APIs and Integration
When we talk about address and data quality, most of the time we think about taking a list of contacts and running it through some sort of system that checks the list and corrects any errors. Running large lists through software like this is known as batch processing. It’s the easiest and most common way to correct errors in your data, but it’s also a very inefficient process.
A more efficient method of address correction is to integrate the address correction into other processes. This can be done using technology like APIs and web services. These call upon the address correction software only when needed or seamlessly integrate the functions of the solution into other software or systems. API stands for Application Programming Interface, and it’s basically a set of instructions that define the interactions with a specific software component. Webservices based on SOAP and REST are specialized APIs designed to be used in online environments.
