What is a Unified API?

Add hundreds of third-party integrations into your product with a single API

Key Concept

Introduction to Unified APIs

Unified APIs normalize hundreds of APIs into one data model, streamlining the work of connecting to multiple systems within a similar software category such as HR and payroll, accounting, ticketing, or file storage.

Normalize data

across software providers' APIs to GET, POST, and PATCH data in a standard and consistent format.

Offer standard endpoints and methods

to simplify data retrieval.

Securely sync data

in a normalized format.

Access data

with normalized webhooks to power your product features.

How Unified APIs Work

Authenticate and authorize the integration between your product and each of your customers' accounts via Merge Link.
Normalize data across software providers' APIs to GET, POST, and PATCH data in a standard and consistent format.
Offer standard endpoints and methods to simplify data retrieval.
Securely sync data in a normalized format.
Access data with normalized webhooks to power your product features.

Normalize Data Across Every Integration

Unified APIs normalize data across third-party integrations into one data model.

{
    "env:Envelope": 
    {
      "@xmlns:env": "http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap
      envelope/",
...
    {
    "@wd:Descriptor": "Greg Hirsch", 
    "wd:ID": [
        {
          "@wd:type": "WID",
          "#text": "00000000000000000000000000"},
          {
            "@wd:type": "Employee_ID",
            "#text": "111222"
...
            "@wd:Reporting_Name": "Hirsch, Cousin Greg",
            "wd:Country_Reference": 
            {
              "@wd:Descriptor": "United States of America", 
              "wd:ID":[{
              "@wd:type": "WID", 
              "#text": "1234abcd"}, 
...

{
...
    "name": "Greg Hirsch", 
    "jobTitle": "Test Manager, Platform", 
    "position": "11112222", 
    "timezone": "US/Pacific", 
    "company": "Merge", 
    "department": "000000", 
    "lastModifiedBy": "11222", 
    "createdBy": "11222", 
    "location": "3333",  
    "startDate": "/Date(-1111222233334)/", 
    "parent": null, 
    "name_ro_RO": null, 
    "description_th_TH": null, 
    "endDate": "/Date(1111222233334)/", 
    "name_cs_CZ": null, 
    "name_ko_KR": null, 
    "createdDateTime": "/Date(1111222233334+0000)/", 
    "name_fi_FI": null, 
    "name_pt_BR": null, 
    "description_nl_NL": null, 
    "name_sv_SE": null, 
...

{
...
  "employeeId": "999620399",
  "coEmpCode": "S2222-999620399",
  "firstName": "Greg",
  "lastName": "Hirsch",
  "ssn": "000-00-0000",
  "currency": "USD",
  "taxSetup": {
    "suiState": "VA",
    "taxForm": "W2",
  },
...
  {
  "salary": 0,
  "primaryStateTax": {
    "amount": 0,
    "exemptions": 0,
    "exemptions2": 0,
    "filingStatus": "S",
    "percentage": 0,
    "taxCalculationCode": "D",
    "taxCode": "VA",
...

[
  {
    "id": "00u5uh4u3zIwW32NS5d7",
...
    "profile": {
      "profileUrl": "www.google.com",
      "lastName": "Hirsch",
      "zipCode": "10003",
      "manager": "Test Manager",
      "city": "New York",
      "displayName": "cousingreg",
      "secondEmail": null,
      "title": "Platform",
      "login": "greg@merge.dev",
      "employeeNumber": "4321",
      "firstName": "Greg",
      "primaryPhone": "1234567890",
      "mobilePhone": "1234567890",
      "streetAddress": "102 5th Ave",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "state": "New York",
      "credentials": "0958cbc6-6040-430a-848e-aafacbadf4ae",
      "emails": “greg@gmail.com”,
...

{
"id": "0958cbc6-6040-430a-848e-aafacbadf4ae",
"remote_id": "19202938",
"employee_number": "2",
"company": "8d9fd929-436c-4fd4-a48b-0c61f68d6178",
"first_name": "Greg",
"last_name": "Hirsch",
"display_full_name": "Cousin Greg Hirsch",
"username": "cousingreg",
"groups": [
"21a54124-397f-494d-985e-3c5b330b8a68"
],
"work_email": "greg@merge.dev",
"personal_email": "greg@gmail.com",
"mobile_phone_number": "+1234567890",
"employments": [
"17a54124-287f-494d-965e-3c5b330c9a68"
],
"home_location": "d2f972d0-2526-434b-9409-4c3b468e08f0",
"work_location": "9efbc633-3387-4306-aa55-e2c635e6bb4f",
"manager": "0048ea5b-911e-4dff-9364-92070dea62ff",
"team": "249c9faa-3045-4a31-953b-8f22d3613301",
"pay_group": "ad1264e2-39be-4787-b749-f1aade9e3405"
...

Impact

Why Use a Unified API

Unified APIs simplify the process of building integrations.
Instead of chasing API requirements across many software providers, you can integrate once, save developer time, and increase your product value.

Drive customer acquisition and retention by offering more integrations

Focus development time on your core product roadmap

Provide a seamless integration experience and reduce churn

Explore Unified APIs

ATS

Beta

Applicant Tracking System

Accounting

Beta

Customer Financial Data

CRM

Beta

Customer Relationship Management

File Storage

Beta

Document Management

HR & Payroll

Beta

HR, Payroll, and SCIM Directory

Ticketing

Beta

Project Management and Help Desk

Marketing Automation

Beta

Campaign Management

Key Unified API Features

Common Models

Read and write normalized data

Developer Tools

Built around developers for easy onboarding

Real-Time Data

Fresh data with syncs and webhooks

Platform Architecture

Scalable, secure, and reliable integrations

Integration Observability

Automated error detection and efficient triage for product, engineering, and customer success

Build with merge

Unified API Case Studies

Learn about how Merge customers are using Unified APIs and Integrations Management to better serve their users, skip development hurdles, and increase revenue.

How Ramp uses Merge’s HRIS integrations to improve the user experience for thousands of customers

HRIS

How Drata increases customer value and spends 80% less time managing integrations

HRIS

Ticketing

How Causal sped up their self-serve time-to-value by 20% with Merge

Accounting

HRIS

CRM

ATS

Guide to building product integrations with Unified APIS

Download now

What is a Unified API?

Introduction to Unified APIs

How Unified APIs Work

How Unified APIs Work

Normalize Data Across Every Integration

Why Use a Unified API

Explore Unified APIs

Key Unified API Features

Common Models

Developer Tools

Real-Time Data

Platform Architecture

Integration Observability

Unified API Case Studies

How Ramp uses Merge’s HRIS integrations to improve the user experience for thousands of customers

How Drata increases customer value and spends 80% less time managing integrations

How Causal sped up their self-serve time-to-value by 20% with Merge

Guide to building product integrations with Unified APIS

Make integrations your competitive advantage