External API - Ordering (External Channels)

Context

This article aims to explain steps related to gaining access to the API documentation when integrating an Ordering External Channel with PAR Ordering Ecosystem, including the NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) process.

NDA

For each integration, a Non-Disclosure Agreement needs to be signed. To make it easier for you to prepare for this process, you may view the NDA template here. A document in a very similar form (filled in with the data of respective parties involved) will be signed after the kick-off meeting.

Process steps

Here's the outline of how the process to gain access to the API goes:

Resources from your Integration Manager:

• CMS / Management Center Access: The CMS and Management Center are PAR Ordering's two administration portals, which are used by brands to configure the entire digital commerce experience, from the menu, through stores to all of the integrations. The CMS is PAR Ordering's legacy administration portal, which is currently being migrated to the Management Center - you are able to access both platforms with a single login and navigate seamlessly between them
• Brand Sandbox: Your pre-configured Brand sandbox, with all configuration types enabled, which you will be developing against. In consultation with your Integration Manager, the sandbox can be configured to include specific integrations, such as to Payment Processors and POS systems.
• Application: We will create an authorized application (for sandbox - production access only granted after certification) for you, including your application key, which you will be specifying in all API calls as an Application HTTP header
• Knowledge Base: You're here now! You can access a vast catalog (with hundreds of articles) to learn about how to use the PAR Ordering Platform

Integration Support

• We will schedule an integration kick-off call with you to discuss the integration process and ensure any questions are answered
• Slack: We can set up a shared Slack channel, in order to streamline communication during the integration development and ensure concerns / issues are quickly resolved
• Weekly 30-min Check-in: We will coordinate a 30-min weekly check-in call, in order to get integration updates and make sure you are receiving the necessary support to complete your integration (we will do weekly check-ins for the first 3 months after integration kick-off, after which we will back off depending on integration progress)
• Integration Manager: Your Integration Manager is always your main point of contact supporting your integration - if you do not have an Integration Manager, open a support ticket

Certification

• After you have completed integration development, we will review and certify your application
• During the integration development process, you will receive certification cases from your Integration Manager, based on the aligned capabilities that should be included in your implementation
• During the certification call, we will run through the certification cases together and monitor how your application interacts with our APIs. This allows us to make sure that you are getting the best use out of our APIs
• If certification is successful, you will receive an authorized production application (per environment depending on the regions your integration should be offered in), including your application key.
• If your certification shows improvement items, we will schedule follow-ups until integration can be certified

Time to launch it!

During launch your Integration Manager will continue working closely with you to make sure the integration is working correctly and any improvement actions are quickly identified.

Production Support

Production Support depends on the Support agreement of the Brands you are working with - they have the ability to open a support ticket, in order to receive enterprise support, according to the agreed SLAs.

Next Steps

Intialization

Application Initialization: This guide will show you how to make your initial connection to PAR Ordering, in order to pull configuration settings for your Brand.

Please note: the flow for the custom ordering applications starts with this step!

API documentation

The documentation on APIs can be shared after the NDA is signed - hence, you'd receive respective links and/or files to these documents once this step is completed.

For more information on integrations, head to this section of the Knowledge Base.