The Ultimate Guide to BambooHR API: Integrations, Authentication, and More
Published on:
September 10, 2024

The Ultimate Guide to BambooHR API: Integrations, Authentication, and More

Are you looking to streamline your HR processes and integrate BambooHR with your existing systems? Look no further! The BambooHR API opens up a world of possibilities for automating tasks, syncing data, and building powerful HR solutions. In this ultimate guide, we'll dive deep into the BambooHR API, covering everything from authentication methods to best practices for making API requests.

We'll start by understanding the fundamentals of the BambooHR API and how it can be leveraged to supercharge your HR workflows. Next, we'll explore the different authentication methods available and walk you through the process of obtaining your API key. From there, we'll cover the essential API endpoints, show you how to work with employee data, handle pagination, and navigate rate limits. We'll also share troubleshooting tips for common issues and introduce you to Bindbee, a platform that simplifies BambooHR API integrations. By the end of this guide, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and tools to build robust integrations and unlock the full potential of BambooHR.

Understanding BambooHR API

BambooHR is a cloud-based human resource management software that offers an API to enable developers to access and update employee data programmatically. The BambooHR API uses a RESTful architecture, providing endpoints for various HR services and data.

Use Cases for BambooHR API

The BambooHR API enables various use cases for developers and organizations:

  1. HR System Integration: Integrate BambooHR with existing HR systems, such as payroll or performance management tools, to synchronize employee data and streamline HR processes.
  2. Custom HR Applications: Build custom HR applications that leverage BambooHR data, such as employee directories, org charts, or self-service portals.
  3. Data Analysis and Reporting: Retrieve employee data through the API for analysis, generating reports, and gaining insights into workforce metrics and trends.
  4. Automation: Automate HR tasks by programmatically updating employee records, triggering workflows, or synchronizing data with other systems.

To get started with the BambooHR API, you'll need to set up a BambooHR account and generate an API key. The API uses basic authentication, where the API key serves as the username. The password is any random string. Requests can be made using standard HTTP methods, and the API supports pagination for handling large datasets.

It's important to note that the API key inherits the permissions of the user who generated it. If a user doesn't have access to certain fields, the API key will also have restricted access to those fields.

By leveraging the BambooHR API, developers can build powerful integrations and applications that enhance HR processes, automate tasks, and provide valuable insights into employee data.

Authentication Methods

The BambooHR API offers two authentication methods to ensure secure access to your HR data: Basic Authentication and OAuth Authentication. Let's explore each method in detail and understand how to generate an API key.

Basic Authentication

Basic Authentication is the simplest way to authenticate with the BambooHR API. It involves using an API key as the username and a random string as the password. The API key is a unique identifier associated with a specific user account in BambooHR.

To use Basic Authentication, follow these steps:

  1. Generate an API key from your BambooHR account settings.
  2. Include the API key as the username in the authentication header of your API requests.
  3. Provide any random string as the password (for simplicity, we are putting password as ‘x’ here) in the authentication header.
  4. To get your company domain, take a look at the address bar when you are logged in to BambooHR. The text just before .bamboohr.com is your company domain.

Here's an example of how to make an API request using Basic Authentication with cURL:

curl -u "{YOUR_BAMBOO_HR_API_KEY}:x" "https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{COMPANY_DOMAIN}/v1/employees/directory"

Replace

‍{YOUR_BAMBOO_HR_API_KEY} with your actual API key and {COMPANY_DOMAIN} with your BambooHR subdomain.

OAuth Authentication

OAuth Authentication provides a more secure and flexible way to authenticate with the BambooHR API. It allows you to generate access tokens with specific scopes and expiration times.  OAuth  is  particularly  useful  when  building integrations for multiple BambooHR customers.

To use OAuth Authentication, follow these steps:

  1. Login and Configuration: User logs into the Partner App, navigates to BambooHR integration, and provides their BambooHR subdomain.
  2. Authentication Redirection: User is redirected to BambooHR for authentication, which returns an authorization code to the Partner App.
  3. Request ID Token: Partner App requests an ID Token from BambooHR using the authorization code.
  4. Receive ID Token: BambooHR provides the ID Token to the Partner App.
  5. Retrieve API Key: Partner App uses the ID Token and Application Key with OpenID Connect Login API to get the API Key.
  6. Store and Use API Key: Partner App stores the API Key for integration and subsequent API requests.

Generating an API Key

To generate an API key for Basic Authentication, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your BambooHR account.
  2. Navigate to the "API Keys" section in your account settings.
  3. Click on "Add New Key" and provide a name for the API key.
  4. Copy the generated API key and store it securely.

Remember that the API key inherits the permissions of the user who generated it. If a user doesn't have access to certain fields or employees, the API key will also have the same restrictions.

It's important to keep your API keys secure and not share them with unauthorized parties. If you suspect that an API key has been compromised, revoke it immediately and generate a new one.

By leveraging the authentication methods provided by the BambooHR API, you can ensure secure access to your HR data while building powerful integrations and applications.

Making API Requests: Best Practices

When making API requests to the BambooHR API, it's essential to follow best practices to ensure smooth integration and optimal performance. Let's explore the different types of requests and their usage.

GET Requests

GET requests are used to retrieve data from the BambooHR API. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

  1. Use the appropriate endpoint: Make sure to use the correct endpoint for the data you want to retrieve. For example, to retrieve employee data, use the /employees endpoint.
  2. Specify the required fields: To optimize performance, only request the fields you need by using the fields parameter in your GET request. This reduces the amount of data transferred and speeds up the response time.
  3. Utilize query parameters: BambooHR API supports various query parameters to filter and customize the data returned. For example, you can use the lastChanged parameter to retrieve only the records that have changed since a specific date.

Here's an example of a GET request to retrieve employee data with specific fields:

GET https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{COMPANY_DOMAIN}/v1/employees/directory?fields=firstName,lastName,jobTitle

POST Requests

POST requests are used to create new resources or perform actions that don't fit into the other request methods. When making POST requests, consider the following:

  1. Provide the necessary data: Include all the required fields and data in the request body when creating a new resource. For example, when creating a new employee, you need to provide the firstName and lastName fields at a minimum.
  2. Use the correct content type: Set the Content-Type header to application/json when sending JSON data in the request body.
  3. Handle response codes: After making a POST request, check the response status code to determine if the request was successful. A status code of 201 indicates that the resource was created successfully.

Here's an example of a POST request to create a new employee:

1POST https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{COMPANY_DOMAIN}/v1/employees/ Content-Type: application/json
2{
3"firstName": "John",
4"lastName": "Doe",
5"jobTitle": "Software Engineer"
6}

PUT Requests

PUT requests are used to update existing resources. When making PUT requests, keep the following in mind:

  1. Specify the resource ID: Include the ID of the resource you want to update in the endpoint URL. For example, to update an employee, use the /employees/{id} endpoint.
  2. Send the updated data: In the request body, include the fields and values you want to update. You don't need to send all the fields, only the ones you want to modify.
  3. Handle response codes: After making a PUT request, check the response status code. A status code of 200 indicates that the resource was updated successfully.

Here's an example of a PUT request to update an employee's job title:

1PUT https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{COMPANY_DOMAIN}/v1/employees/1234 Content-Type: application/json
2{
3"jobTitle": "Senior Software Engineer"
4}

By following these best practices and understanding the usage of different request methods, you can effectively interact with the BambooHR API and build robust integrations.

Remember to handle errors gracefully and refer to the BambooHR API documentation for specific endpoint details and requirements. Additionally, consider using libraries or SDKs provided by BambooHR or third-party developers to simplify your integration process.

API Endpoints and Methods

The BambooHR API provides a wide range of endpoints and methods to interact with employee data and perform various HR-related tasks. Let's explore some of the common API endpoints and the HTTP methods used to access them.

Common API Endpoints

  1. Employee report: The /reports/custom endpoint allows you to retrieve a list of all employees in your BambooHR account. You can customize the response by specifying the desired fields using the fields parameter.

Example request:

GET https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{COMPANY_DOMAIN}/v1/reports/custom?fields=id,firstName,lastName,jobTitle

  1. Time Off: The /time_off/requests endpoint allows you to manage time off requests. You can retrieve, create, update, and delete time off requests using this endpoint.

Example request to create a new time off request:

1PUT https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{COMPANY_DOMAIN}/v1/employees/{EMPLOYEE_ID}/time_off/requests Content-Type: application/json
2{
3   "status": "approved",
4   "start": "2011-10-01",
5   "end": "2011-10-02",
6   "timeOffTypeId": "1",
7   "amount": "12",
8   "notes": [
9      {
10         "from": "employee",
11         "note": "Having wisdom teeth removed."
12      },
13      {
14         "from": "manager",
15         "note": "Get well soon"
16      }
17   ],
18   "dates": [
19      {
20         "ymd": "2011-10-01",
21         "amount": "8"
22      },
23      {
24         "ymd": "2011-10-02",
25         "amount": "4"
26      }
27   ],
28   "previousRequest": "10"
29}

  1. Files: The /employees/{id}/files endpoint enables you to manage employee files. You can upload, retrieve, and delete files associated with specific employees.

Example request to retrieve a list of files for an employee:

GET https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{COMPANY_DOMAIN}/v1/employees/{EMPLOYEE_ID}/files/view

HTTP Methods Used

The BambooHR API utilizes standard HTTP methods to perform different actions on the endpoints:

  1. GET: Used to retrieve data from the API. GET requests are read-only and do not modify any data.
  2. POST: Used to create new resources or perform actions that don't fit into other HTTP methods. POST requests typically include data in the request body.
  3. PUT: Used to update existing resources. PUT requests require the resource ID in the endpoint URL and the updated data in the request body.
  4. DELETE: Used to delete resources. DELETE requests typically require the resource ID in the endpoint URL.

Here's an example of using different HTTP methods to manage an hour record:

  1. Retrieve the hour record(GET):
GET https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/companyDomain/v1/timetracking/record/id
  1. Update the hour record(PUT):
1PUT https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{companyDomain}/v1/timetracking/adjust
2Content-Type: application/json
3
4{
5  "timeTrackingId": "9abf58d1-6657-11e6-b28d-0800272a335a",
6  "hoursWorked": "4.5760"
7}
  1. Delete the hour record(DELETE):
DELETE https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{companyDomain}/v1/timetracking/delete/{id}

By leveraging the appropriate API endpoints and HTTP methods, developers can build powerful integrations and applications that seamlessly interact with BambooHR's employee data.

Working with Employee Data

The BambooHR API provides a comprehensive set of endpoints and methods to work with employee data efficiently. Whether you need to retrieve employee information, update existing records, or create new employees, the API offers the necessary tools to streamline your HR processes. Let's explore how to work with employee data using the BambooHR API.

Retrieving Employee Data

One of the primary use cases of the BambooHR API is retrieving employee data. The API offers various endpoints to fetch employee information, either individually or in bulk. Here are a few examples in Python:

  1. Retrieve all employees:
1import requests
2
3subdomain = bindbee
4url = f"https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{subdomain}/v1/employees/directory"
5
6headers = {
7"Accept": "application/json",
8"Authorization": "Basic ZTgyOGU3YzUyNGRlNmNkMmMxZTc0YWUxNDY1YmI0NDQ5NmY0YjVhNTpKRDg2UXA4ZS4qTHNKUXA="
9}
10response = requests.get(url, headers=headers) if response.status_code == 200:
11employee_data = response.json() print(employee_data)
12else:
13print('Error retrieving employee data')

This code snippet retrieves records for all employees from the directory feature. However, it's important to note that the Company Directory feature can be managed and disabled by individual companies in their account settings, which may lead to issues when calling the corresponding endpoint. Instead, it's recommended to use the "request a custom report" API to retrieve bulk employee data for a more reliable and consistent approach.

  1. Retrieve information for a specific employee:
1import requests
2
3subdomain = bindbee 
4id = 0
5url = f"https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/{subdomain}/v1/employees/{id}/"
6
7headers = {
8"Accept": "application/json",
9"Authorization": "Basic ZTgyOGU3YzUyNGRlNmNkMmMxZTc0YWUxNDY1YmI0NDQ5NmY0YjVhNTpKRDg2UXA4ZS4qTHNKUXA="
10}
11
12params = {
13"fields": "firstName,lastName", "onlyCurrent": "true"
14}
15response = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params=params) if response.status_code == 200:
16employee_data = response.json() print(employee_data)
17else:
18print("Error retrieving employee data")

This code retrieves data for a specific employee by providing the employee ID. You can customize the fields to retrieve using the fields parameter and retrieve only current data by setting onlyCurrent to "true".

Updating Employee Data

In addition to retrieving employee data, the BambooHR API allows you to update existing employee records. Here's an example of how to update an employee's data using Python:

1import requests id = 134
2url = f"https://api.bamboohr.com/api/gateway.php/syncflowsolutions/v1/employees/{id}/"
3
4headers = {
5"Content-Type": "application/json",
6"Authorization": "Basic ZTgyOGU3YzUyNGRlNmNkMmMxZTc0YWUxNDY1YmI0NDQ5NmY0YjVhNTpKRDg2UXA4ZS4qTHNKUXA="
7}
8
9payload = {
10"firstName": "Tiberius .O", "lastName": "Mairura"
11}
12response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers) if response.status_code == 200:
13print('Employee updated successfully!') else:
14print(f"Error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}")

This code makes a PUT request to the /employees/{id} endpoint with a JSON payload containing the updated employee data. Make sure to replace {subdomain} with your actual BambooHR credentials.

By leveraging the BambooHR API's endpoints and methods, developers can easily retrieve and update employee data programmatically. This enables seamless integration with existing HR systems, automation of HR tasks, and efficient management of employee information.

Rate Limits and Throttling

When working with the BambooHR API, it's crucial to understand and adhere to the rate limits and throttling mechanisms in place. These measures ensure fair usage and prevent abuse of the API resources. Let's dive into the details of rate limits and how to avoid throttling.

Rate Limits

There are no rate limits in BambooHR.

Avoiding Throttling

To prevent your API requests from being throttled, consider the following best practices:

  1. Implement Exponential Backoff: If you receive a 429 Too Many Requests response, implement an exponential backoff strategy. This involves gradually increasing the delay between subsequent requests until the rate limit resets. Start with a short delay and double it with each failed attempt.
  2. Batch Requests: Instead of making multiple individual requests, consider batching them together whenever possible. The BambooHR API provides endpoints for bulk operations, such as retrieving multiple employees or updating multiple records in a single request. Batching requests can significantly reduce the number of API calls and help you stay within the rate limits.
  3. Caching: Implement caching mechanisms on your end to store frequently accessed data. By caching responses, you can avoid making repetitive API requests for the same information. Determine the appropriate caching duration based on the nature of the data and its likelihood to change frequently.
  4. Monitor API Usage: Keep track of your API usage and monitor the response headers to ensure you are staying within the rate limits. Implement logging and monitoring mechanisms to identify any sudden spikes in API requests or potential issues that may lead to excessive usage.
  5. Use Webhooks: BambooHR provides webhooks that allow you to  receive  real-time  notifications  when  specific events occur, such as employee updates or time-off requests. By leveraging webhooks, you can reduce the need for frequent polling and minimize the number of API requests made. Webhooks have default rate limit of 1 requests per minute, but you can modify it.

By following these best practices and being mindful of the rate limits, you can ensure a smooth and efficient integration with the BambooHR API. Remember to handle rate limiting and throttling gracefully in your application code to provide a seamless user experience.

If you have any further questions or need assistance with rate limits and throttling, don't hesitate to reach out to the BambooHR API support team for guidance.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

When working with the BambooHR API, you may encounter various issues or errors. In this section, we'll discuss some common problems developers face and provide solutions to troubleshoot them effectively.

Handling Errors

The BambooHR API returns specific HTTP status codes and error messages when requests fail. It's crucial to handle these errors gracefully in your application. Here are some common error scenarios and how to deal with them:

  1. 401 Unauthorized: This error occurs when the API key is missing, invalid, or has insufficient permissions. Double-check your API key and ensure it has the necessary permissions to access the desired endpoints.
  2. 403 Forbidden: If you receive a 403 error, it indicates that the authenticated user lacks the required permissions to perform the requested action. Review the user's permissions in the BambooHR account settings and grant appropriate access.
  3. 404 Not Found: This error suggests that the requested resource, such as an employee or a specific field, does not exist. Verify that the resource ID or field name is correct and exists in your BambooHR account.
  4. 429 Too Many Requests: BambooHR implements rate limiting to prevent abuse and ensure fair usage. If you exceed the rate limit, you'll receive a 429 error. Implement exponential backoff and retry mechanisms to handle rate limiting gracefully.
  5. 500 Internal Server Error: If you encounter a 500 error, it indicates an issue on the BambooHR server side. Retry the request after a reasonable delay, and if the problem persists, reach out to BambooHR support for assistance.

To handle errors effectively, implement proper error handling mechanisms in your code. Catch exceptions, log error details, and provide meaningful error messages to users. Utilize the error codes and messages returned by the API to determine the appropriate course of action.

Known Issues and Fixes

Here are some known issues developers may encounter when working with the BambooHR API and their corresponding fixes:

  1. Missing or Invalid API Key: Ensure that you have generated  a  valid  API  key  from  your  BambooHR  account settings and that it has the necessary permissions. Double-check the API key in your code and make sure it is being sent correctly in the request headers.
  2. Insufficient Permissions: If you receive permission-related  errors,  review  the  user  permissions  associated  with the API key. Ensure that the user has the required access rights to perform the desired actions, such as reading or updating specific fields.
  3. Incorrect Endpoint URLs: Verify that you are using the correct endpoint URLs for your requests. Check the BambooHR API documentation for the specific endpoints you are targeting and ensure that the URLs are constructed accurately.
  4. Pagination Issues: When working with large datasets, pagination is crucial. Make sure  you  are  handling pagination correctly by utilizing the appropriate query parameters, such as page and per_page, and processing the responses accordingly. Follow the pagination guidelines provided in the API documentation.
  5. Date Format Inconsistencies: BambooHR expects dates to be in a specific format (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD). Ensure that the dates in your requests adhere to the required format to avoid parsing errors.
  6. Incorrect Field Names: Double-check the field names you are using in your requests. Refer to the BambooHR API documentation for the correct field names and their corresponding data types.

If you encounter any persistent or unusual issues that cannot be resolved using the above troubleshooting tips, don't hesitate to reach out to the BambooHR support team. They can provide further assistance and guidance specific to your scenario.

By understanding common errors, implementing proper error handling, and following best practices, you can troubleshoot and resolve issues effectively when working with the BambooHR API.

BambooHR API Integration using Bindbee

Integrating with the BambooHR API can be a complex and time-consuming process, especially when building custom integrations from scratch. Developers need to handle authentication, data mapping, and maintenance of the integration, which can divert valuable resources away from core product development. This is where Bindbee, a unified API platform, comes in to simplify the integration process.

Benefits of using Bindbee HRIS Unified API

Bindbee offers a unified API that enables developers to integrate with multiple HRIS applications, including BambooHR, through a single API. By leveraging Bindbee's unified API, developers can:

  1. Save time and effort: Instead of building and maintaining individual integrations for each HRIS application, developers can integrate once with Bindbee and gain access to a wide range of HRIS APIs, including BambooHR. This just takes 1 day of developer time to access 30+ integrations instead of spending 3-4 weeks building just one integration.
  2. Ensure data consistency: Bindbee normalizes data across different HRIS platforms, ensuring that the data structure and format remain consistent, regardless of the source application. This simplifies data management and reduces the need for extensive data mapping.
  3. Scale integrations quickly: With Bindbee, developers can easily add new HRIS integrations as their business requirements evolve, without the need to invest significant time and resources in building and maintaining each integration separately.
  4. Focus on core product development: By offloading the integration complexities to Bindbee, developers can focus on building core product features and enhancing the user experience, rather than spending time on integration-related tasks.

How to integrate with BambooHR using Bindbee

Integrating with BambooHR using Bindbee is a straightforward process. Here's a step-by-step guide:

  1. Sign up for a Bindbee account: Get in touch with us to start with a Bindbee trial account.
  2. Configure the BambooHR connector: In the Bindbee dashboard, navigate to the connectors section and select the BambooHR connector. Provide the necessary authentication details, such as your BambooHR API key and subdomain.
  3. Map data fields: Bindbee provides a user-friendly interface and detailed documentation as well as a help center to map data fields between your application and BambooHR. Map the relevant fields to ensure seamless data flow between the two systems.
  4. Test the integration: Use Bindbee's testing tools or portman to verify that the integration is working as expected. Send sample requests to our Unified API and validate the responses to ensure data accuracy and consistency.
  5. Implement the integration: Once the integration is tested and validated, you can start using the Bindbee API endpoints in your application. Bindbee provides comprehensive documentation and SDKs to help you integrate quickly and efficiently.

Here's an example of how to retrieve employee data from BambooHR using Python:

1import requests
2url = "https://api.bindbee.dev/api/hris/v1/employees"
3headers = {
4    "x-connector-token": "<x-connector-token>",
5    "Authorization": "Bearer <token>"
6}
7response = requests.request("GET", url, headers=headers)
8print(response.text)

You can get the Bindbee api-key by clicking on your profile at bottom left on your Bindbee dashboard and then going to API key

You can get the x-connector-token by going to your BambooHR connector on the Bindbee dashboard. It will be displayed as Connector Token.

from bindbee import Bindbee client = Bindbee('your_api_key') # Retrieve employee dataresponse = client.get('bamboohr/employees')
# Process the response employees = response.json() for employee in employees:print(employee['firstName'], employee['lastName'])

By leveraging Bindbee's unified API, developers can significantly reduce the time and effort required to integrate with BambooHR and other HRIS applications. Bindbee handles the complexities of authentication, data mapping, and maintenance, allowing developers to focus on building powerful HR solutions and delivering value to their users.

Conclusion

In this comprehensive guide, we have explored the power and versatility of the BambooHR API for managing employee data. From understanding the API endpoints and authentication methods to working with employee information and handling pagination, we have covered all the essential aspects of integrating with BambooHR.

We have seen how the BambooHR API provides a RESTful architecture, allowing developers to access and update employee records, job information, time off data, and more. By leveraging the API endpoints and making HTTP requests with the appropriate authentication, developers can seamlessly integrate their applications with BambooHR.

Throughout this guide, we have provided code snippets and examples in Python to demonstrate how to retrieve employee data, create new employees, update existing records, and handle pagination. These examples serve as a starting point for developers to build their own integrations and customize them according to their specific requirements.

However, building and maintaining integrations with BambooHR API can be complex and time-consuming. That's where Bindbee comes in as a powerful alternative. Bindbee offers a  unified  API  platform  that  simplifies  the  integration process, allowing developers to connect with multiple HRIS applications, including BambooHR, through a single connector. By leveraging Bindbee's unified API, developers can save time, ensure data consistency, and scale their integrations quickly.

To get started with BambooHR integration get in touch with us today.

insights, automate processes, and enhance the overall employee experience.

We encourage developers to explore the BambooHR API documentation further, experiment with the code examples provided, and leverage the capabilities of unified API platforms like Bindbee to streamline their integration efforts. With the right tools and knowledge, you can build powerful HR  solutions  that  drive  efficiency,  productivity,  and  growth within your organization.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about the BambooHR API:

What are the prerequisites for using the BambooHR API?

  • If you are a customer or building an integration for a single BambooHR customer, you'll need: An account with BambooHR
  • The subdomain used to access your account (e.g., if you access BambooHR at https://mycompany.bamboohr.com, then the subdomain is "mycompany")
  • An API key (see Authentication section for instructions)
  • If you are building an integration for multiple customers, you'll need to: Apply to get a client ID and secret
  • Ask the mutual customer for their BambooHR subdomain Use OpenID Connect to get an API key for a BambooHR user

How do I authenticate API requests?

Each API request sent from a third-party application to BambooHR will be authenticated and permissioned as if a real user were using the software. The permissions of the user associated with the API request will determine which fields and employees each request is allowed to view and/or edit.

To generate an API key:

  1. Users should log in and click their name in the upper right corner to access the user context menu.
  2. If they have sufficient permissions, there will be an "API Keys" option to go to that page.
  3. Each user may have one or more secret API keys that identify them to the API. The API secret key is a 160-bit number expressed in hexadecimal form.

What are some common BambooHR API endpoints for employee data?

Some key API endpoints for accessing employee data include:

Endpoint Description
/employees Retrieve employee directory
/employees/{id} Get details for a specific employee
/time_off/requests Manage employee time off requests
/employees/{id}/files/view Access employee files
/reports/custom Generate custom reports on employee data

Can I retrieve employee data in bulk?

Yes, there are two methods to bulk retrieve employee data:

  1. Get employee directory - This can be restricted in account settings and may return a 403 Forbidden response.
  2. Generate a custom report - This is the recommended approach. Make a POST request to /reports/custom with the desired fields and filters.

Refer to the API documentation for specifics on constructing bulk data requests.

Can BambooHR be integrated with other applications using an API?

Yes, BambooHR features an open API that facilitates the integration of other applications. To begin integrating and sharing data across systems, you can refer to the provided guide.

How do I obtain an API key for BambooHR?

To generate an API key for BambooHR, follow these steps:Sign in to your BambooHR account with administrator permissions. Navigate to the Home page, click on 'Account', and then select 'API Keys'. Click on 'Add New Key'.Enter a name for your API key in the 'API Key Name' field and click 'Generate Key'. Click 'COPY KEY' to copy the generated key to your clipboard.Click 'Done' to complete the process.

Is there an API available for Bamboo?

Yes, Bamboo provides REST APIs that allow developers to integrate their applications with Bamboo and enable administrators to script interactions with the Bamboo application server. These APIs facilitate access to Bamboo's resources through URI paths.

What is the monthly cost of using Bamboo?

Bamboo offers different plans, such as the Advantage plan, which includes features like employee onboarding and offboarding, an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), eSignatures, and employee training tracking. The pricing for the Advantage plan starts at approximately $8.75 per employee per month.

The Ultimate Guide to BambooHR API: Integrations, Authentication, and More
Kunal Tyagi
CTO -
Bindbee
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