ERP API Integration Explained: REST, Webhooks, Auth and Idempotency
A plain-English explanation of ERP API integration: REST APIs, webhooks, authentication methods, idempotency, pagination, rate limits and error handling.
Integration · Accounting
Overview
We support both: temporary integration that keeps QuickBooks accurate, and clean migration of master data, open items and balances.
01Data
| Entity | Direction | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Customers & vendors | ERP → App | Created or updated in QuickBooks from ERP partners. |
| Invoices & credit notes | ERP → App | Posted with mapped items, taxes and accounts. |
| Bills | ERP → App | Supplier bills synchronised for payables. |
| Payments | ⇄ Both | Depending on which system records payments. |
| Journal summaries | ERP → App | Inventory and COGS as summarised journals. |
02Use cases
Operations on ERP, accounting in QuickBooks until cutover.
Small entities remain on QuickBooks with consolidated data.
Master data and opening balances moved to ERP.
03 — Architecture
The QuickBooks Online Accounting API is used with change data capture queries to detect updates. ERP documents are posted as they are confirmed, or as daily summaries to reduce volume.
Account and tax mapping tables translate ERP structures into QuickBooks equivalents.
04Reliability
OAuth 2.0 authorisation by a QuickBooks admin; access tokens refreshed using refresh tokens, which must be renewed before they expire. Token health is monitored.
Validation errors (closed periods, missing tax codes, duplicate document numbers) logged per document with an exception queue.
Retries respect API throttling; documents are posted idempotently using stored QuickBooks IDs.
05 — Data mapping
| QuickBooks | ERP |
|---|---|
| ERP partner | Customer / Vendor |
| ERP product | ItemOr summarised by category |
| ERP account | QuickBooks account |
| ERP tax | Tax code |
| ERP invoice | Invoice |
06 — Automation
07 — Security
Tokens stored encrypted; access limited to required scopes; connection authorised by a named administrator.
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FAQ
Short-term during transition it can work. Long-term, running two accounting systems adds reconciliation work.
We usually migrate master data, open items and balances, with history archived.
Desktop requires different methods; we assess case by case.
Next step
Describe the data that needs to move and who owns it. We will propose a design with error handling and monitoring included.