API: Log events against a contact

[djave_co]

I'm just starting some work with the Hubspot API, and am at the point where I don't know enough of the terminology to search through the API docs.

I'd like to register events next to a user. For instance, "Logged into platform", "Took quiz ID: 123", "Passed a quiz: 123" etc. These events the marketing team want to hook into as a workflow in Hubspot at a later date. For example, if someone took a quiz but failed it, get in touch a week later to encourage them to retake it or get in touch.

I have a few questions:

Are these actions ("took quiz", "passed quiz" etc) called events? Looking at the API docs, I can get events but not create them on the contacts, so am I using the wrong terminology?

What do I need to do to make them show up against a users record, for instance:

(the above was achieved just by using Hubspot forms API)

Should I just be calling the Update contact API endpoint, and be creating these as new properties? 

I'm an experienced developer but somewhat inexperienced with Hubspot, very much appreciate any pointers.

Thanks!

[IsaacTakushi · Accepted solution]

Welcome, @djave_co.

Happy to clarify!

There are a few ways you could log this type of information on contact records:

1. The Contacts API is by far the most blunt option I'll mention. It's effective in getting information on a contact record and that's about it. Given your use cases, it will require the most effort from marketers to use effectively.
2. The Forms API can be great for passing items like quizzes, as it can link to the form in your forms tool, the web page the form was completed on, and displays each of the "answers" in the form of contact property values. On the other hand, the Forms API has no way to "grade" the submission and surface this in an easy manner on the contact timeline.
3. The Events API, commonly known as "Enterprise events," give even non tech-savvy users an easy way to log and track custom activities on your site. All of the activities you described certainly could be created as events, but this functionality is only included at Enterprise-level subscriptions. I don't know exactly which account you're working in/with, but if it's 4826205, you won't be able to use this API because it has Marketing Professional.
4. The most robust solution to log activities on contact records is the Timeline API. With the Timeline API, you have full control of the type and nature of "events" you log on contact, company, or deal timelines. Timeline events can even include links to external content via an iframe. The downside is that this requires the most development work. It's not something a marketer would be able to set up on the fly.

Please let me know if you have additional questions on these topics or want further clarification!

Best,

Isaac

[nina_pashinina]

Hello,

Timeline API is used to create custom events for contact, but it's not clear which API should be used to create default event for contact such as "Log a call"?

log1log2

[IsaacTakushi]

Welcome, @nina_pashinina.

You can log calls, emails, meetings, notes, and tasks with the Engagements API. If you have specific questions regarding this API, could you create a new post so we can address it separately?