If you have a developer on your team who knows how to use a GraphQL API, the Webex Events API could be your gateway to powerful Event and product setup and management automations, third-party platform integrations, powerful multi-event data dashboards, and more.
What the Webex Events API can do
Put simply, an API is a programming interface that developers can use to get data from or put data into an online platform — in this case, Webex Events.
The API's capabilities can be simplified to four basic concepts:
Create something that didn't exist before, like an attendee, a Session, or a whole Event.
Update anything the API can be used to create, plus a few more things. For example, the API can be used to create a new attendee, and then edit that attendee's name, email, status, groups, phone numbers, and social accounts.
Read information about anything the API can be used to create or edit, plus some things it can't.
Delete anything the API can be used to create, with some exceptions.
Keep these concepts in mind while reading the 'Working with developers' section of this article.
How to get started
1. Get access to the API
If you're a Webex Suite Enterprise Agreement (Suite EA) customer who already has Webex Events activated, you automatically get access to the Webex Events API! For all other customers, talk to your Webex Events contact or our support team to learn about accessing the API.
2. Create an API key
Now you need to create a new API key for your developers to use. When you have access to the API, a new tab is added to the 'Org settings' page in the Webex Events platform. Here's how to access the new tab and create your first key:
💡 Keep in mind, only organization admins can access the API page.
From anywhere in the Webex Events platform, click your profile image in the top right corner of the screen, then select Organization settings from the drop-down.
On the Org settings page, click the API tab in the left menu. This takes you to the API dashboard where you can review API usage, export usage logs, manage keys, and access our API documentation.
Click Create key.
In the ‘Create new key’ modal enter a Label for the API key that explains what it will be used for.
The API version drop-down will already have the current version selected, so simply click Save. This reveals the API key.
Click the Copy button next to the key and paste the key into a secure document to ensure it's never lost.
⚠️ WARNING! This is the only time the full API key can be accessed. After you close the modal, the full key can't be read again.
After you've copied and saved the key, click the Close button.
In most cases, you only need one API key. However, in situations where you're working with multiple teams, you might want to create a key for each team. Talk to your developers about your specific use cases to figure out the best solution.
3. Invite developers to access the API
When you create your first API key, a new API team is automatically created in the Webex Events platform. Giving your developers access to try out the Webex Events API is as simple as inviting them to that API team. Follow the instructions in our article about managing teams, members, and credits to learn how.
💡 Keep in mind, the API sandbox is a separate version of the Webex Events platform made specially for testing. This means that all new members of the API Sandbox team must create a new platform account to use the sandbox, even if they already have a platform account or log in with their organization's SSO.
People on your API team don't have access to the rest of the Webex Events platform the way organizers do. Instead, API team members have access to an API "sandbox" where they can test what they're building without affecting real-world data. If you want developers to also have access to some or all of your real Events and Apps in the Webex Events platform, invite them to relevant non-API teams.
4. Be kind to your developers
This is crucial, so we made it a whole step. 😉
"Rome wasn't built in a day", and neither was a good API integration. Be a good friend to your developers and give them plenty of time to get up to speed on the Webex Events API before expecting them to deliver integrations. They'll be grateful not to be pressured.
At minimum, we recommend starting conversations with your developers no less than six months before you need integrations working. Keep reading to learn how to prepare for and have those conversations.
Working with developers
After you've invited developers to your Webex Events Sandbox team, one of your first questions may be, "How long will it take to build integrations?" Answering this question depends on many factors, including how many developers you're working with, how much time they have to work on integrations, how complex the integrations are, and more.
Only your developers can tell you how long an integration will take to set up, and only after a few crucial steps:
First, read the sections below to learn what the API can do. This will help you understand what's possible so you can clearly communicate your needs with your developers.
Meet with your developers and discuss what you want. They'll be able to give basic feedback on what they can and can't do for you. However, they won't be able to give you specific timelines until they're familiar with the Webex Events API.
Give your developers time to familiarize themselves with the API. Make yourself available to answer conceptual or practical questions about your events, data, the Webex Events platform, and anything else.
What the API can do
The API has two basic functions:
Read - Get data from Webex Events so you can examine it or pull it into a different system.
Update - Put data into Webex Events to create new items or sync data, such as attendees, from another platform. Anything that changes something in the Webex Events platform is an Update.
Teams and organizations
Create, update, read, and delete teams and team members
Events
Update, clone, and read. Events can't be created or deleted with the API.
Attendees
Create, update, read, assign to Sessions, assign to groups, and delete social account information (phone number, social account handles, etc). Attendees can’t be deleted, though they can be blocked.
Questions
Create, update, read, and delete
Tip: In the API, questions are called "custom fields"
Groups
Create, update, read, and delete both exclusive and non-exclusive groups
Sessions
Create, update, read, and delete
Locations
Create, update, read, and delete
Tip: In the API, locations are called "regions".
Branded Apps
Read Branded App names, statuses, and the names of assigned Events
Event App
Read Basics, Appearance, and Web App settings plus Video Center Recordings information
Create, update, read, and delete the following Event App features and their items, where applicable:
Agenda
Sponsors
Speakers
Exhibitors
Live Stream
Attendees
Custom List
Single Item
Web Link
Web List
My QR Code
💡 Keep in mind, you must manually add and configure any Event App features not listed above.
Tip: In the API, features are called "components".
Registration
Read Basics, Appearance, and Settings information, including checkout settings
Create, read, update, and delete tickets, forms, questions, promo codes
Create, read, and update orders
Send order and ticket confirmation emails
Mark check or invoice orders as paid
Update order purchaser information
Cancel and refund tickets
Create, read, update, delete, pause, and resume promo codes
Create, read, update, and delete taxes
Tip: In the API, questions are called "custom fields".
Onsite
Read and update Basics and Onsite App information
Lead Retrieval and Live Display
Read whether the product is active or published in the Event
Things to know
The API can't be used to create an Event or activate any of the products in an Event, such as the Event App and Onsite. Before developers can modify an Event with the API, you must activate each product you intend to use and fill in the basic required information for each one.
We'll occasionally release new versions of the API with improvements and fixes. We'll continue to support old versions long enough for everyone to transition the the new version. We'll send email updates about new versions, upcoming old version deprecation dates, and official deprecations.
API requests are metered and limited to prevent abuse.
Communities are also supported for Suite customers.