Simplelists API (beta)

Simplelists is designed to be really easy to use with only very basic computer skills needed to manage your email list - if you can click and type you can use Simplelists! However, there are also a range of technical features which open up a world of options for more advanced users. One of these is an API...

What can you do with the API?

The Simplelists API allows you to automatically synchronise your Simplelists members list with the contact list in another website or system. This opens up many options such as:

• automatically adding customers who purchase from your online shop to your Simplelists email list
• integrating website registrations with your Simplelists account so that new registrations are automatically added to your list
• removing members from your list when the paid membership of a service expires
• integrating a company database with your Simplelists account so that new employees are added to the email list and employees that leave are automatically removed

In fact, the possibilities are endless!

In simple terms, how does the API work?

Simplelists provides a computer-friendly interface, which allows another website to make amendments to a Simplelists contact list, without it having to login using the normal web-interface, which is obviously designed for humans.

CiviCRM Plug In

The easiest way to use an API is with a module that has been created for an application. Due to the popularity of CiviCRM we have created a (beta) plug-in that allows contacts to be synchorised both ways.

Features include:

• When a contact is created or updated in Simplelists, it is automatically created or updated in CiviCRM too.
• For multiple lists groups will be created in CiviCRM, reflecting the Simplelists list membership.
• A number of options to help synchronise the 2 systems.

For more details on the functionality of the plug-in and for installation instructions please see this page.

API Specification

If you’re a programmer or have someone who can program for you, it’s possible to create your own plug-in to interface with your own system. The details that you’ll need to get started can be found on the API Specification page. There is also a complete example of code (PHP) used to for a complete API, including the code to: 'Authenticate using User Credentials’, ’Retrieve contacts’, ’Authenticate using Authorization Code’ and ’Obtain a new access token’.

Beta Testing

Note that the API is in beta testing at the minute so the protocol may change in the future.