How to Create API Keys

Generate API keys to securely connect external systems like ERP, SCADA, or custom applications to Infodeck.

Quick Summary

Click the Settings gear in the sidebar, select API Keys, click Create API Key, name it, set permissions, and copy the secret immediately — it's shown only once.

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Before You Begin

Requirements

• Professional or Enterprise plan required
• You need api-keys:create permission
• Secure storage for the API secret

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What Are API Keys?

API keys allow external systems to:

Capability	Use Case
Read data	Export work orders to ERP
Write data	Create work orders from SCADA alerts
Automate workflows	Sync assets between systems
Build integrations	Custom applications

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Step-by-Step: Create an API Key

Step 1: Open API Key Settings

1. Click the Settings gear icon in the sidebar (top-left)
2. Select API Keys from the dropdown
3. Click Create API Key

Step 2: Configure the Key

Field	Required	Description
Name	Yes	Descriptive name (e.g., "ERP Integration")
Permissions	Optional	Limit what the key can access

Step 3: Create and Copy Secret

1. Click Create
2. Immediately copy the secret key
3. Store securely — it won't be shown again

Critical

The API secret is displayed only once at creation. If you lose it, you must revoke the key and create a new one.

Step 4: Secure Storage

Store the API key in:

• Environment variables
• Secrets manager (AWS, Azure, HashiCorp)
• Encrypted configuration files

Never store in:

• Source code repositories
• Plain text files
• Shared documents

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Real-World Examples

Example 1: ERP Work Order Integration

Situation: Your SAP ERP needs to receive completed work orders for cost allocation.

Solution:

1. Create API key:
   • Name: SAP ERP Integration
   • Permissions: Read work orders, Read assets
2. Copy secret and add to SAP configuration
3. Configure SAP to poll Infodeck API:

   GET /organizations/{orgId}/work-orders?status=Completed
   Authorization: Bearer {api_key}
4. Process completed work orders in SAP

Result: Completed work orders automatically sync to ERP for financial tracking.

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Example 2: SCADA Alert to Work Order

Situation: Your building management system (BMS/SCADA) should create work orders when equipment faults occur.

Solution:

1. Create API key:
   • Name: SCADA BMS Integration
   • Permissions: Create work orders
2. Configure SCADA to POST on fault:

   POST /organizations/{orgId}/work-orders
   Authorization: Bearer {api_key}
   Body: {
     "title": "Equipment Fault - AHU-01",
     "priority": "High",
     "description": "Fault code F47 detected"
   }
3. SCADA sends fault alerts automatically

Result: Equipment faults create maintenance work orders without manual intervention.

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Example 3: Custom Mobile App

Situation: Field technicians use a custom mobile app and need to access work orders.

Solution:

1. Create API key:
   • Name: Field Technician App
   • Permissions: Read/update work orders, Read assets
2. Integrate into mobile app backend
3. App calls Infodeck API for:
   • Fetch assigned work orders
   • Update work order status
   • View asset details

Result: Custom app provides tailored experience while Infodeck remains system of record.

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Example 4: Data Warehouse Export

Situation: Business intelligence team needs historical data in their data warehouse for analytics.

Solution:

1. Create API key:
   • Name: Data Warehouse ETL
   • Permissions: Read all data types
2. Configure ETL pipeline:
   • Daily extraction at 2 AM
   • Pull work orders, assets, IoT data
   • Transform and load to warehouse
3. Schedule automated sync

Result: BI team has access to historical Infodeck data for reports and dashboards.

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Permission Scopes

Limit API key capabilities:

Available Scopes

Scope	Description
work-orders:read	View work orders
work-orders:write	Create/update work orders
assets:read	View assets and IoT devices
assets:write	Create/update assets
locations:read	View locations
forms:read	View form submissions
iot:read	View IoT sensor data
users:read	View user information

Scope Examples

Use Case	Recommended Scopes
Read-only reporting	read scopes only
Create work orders	work-orders:write, assets:read
Full sync	All relevant scopes

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Managing API Keys

View All Keys

1. Click Settings gear → API Keys
2. See list of all keys with:
   • Name
   • Key prefix (first characters)
   • Status
   • Created date
   • Last used

View Key Details

1. Click on key name
2. See permissions and usage stats
3. Note: Secret is not shown

Revoke a Key

1. Find the key in list
2. Click Revoke or Delete
3. Confirm revocation
4. Key stops working immediately

Revoking Keys

Revoking a key immediately breaks any integrations using it. Ensure you have updated external systems before revoking.

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API Usage Monitoring

Track API key usage:

Metric	Description
Total Calls	Number of API requests
Success Rate	Percentage of successful calls
Last Used	Most recent API call
Errors	Failed requests count

Rate Limits

Plan	Rate Limit
Professional	100 requests/minute
Enterprise	500 requests/minute

Exceeding limits returns 429 Too Many Requests.

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Security Best Practices

Key Management

Practice	Reason
Use descriptive names	Identify purpose quickly
One key per integration	Easier to revoke if compromised
Minimum permissions	Reduce risk surface
Regular rotation	Limit exposure window

Rotation Schedule

Environment	Rotation Frequency
Development	Every 90 days
Production	Every 30-90 days
After incident	Immediately

Key Rotation Process

1. Create new key with same permissions
2. Update external system with new key
3. Verify new key works
4. Revoke old key

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API Documentation

Full API reference available at:

• API Docs: docs.infodeck.io/api
• OpenAPI Spec: Available for download
• Postman Collection: Import for testing

Authentication

Include API key in request header:

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Example Request

curl -X GET "https://api.infodeck.io/organizations/{orgId}/work-orders" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

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Troubleshooting

Authentication Errors

Error	Cause	Solution
401 Unauthorized	Invalid or missing key	Check key is correct
403 Forbidden	Insufficient permissions	Add required scopes
429 Rate Limited	Too many requests	Implement backoff

Key Not Working

Issue	Cause	Solution
Just created	Propagation delay	Wait 1-2 minutes
Was working	Key revoked	Create new key
Wrong environment	Dev key in production	Use correct key

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Plan Requirements

Feature	Professional	Enterprise
API Keys	✅	✅
Key Limit	10	Unlimited
Rate Limit	100/min	500/min
Usage Analytics	Basic	Advanced

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Related Articles

• Integration Services
• API Introduction
• Smart Workflows

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Need help? Contact Infodeck Support