)
    • PMWeb (Soon)
    • ProjectSight (Soon)
    • Viewpoint Team (Soon)
    • Viewpoint For Projects (Soon)
  • Accounting & ERP
    • Acumatica
    • Cheops
    • CMiC
    • COINS
    • Foundation
    • Jonas Premier
    • QuickBooks Desktop
    • QuickBooks Online
    • Sage 100 Contractor
    • Sage 300 CRE
    • Sage Intacct
    • Viewpoint Jobpac
    • Viewpoint Spectrum
    • Viewpoint Vista
    • Deltek (Soon)
    • JDEdwards (Soon)
    • Maestro (Soon)
    • Microsoft Dynamics (Soon)
    • Oracle NetSuite (Soon)
    • Textura (Soon)
    • Xero (Soon)
  • Cloud Storage
    • Box
    • Dropbox
    • Egnyte
    • Google Drive
    • OneDrive
    • SharePoint Online
    • Trimble Connect (Soon)
  • CRM
    • HubSpot
    • Pipedrive
    • Salesforce
    • Microsoft Dynamics (Soon)
    • TopBuilder (Soon)
  • Field Service
    • CompanyCam
    • Housecall Pro
    • ServiceTitan
    • Jobber (Soon)
  • Human Resources
    • BambooHR (Soon)
    • PeopleSoft (Soon)
    • Workday (Soon)
  • Pre-construction
    • Building Connected
    • HCSS HeavyBid
    • iSqFt (Soon)
    • SmartBid (Soon)
  • Scheduling
    • Primavera Cloud
    • Microsoft Project (Soon)
    • Primavera P6 (Soon)
  • Others
    • Power BI
    • Bluebeam (Soon)
    • Earthcam (Soon)
    • HammerTech (Soon)
    • Smartsheet (Soon)

Let us know which other tools you'd like to connect with FastDraft.

 

Related articles

Comments

0 comments

Please sign in to leave a comment.