Step by Step Guide to Building an Expensify API Integration in PHP

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of expense management? Let's talk about integrating the Expensify API into your PHP project. We'll be using the expensify/bedrock-php package, which makes our lives a whole lot easier. Buckle up, and let's get started!

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, make sure you've got:

• A PHP environment (you're a PHP dev, so I'm sure you've got this covered)
• Composer installed (because who doesn't love dependency management?)
• Expensify API credentials (if you don't have these yet, hop over to Expensify's developer portal and grab 'em)

Installation

First things first, let's get that expensify/bedrock-php package installed. Open up your terminal and run:

composer require expensify/bedrock-php

Easy peasy, right?

Configuration

Now, let's set up those API credentials. Create a new PHP file and add the following:

<?php

use Expensify\Bedrock\Client;

$client = new Client([
    'partnerUserID' => 'your_partner_user_id',
    'partnerUserSecret' => 'your_partner_user_secret'
]);

Replace those placeholder values with your actual credentials, and you're good to go!

Basic API Operations

Let's start with the basics. Here's how you authenticate and make a simple API request:

try {
    $response = $client->request('Authenticate');
    echo "Authenticated successfully!";
    
    $expenses = $client->request('Get', [
        'returnValueList' => 'transactionList',
        'limit' => 10
    ]);
    print_r($expenses);
} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo "Oops! Something went wrong: " . $e->getMessage();
}

Common Use Cases

Now that we've got the basics down, let's look at some common scenarios:

Fetching Expenses

$expenses = $client->request('Get', [
    'returnValueList' => 'transactionList',
    'limit' => 50
]);

Creating an Expense Report

$report = $client->request('CreateReport', [
    'reportTitle' => 'My Awesome Trip',
    'transactionList' => [1234, 5678] // IDs of expenses to include
]);

Submitting an Expense Report

$result = $client->request('SubmitReport', [
    'reportIDList' => [$report['reportID']]
]);

Error Handling

Nobody's perfect, and sometimes things go wrong. Here's how to handle errors gracefully:

try {
    // Your API request here
} catch (\Expensify\Bedrock\Exception\ApiException $e) {
    echo "API Error: " . $e->getMessage();
} catch (\Exception $e) {
    echo "General Error: " . $e->getMessage();
}

Pro tip: Implement retry logic for transient errors. Your future self will thank you!

Best Practices

1. Mind the rate limits: Expensify has rate limits. Be a good API citizen and don't hammer their servers.
2. Secure those credentials: Never, ever commit your API credentials to version control. Use environment variables or a secure config file.

Advanced Topics

Want to level up? Look into:

• Webhooks for real-time updates
• Batch operations for processing multiple requests efficiently

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to integrate Expensify into your PHP project like a pro. Remember, the expensify/bedrock-php package documentation is your friend for more detailed info.

Happy coding, and may your expenses always balance!