Step by Step Guide to Building a ServiceM8 API Integration in C#

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of ServiceM8 API integration? You're in for a treat. We'll be using the Servicem8.API package to make our lives easier, so buckle up and let's get coding!

Prerequisites

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

• Visual Studio or your favorite C# IDE
• .NET Core 3.1 or later
• A ServiceM8 account with API credentials (if you don't have these, reach out to the ServiceM8 team)

Setting up the project

Let's kick things off by creating a new C# project. Fire up Visual Studio, create a new Console Application, and give it a snazzy name.

Now, let's grab that Servicem8.API package. In the Package Manager Console, run:

Install-Package Servicem8.API

Initializing the API client

Alright, time to get our hands dirty. First, let's set up our API credentials:

using Servicem8.API;

var client = new ServiceM8Client("your_username", "your_api_key");

Easy peasy, right? You're now ready to start making API calls!

Basic API operations

Let's run through the CRUD operations real quick:

GET (Retrieve data)

var job = await client.Jobs.GetAsync("job_uuid");

POST (Create new records)

var newJob = new Job { /* Set properties */ };
await client.Jobs.CreateAsync(newJob);

PUT (Update existing records)

job.Status = "In Progress";
await client.Jobs.UpdateAsync(job);

DELETE (Remove records)

await client.Jobs.DeleteAsync("job_uuid");

Working with specific ServiceM8 entities

The Servicem8.API package provides easy access to various entities. Here are a few examples:

Jobs

var jobs = await client.Jobs.ListAsync();

Clients

var clients = await client.Clients.ListAsync();

Staff

var staff = await client.Staff.ListAsync();

Invoices

var invoices = await client.Invoices.ListAsync();

Handling pagination and filtering

When dealing with large datasets, pagination is your friend:

var pagedJobs = await client.Jobs.ListAsync(new QueryOptions
{
    Limit = 50,
    Offset = 0
});

Need to narrow down your results? Filters to the rescue:

var filteredJobs = await client.Jobs.ListAsync(new QueryOptions
{
    Filter = "status eq 'In Progress'"
});

Error handling and best practices

Always wrap your API calls in try-catch blocks to handle exceptions gracefully:

try
{
    var job = await client.Jobs.GetAsync("job_uuid");
}
catch (ServiceM8Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Oops! {ex.Message}");
}

And remember, be nice to the API. Implement proper rate limiting to avoid hitting those pesky limits.

Advanced topics

Want to level up? Here are some advanced topics to explore:

• Implementing webhooks for real-time updates
• Using batch operations for bulk data processing
• Leveraging asynchronous API calls for improved performance

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build awesome ServiceM8 integrations using C#. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep experimenting and building cool stuff.

For more in-depth information, check out the ServiceM8 API documentation.

Sample code repository

Want to see it all in action? Check out our GitHub repository for complete code samples and more advanced scenarios.

Happy coding, and may your integrations be ever smooth and bug-free!