SuiteTalk is a web services integration platform provided by Oracle NetSuite, a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) and business management software suite. SuiteTalk allows developers to build integrations between NetSuite and other systems by providing a set of SOAP-based web services that enable programmatic access to various NetSuite functions and data.
With SuiteTalk, developers can perform tasks such as:
- Data Integration: SuiteTalk allows you to integrate NetSuite with other systems by exchanging data in a standardized format. This is useful for keeping data in sync between NetSuite and other applications.
- Custom Application Development: You can build custom applications that interact with and leverage NetSuite’s features, such as creating, updating, or retrieving records, automating business processes, and more.
- Workflow Automation: SuiteTalk enables you to automate workflows by initiating processes within NetSuite from external applications.
- Reporting and Analytics: Developers can retrieve data from NetSuite to create custom reports and analytics dashboards in other systems.
- E-commerce Integration: SuiteTalk is often used to integrate NetSuite with e-commerce platforms, enabling seamless order processing, inventory management, and customer data synchronization.
- Third-party Software Integration: SuiteTalk facilitates integration with third-party software solutions that might not have a direct integration option with NetSuite.
SOAP
The SOAP web services platform provides programmatic access to your NetSuite data and business processes through an XML-based application programming interface (API). These SOAP web services are Extensible Markup Language (XML) applications mapped to programs, objects, databases, or complex business functions. They utilize a standardized XML messaging system to send or receive requests to authorized parties over the Internet.
Businesses can implement SOAP web services to provide standards-based processes that can be utilized by other organizations or integrated with business partner processes. Since the programming logic encapsulated by each Web service is independent of any one platform or technology set, SOAP web services provide independence and flexibility for integration across and between businesses.
SOAP web services use a single WSDL file (or endpoint) that describes all supported operations and messages and this is the key to your investment. With every new release of NetSuite a new WSDL is created that includes any new functionality but you are not required to upgrade your WSDL when your NetSuite account is upgraded.
NetSuite customers typically upgrade their WSDL when a newer version includes functionality that enables them to meet a particular or new business need. In this case, a new code is needed regardless. NetSuite actively supports the last six (6) endpoints and keeps available an additional eight (8) endpoints, so the last 14 versions are available translating to a useful life of approximately seven (7) years! In this timeframe, we usually see customers take advantage of new functionality that will address new business requirements, this means new code, as mentioned above.
REST
The NetSuite REST web services provide an integration channel that extends the capabilities of SuiteTalk. REST web services provide a REST-based interface for interacting with NetSuite.
The main benefits of REST web services include the following:
- Simple access to records metadata. This includes user and company-specific metadata.
- Easier handling of custom records and custom fields.
- Easy to navigate API.
Access to REST web services is by only using an account-specific domain. Account-specific domains are unique to your account because they contain your account ID as part of the domain name. These domains do not change when your account is moved to a different data center. The REST URL also includes a service version, currently, there is only one version (v1). As mentioned above, NetSuite strives to maintain backward compatibility from one NetSuite version to the next. The URL structure implies that future versions are possible that will cohabitate with the current version.
REST URL Sample:
The URL consists of the following parts:
- 1. Protocol
- 2. The account ID of your NetSuite account
- 3. The domain name for REST web services
- 4. The complete REST API services endpoint
- 5. The specific services that are being accessed, for example, record, query, or other service
- 6. The service version, which specific to each service
- 7. The optional sub-service, for example, metadata-catalog, SuiteQL, or workbook
- 8. Query parameters