If you use Exact Online with one or more integrations, you are dealing with API limits. The API (Application Programming Interface) is the technical link through which applications like the Barcode Scan App communicate with Exact Online. Exact Online sets limits on how often this API may be accessed to ensure performance for all users.
What are API limits?
API limits determine how many requests (calls) an application may send to the Exact Online servers within a given period. These limits protect the servers from overload and ensure that all users have a good experience.
Exact Online uses two types of limits:
Daily limit: 5,000 calls per administration per day
Each administration in Exact Online may receive a maximum of 5,000 API calls per day. This limit applies to all applications combined that are connected to your administration. If you use other integrations besides the Barcode Scan App, such as a webshop integration or a reporting tool, these applications share the daily limit.
Per-minute limit: 60 calls per minute
Additionally, a maximum of 60 API calls per minute may be made. This prevents an application from sending a large number of requests in a short time and thereby straining the server.
Error limit: 10 errors per hour
A third limit concerns the number of error responses. When an application generates more than 10 erroneous API calls per endpoint per user per hour, access to that endpoint is blocked for one hour. This means it is important to prevent erroneous input.
Impact on your daily operations
In practice, API limits are not a problem for most businesses. The Barcode Scan App is optimised to keep the number of calls to a minimum. However, there are situations where you may hit the limit:
- Many simultaneous users: When multiple employees are scanning at the same time, the number of API calls increases.
- Multiple integrations: If you use other applications besides the Barcode Scan App that access the Exact Online API.
- Large synchronisations: During the initial synchronisation of a large item database or after refreshing the cache.
- Bulk operations: Booking large goods receipts or processing many orders in a single day.
How the Barcode Scan App handles limits smartly
The Barcode Scan App is extensively optimised to use as few API calls as possible:
Local cache
The app stores item data, storage locations, stock levels, and other data locally in a cache. This means not every scan requires an API call. The cache is intelligently updated based on changes, so you always work with current data.
Smart synchronisation
Instead of retrieving all data again, the app only synchronises data that has changed since the last synchronisation. This saves considerably on the number of API calls.
Error prevention
The app checks input before it is sent to the API. Wrong quantities, unknown items, or missing required fields are detected before an API call is made. This prevents you from reaching the error limit.
Warnings
When the API limit is about to be reached, the app displays a warning. This allows you to take action in time, such as postponing non-urgent actions to the next day.
Monitoring API usage with API Insights
The Barcode Scan App offers an API Insights dashboard where you can monitor your API usage. You can find this overview in settings under the Cache tab. The dashboard shows:
- Calls used today: How many of the 5,000 daily calls have been consumed.
- Remaining calls: How many calls are still available.
- Calls per minute: Current usage relative to the per-minute limit.
- Error messages: Any errors in API communication and their cause.
With this insight, you can proactively intervene and prevent your work processes from being disrupted.
What if the limit is not sufficient?
If the standard limit of 5,000 calls per day is structurally insufficient for your business, there are several options:
- Exact Online Premium: With an Exact Online Premium subscription, you can purchase additional API calls from Exact. Contact your Exact partner for this.
- Optimise integrations: Check whether other applications consuming your API calls are efficiently configured. Sometimes reporting tools or sync applications consume unnecessarily many calls.
- Spread usage: Schedule large synchronisations or bulk imports outside peak hours to spread usage across the day.
Conclusion
API limits are a reality when working with Exact Online integrations. By understanding how they work and by using optimised applications like the Barcode Scan App, you experience little hindrance in practice. The API Insights dashboard gives you the insight you need to monitor your usage and make timely adjustments.