Harvest and Retool: Complete Integration Guide 2024

 

Integrating Retool with Harvest

 

Integrating Retool with Harvest enables you to efficiently manage and visualize time tracking data, enhancing your business processes. This guide provides an in-depth step-by-step process for establishing this integration.

 

Prerequisites

 

• Ensure you have an active Retool account and a project you wish to integrate with Harvest data.
• Ensure you have admin access to a Harvest account with an understanding of its API.
• Basic knowledge of how APIs work and familiarity with JSON data format.

 

Setting Up Harvest API Authentication

 

• Log in to your Harvest account to obtain API credentials.
• Navigate to the Developer section of your account to find and copy your API key.
• Take note of your Account ID, as you will need this for API requests.
• Ensure you have your OAuth2 credentials ready if your integration requires more granular permissions.

 

Creating a New API Resource in Retool

 

• Log in to your Retool account and open the project where you want to integrate Harvest.
• Navigate to the 'Resources' section, which can usually be found on the left navigation panel.
• Click 'Create New' to add a new resource.
• Choose 'REST API' as the resource type.

 

Configuring the REST Resource for Harvest

 

• Enter a name for your resource, such as "Harvest API Integration".
• Set the base URL for the Harvest API, which is typically https://api.harvestapp.com/v2/.
• Under authentication, choose 'Bearer Token' and paste your Harvest API token copied earlier.
• If using OAuth, configure the OAuth2 details with your client ID and secret.
• Test the connection using the test functionality in Retool to ensure your credentials are correct.

 

Building a Query to Fetch Data from Harvest

 

• Navigate to the query editor within your Retool project where you can build SQL-like queries or REST API requests.
• Create a new query with a GET request to access Harvest endpoints; for example, GET /time_entries to fetch time tracking data.
• Make sure to include any necessary headers such as Account-ID and Authorization in your request if not globally set.
• Customize your query parameters to refine the data, like setting a timeframe for the timesheets.

 

Setting Up Data Visualization Components

 

• Once your query successfully returns data, proceed to link the data to Retool's UI components.
• Drag and drop a table or chart component onto your Retool canvas.
• Bind the data returned by your query to the chosen component. For example, set the table's data source to your query's result.
• Configure the columns to display relevant data points such as the date, hours, and project name.

 

Enhancing Functionality with User Inputs

 

• Add input controls such as date pickers or dropdowns to allow users to filter data dynamically.
• For instance, create a date range picker and bind its values to parameters in your Harvest API query.
• Update the query dynamically based on input changes to make your Retool app interactive.

 

Testing and Debugging the Integration

 

• Test the entire flow, starting from data retrieval from Harvest to its display on Retool, ensuring all components work in unison.
• Use Retool's debugging tools or console logs to troubleshoot any errors or performance bottlenecks.

 

Deploying and Sharing Your Integrated Retool App

 

• Once satisfied with the integration, proceed to deploy the Retool app by sharing within your organization or appropriate teams.
• Ensure permissions are correctly set for the users accessing the Harvest-integrated features.
• Monitor the app's usage and gather feedback for further improvements or features.

 

By following these steps, you should successfully integrate Retool with Harvest, allowing you to leverage Harvest's data within your Retool applications for enhanced productivity and insights.