Webhooks offer a versatile and efficient solution for real-time communication and integration between various applications. They provide a way for applications to communicate and share information without the need for constant polling or manual intervention.
The process typically starts with an application that wants to carry out notifications (the "sender" or "source") and then setting up a webhook URL in the recipient application (the "receiver" or "destination"). The webhook URL acts as an endpoint to which the sender will send HTTP requests. When the specified event or trigger occurs in the sender application, it will initiate an HTTP request to the webhook URL provided by the receiver. This request contains relevant data or information related to the event. The receiver application can then process this data, perform specific actions, or trigger further processes based on the received information.
Outgoing Webhooks
Outgoing webhooks are a mechanism from Act-On to send real-time notifications and data to another system in response to specific Act-On events. Instead of waiting for a client or external system to request information, the Act-On will initiate the communication by sending a webhook to a predefined endpoint URL. This outgoing webhook carries data related to the event that occurred. For instructions on how to set up a webhook refer to our documentation in the Developer Site. You can review some examples of how webhooks can be used to facilitate your workflows between Act-On and third parties.
Incoming Webhooks
Incoming webhooks in Act-On are special endpoint URLs that act as communication channels between a third party which is triggering the Outgoing Webhook and Act-On. The purpose of the incoming webhook is to receive the message (aka payload), parse it, and take action based on it. The communication channels can be used for any type of use case; from updating Act-On databases to triggering specific processes in Act-On. Currently, the only communication channel is for contact data for All Contacts. For instructions on how to create an incoming webhook refer to our documentation on the Developer Site. You can review some examples of how webhooks can be used to facilitate your workflows between Act-On and third parties.
Get in touch