# Connecting to API from a bespoke platform

**URL:** <https://community.hubspot.com/t/connecting-to-api-from-a-bespoke-platform/11281>\
**Category:** APIs & Integrations\
**Tags:** developer-tools\
**Created:** [December 7, 2018, 11:07am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/connecting-to-api-from-a-bespoke-platform/11281 "2018-12-07T11:07:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/system/32/124_2.png) [@system](https://community.hubspot.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2018, 11:07am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/connecting-to-api-from-a-bespoke-platform/11281/1 "2018-12-07T11:07:07Z")

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I am NOT a developer but we do have access to developers who have not used the Hubspot API before.

We have a bespoke built platform that registers and manages customers accounts. There are various data sources that we would like to use from our platform to auto feed into workflows and trigger particular stages or content. The data is not complicated (e.g. has someone done something Y/N, what points does someone have, has someone logged into platform recently Y/N etc.).

What is the best way of learning how to build the necessary feeds from our platform and connect them with the API?

Thanks in advance for all advice.

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**Author:** ![IsaacTakushi](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/isaactakushi/32/70387_2.png) [@IsaacTakushi](https://community.hubspot.com/u/IsaacTakushi)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/connecting-to-api-from-a-bespoke-platform/11281/2 "2018-12-07T16:42:01Z")

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Welcome, [@gjp1506](https://community.hubspot.com/u/gjp1506)!

Happy to help advise.

First and foremost, though, HubSpot workflows cannot act directly on data feeds (e.g. RSS or JSON feed). If you want external data to trigger workflow actions, the data must first be placed on contact records, which can then be enrolled into workflows through [in-app enrollment triggers](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/workflows-user-guide-v2/how-to-set-up-a-workflow-in-hubspot) or programmatically via an API.

Thus, you’re going to use at least two APIs:

- The [Contacts API](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/methods/contacts/contacts-overview) to mirror your customer accounts.
- The [Workflows API](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/methods/workflows/workflows_overview) to manage workflow enrollments.

Reviewing our [developer documentation](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/overview) is the best way of learning how to integrate your system with our REST APIs. I recognize they can be a bit difficult to navigate, though, so I would first recommend your developers look over the following articles:

- [Authentication Overview](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/methods/auth/oauth-overview)
- [How do I create an app in HubSpot?](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/faq/how-do-i-create-an-app-in-hubspot)
- [How do I create a test account?](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/faq/how-do-i-create-a-test-account)
- [Oauth 2 Quickstart Guide](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/methods/oauth2/oauth2-quickstart)
- [Testing the HubSpot APIs](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/faq/testing-hubspot-apis)

Let me know if they have follow up questions while scoping this integration!