Software developer Point.io, a specialist in application programming interface-as-a-service products, announced the launch of APIflow, an offering designed to enable secure data access, sharing and collaboration through APIs.
APIflow enables core processes to be externalized through a single API that allows people to participate through Web, mobile or cloud applications. Externalized processes remain in-step with internal systems of record without the risks of exposing core systems to direct Internet traffic.
Companies can leverage APIflow to engage third-party developers to publish new applications that expand user choice and drive experiences through the API.
APIflow is currently available to organizations looking for a single, secure interface to all corporate data across all applications. The company’s first API-as-a-service was APIdoc, an API to provide connections to all file-sharing and storage technologies.
“APIflow is the fastest way for a company to join the API economy by monetizing internal processes in the market today,” Tim Panagos, CTO of Point.io, said in a statement. “New customer acquisition and fulfillment are the most likely first use-cases for APIflow because they can drive new revenue. Developers can embed processes directly into their apps without shuffling prospects to a browser. Keeping the fulfillment process inside the app makes the experience natural and will result in increased conversion rates.”
Other key features of APIflow include integration with existing applications, as the platform supplements API management systems such as Apigee and Mashery and integrates with core systems of record including Salesforce.com and most common enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
The platform can also help businesses reduce development and maintenance costs by offering a turnkey solution to externalize processes operated entirely in the cloud and preloaded with best-practice processes based on open standards.
In addition, simplified software design helps reduce the complexity of integrating with enterprise business process management (BPM) systems from developers so they can concentrate on the user experience.
APIflow also includes a full suite of metadata to support audit and compliance requirements for process execution and data access across platforms and locations, and it insulates applications from the impact of process change, allowing processes to evolve independently from the apps that express them.
“Today’s modern enterprises are dependent on engaging customers and partners in meaningful ways to achieve operational success,” Ron Rock, CEO of Point.io, said in a statement. “While companies have historically invested big money in large BPM solutions, external engagement and collaboration often fell outside the scope of these traditional approaches. APIflow delivers this critical piece of the puzzle giving the enterprise control while unlocking the creativity of the marketplace like never before.”