TOPDESK MAGAZINE - DECEMBER 2016 11

The TOPdesk API

Seamless integration and smooth updates

Smooth integrations that dont need to be tested after every update: the new TOPdesk
API makes this possible. Its free and its easy. Even if you use TOPdesk with APIs from
other apps. Product manager Tom Knippenberg explains why TOPdesk is currently
working on an API, and what you can expect from it in the future.
Text: Luke van Velthoven Photography: Aad Hogendoorn

What is the TOPdesk API?

TOPdesk Marketplace, a kind of business-

The TOPdesk API can be seen as a layer

Which TOPdesk modules are

supported?

around TOPdesk that translates for other

At the moment we support reading out

available from other parties, such as RES. In

apps that want to connect to the TOPdesk

of and writing into Call Management and

addition, you can build your own apps for the

database. This means you can use other

Change Management. The Supporting files

marketplace. Partner integrations will often

applications to do things in TOPdesk, without

module supports reading out and in some

have some additional costs, but of course

the risk of corrupting TOPdesks database

parts also writing. Its also possible to read

its up to you whether you want your own

structure. And if anything changes in

information out of Reservations Management.

solutions to be available free of charge or not.

TOPdesks database, we make sure the API

The case I described about the availability of

is kept up-to-date, so your solution will still

rooms is one example of how this can be used.

work. Your integrations with, or add-ons to,

For Supporting files you may use the TOPdesk

TOPdesk wont break down.

API to create new user profiles.

Weve been using the API within TOPdesk

for some time. For instance, the service portal

to-business app store, integrations will be

How do I add something to the

TOPdesk Marketplace?
If customers want to share solutions they
build, they can submit them to us for review.

retrieves information via APIs. This way, the

Whats next?

SSP can get exactly the right information

We expect to release the new Asset

or add-on to the TOPdesk Marketplace. We

regardless of the configuration of the TOPdesk

Management module in the middle of 2017,

hope to receive many shareable solutions,

database. Of course, our app for end users also

including APIs for both reading and writing.

but lead fees are an option as well. In those

uses the TOPdesk API.

This will add some interesting features such

cases well simply redirect the customer to

as the ability to automatically update assets in

the supplier.

What does the API do?

With the API you can read things out of, or

TOPdesk with tools like RES or Snow Software.

You could also link monitoring software such
as Nagios to stay up-to-date on malfunctions.

write them into, TOPdesk. Heres an example

from facility management: you can make sure

If the code is sound, well add the integration

If Im a new API user, where do

I start?
You can find all the information about the

show whether a room is available or not. The

Will this be available for free to

all customers?

API can get the most recent information from

Yes, within a fair use policy of course.

TOPdesk at any time. Or what about your own

Integrations supplied by other parties who

Want to know more? Head over to

organizations app? You can now integrate it

use the API could cost a little extra. On the

marketplace.topdesk.com for an

that screens outside the doors of each room

seamlessly with TOPdesk.

open TOPdesk APIs at developers.topdesk.com.

overview of all available integrations

and add-ons.

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RES ONE Service Store

There youll find documentation, a tutorial
for new users and some showcases where
you can see the API in action. Like graphs that
display information taken live from a TOPdesk
environment. Of course well provide the code
of these showcases as an example. If you have
some experience with APIs, you should be
able to get started using the documentation

One of the possibilities offered by the TOPdesk API

is a link with the RES ONE Service Store. Linking this
solution to TOPdesk can reduce the workload for
TOPdesk users within your organization. RES founder
and CTO Bob Janssen and Sales Engineer Dennis Ranty
talk about the benefits of this link.

weve provided.

Whats in store for the future of

the API?

RES is a software company based in the

Afterwards, the call is automatically closed.

Netherlands, where it is market leader

This can be set up for any ITSM process.

in digital workspace technology. With

Janssen adds: The idea is that TOPdesk

Both TOPdesk itself and the API are

RES ONE Suite, which contains RES ONE

spots requests and we find the right

constantly developing. New features will

Workspace and RES ONE Service Store, RES

answers. The TOPdesk API is very easy to

become available and underlying databases

manages, automates and protects the digital

use for us and our customers. On top of

may change as a result. But the API will keep

workspace, without affecting the existing

that, TOPdesk is always willing to work on

performing the necessary translations, which

infrastructure. Janssen: One of our goals

customer requests with us. Because of this,

is something you should always be able to

is that we always want to fit within the

its easy to collaborate. Our own platform

count on as a customer. If we do get new

infrastructure that a customer already has.

is also very open, so customers can work

versions of the API, there will be something

We also want to open up the different IT

on their own with our free connections

called a grace period, during which well host

silos as much as possible by using a single

and benefit from our knowledge base of

both versions of the API. This means that

system: from mobile device management

best practices.

TOPdesk customers and external suppliers

and desktop management to cloud-based

always have plenty of time to build updated

apps. We often come across TOPdesk as part

versions of their integrations.

of our customers infrastructure. Many

New employees

workflows in TOPdesk can be automated by

Another example of a link between

using the free connections that link to the

TOPdesk and the RES ONE Service store

RES ONE Service Store.

is the onboarding process for new

employees. This is different for almost

Simplified licence management

Discover the new TOPdesk API at

api.topdesk.com.

every customer, says Janssen, and

every department. A process like that

If an app cant be installed because there are

can take several weeks, partly because

no licences available, a call can be registered

so many things have to be approved.

automatically. We understand the way

With automation using the RES ONE

TOPdesk processes are structured, explains

Service Store this time can be reduced to

Ranty, for example in call management or

just a few hours. An interesting benefit

change management. Because of this we

of this solution is that customers can

know where to look for things like password

organize connections for different types of

resets. In such cases, a call is registered, and a

employees without having to spend a lot

process called request fulfilment is started.

of time on it.

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With the connections that are currently

available, RES can communicate with
TOPdesk - to create a new user profile
for instance.In the future we want
to work with TOPdesk to make this
communication go both ways, Janssen
explains. We also want to support asset
management, so that you can use RES to
keep your CMDB up-to-date.

Plans for the future

Over the next few years we want to
expand our position as a global player.
A global player that delivers IT as a
service, whether its cloud-based,
on-premises or a combination of
both, Janssen explains. Ranty: We
meet our customers in various ways.
Weve got a lot of partners who work
on implementations, but we can help
customers ourselves too. What we want
most is for all customers to get help
from the party that knows them best.

Dennis Ranty, Sales Engineer and Bob Janssen, CTO and founder of RES