Implementation process
Client engagement
Existing clients
Key Account Executive:
Conducts a high-level discovery with the client to determine business needs and required outcomes.
Consults with the business (both the Client Team Lead and Integrations & Solutions Manager for FMS clients, and the latter for SaaS and supported clients).
Meets with the client along with the relevant Affinity representatives.
Asks the Integrations & Solutions Manager to prepare the work estimate by emailing helpdesk@affinityteam.com. This automatically creates a Zoho ticket.
Continues to track the request (opportunity) in Salesforce.
Integrations & Solutions Manager:
Prepares the work estimate.
Asks the Key Account Executive to review it and give feedback.
Refines the estimate based on feedback. This may be influenced by our relationship with the client, and other factors.
Key Account Executive:
Finalises the work estimate and sends it to the client.
Creates a Hive card on the Client Pipeline board.
Once signed off, assigns the card to the Integrations & Solutions Manager to start development.
New clients
For new clients, integrations are managed within the onboarding project if in scope, and if out of scope they are managed via the change management process. The Affinity Lead Consultant for the project will engage the Integrations & Solutions Manager via a Hive card and assign the ticket to them signalling that development can begin.
Web API implementation steps
These steps are for clients wishing to utilise our API.
The client requests API keys and authentication credentials from us.
If the client requires web hooks to notify changes to employee objects in the Affinity system, we will provide them with a target URL (to send messages to), along with an HMAC secret (for message security).
The client does the required setup on their end, using our API docs as a guide.
The client audits their data (if relevant) based on data extracts provided by us.
The client performs unit and end-to-end testing.
The client is satisfied with their API integration and is now 'live'.
Once live, the client monitors transaction volumes to ensure they comply with our fair use policy.
File-based transfer implementation steps
These steps are for clients wishing to transfer data via secure files.
The client obtains SFTP credentials and standard file format information from us.
The client works with us to configure secure file exchange processes.
The client audits their data (if relevant) based on data extracts provided by us.
The client tests data flows using production-like environments.
The file is used in production and the integration is deemed 'live'.