CSS Integration (API’s)

This process was updated August 2023.

Introduction

This document outlines frequently asked questions to CSS on the delivery of their solutions on Integration.

Frequently Asked Questions
How will CSS provide integration options to their solutions?	With an internal team of specialist developers’, CSS can provide full integration services, the integration project will agree the following; Method of integration e.g. Web Services Data sources (Primary and Secondary) Datasets e.g. Service User details, Activity Information Frequency on data exchange Security and auditing requirements Failure reporting The initial integration work is done on the Learn (UAT) platform and all tests undertaken prior to the interface being redirected to point to the production (LIVE) platform Integration work undertaken by CSS team Only organisation to integrate with Citibank Credit Payment system for the Department of Health TCES Retail Model Core logic framework integration via CSV files Core logic mosaic integration via Web Service Delivery activities Collection activities Web services APIs with the BBC – Archiving Section Large updated data and audit file uploads with a large Media/Broadcasting House – via Amazon Web Services (AWS) MS SQL to SQL integration – via secure Virtual Private Network (sVPN) Oracle Financials ERP integration – Accounts Payable and Receivable files via Amazon Web services (AWS) Benefits of Integration ✔ Fully automated process with limited human intervention ✔ Total cost of ownership of the process is reduced ✔ Secure as methods used rely on trusted peer-to-peer connectivity to initiate the data exchange ✔ Accurate as it does not require any manual entry of data
What are the options around integrating your solution with other IT systems?	CSS offers a series of web service (API) as standard on our developer site. Our team will provide web services for push or pull at no extra cost to support your integrations as we understand the importance of efficient and cleansed data sets. Common ones are case management, financial and death lists. To view our developer area and some API’s please go to: https://api.pro-cloud.org/
How will your solution integrate with a ledger and financial system?	Our team have extensive experience in integrating with many financial and case management systems. The integration with Aggresso will include the three (3) core data exchanges Order Request Number generated and extracted to Aggresso Aggresso generates corresponding internal identification number and passes back to Pro-Cloud At Goods-In Aggresso number or Pro-Cloud order number is input to link to original Purchase Order Item barcode is printed, and good receipt process is completed Goods receipt data is packaged and extracted to Aggresso via chose method for Supplier Payment With experience producing Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable “flat files” in csv format delivered via Amazon Web Services for import into Oracle Financials ERP. The data can also be provided in an XML format via webservice at the stage where the Council has upgraded to accept XML. Our approach would be consultative, and we would provide the necessary project manager, developers and DBA’s to work on the integration. The team would discuss the data exchanges and transactions that would form the integrated solution with examples being Purchase Orders for Stock, GRN receipts etc. As security is paramount all data transmission would be encrypted web services or Biz Talk communication using HTTPS. To achieve the right solutions CSS always promotes a working partnership agreement where both technical teams work as a team to build a secure integrated solution.
How will your solution integrate with corporate local land and property gazetteer (LLPG)?	Our solution TCES Community comes as standard with a gazetteer to NLPG level however CSS can integrate with your system to download or interface with the LLPG dataset into our address management solution. This ensures that we can manage controls such as post code boundaries which prevent orders from being placed to areas outside the approved boundary. To ensure Business Continuity our teams have to agree on the best strategy to maintain a LLPG with our solutions options being Maintaining our initial NLPG lookup (Always On) to populate the address field Lookup to a local copy of the LLPG (refresh frequency to be agreed) Flag to the Requisitioner address if it falls within boundary Agree handling out of boundary cases – authorisation
How would the system work with the NHS to interoperate or integrate with clinical systems?	With an internal team of specialist developers’, CSS have the capability of working with you to integrate for specific systems. Integration work that CSS have experience in have been in the form of Application Programming Interfaces (API’s). Integration can be achieved in 2 ways You interface with Pro-Cloud API’s and pulls data or pushes data to CSS. This ensures that you are using the Global standard API’s CSS support for majority of our customers Your specific API’s whereby bespoke API’s are developed to meet the requirements Consideration is given to both at the point of implementation and the preferred solution is implemented following a joint discussion between CSS and your integrations teams. CSS have been exploring the option of integrating TCES Community and Pro-Cloud with API’s available via the NHS developer networks. We are confident that we can achieve this integration and validate datasets or auto-populate TCES Community and Pro-Cloud fields with accurate live NHS data of patients’ demographics. Examples of integration work undertaken by CSS with customers include but is not limited to the following; Only organisation to integrate with Citibank Credit Payment system for the Department of Health TCES Retail Model CoreLogic Framework integration via CSV files (London Borough of Wandsworth) CoreLogic Mosaic integration via Webservice (London Borough of Hackney) Darlington County Council – Webservice integration (daily feeds) Delivery Activities Collection Activities Webservices API’s with the BBC – Archiving Section Large updated data and audit files uploads with the BBC – via Amazon Web Services (AWS) MS SQL to SQL integration – via secure Virtual Private Network (sVPN) – the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Oracle Financials ERP integration – Accounts Payable and Receivable files via Amazon Webservices (AWS) Majority of the above involved sharing Patient details and in some instances the customer system was elected as the Primary source of patient information therefore the authorised user with access to the councils Case Management system could not create patients directly in TCES or Pro-cloud. The details were pushed from the council’s system either by a button press from an episode or an outcome e.g. requires Wheelchair assessment.