Overview
Beyond standard and custom, there is a second important distinction for any integration: how the data moves between your system and Appical. This article explains the three connection methods Appical supports, plus a legacy method still used by some existing clients.
For admins
Pull – Appical connects to your ATS or HRM system through an API and retrieves ("pulls") the data it needs. You can set filters on your API so that Appical only has access to the data required, nothing more.
Transfer – there is no direct connection between Appical and your system. Instead, your team extracts the data (for example as a CSV file or through RaaS) and places it on an sFTP server, an MS Blob storage location, or an S3 bucket, where Appical retrieves it. This option is recommended when your security policies do not allow direct API access.
Push – your system sends data directly to Appical's own API. With this option, Appical is not involved in preparing or mapping the data; your team (or your IT/development partner) handles all mapping rules on your side. Appical provides supporting documentation (Swagger docs) so your technical team knows how to use the API.
Backend integration (legacy) – an older method that writes data directly into Appical's systems rather than through the standard API layer. It is no longer the preferred approach, and Appical's plan is to migrate remaining backend integrations to the newer methods above over time.
For Pull and Transfer integrations, Appical leads the creation of a mapping document that defines the business rules for processing your data (see The Mapping Document Explained). For Push integrations, a template mapping document can be provided to help your team set things up.
For IT and technical teams
At a technical level, data flows through Appical's platform as follows:
Pull integration: client info is retrieved via API and passed into Appical's middleware.
Transfer integration: client info is extracted in a file format (CSV, RaaS, or similar) and placed on an sFTP server, MS Blob storage, or S3 bucket, from which it is picked up by Appical's middleware.
Push integration: the client sends data directly to the Appical API (documented via Swagger), bypassing the middleware layer. All mapping and business rules must be implemented on the client side before sending.
Backend integration (legacy): writes directly into Appical's database, either via API or file transfer, without passing through the Appical API layer. This method predates the current integration architecture and does not support all functionality available through the Appical API. Migrating a backend integration starts with confirming the Appical API supports the required functionality.
The middleware is where the mapping document is applied — it determines what Appical should do with the data received (for example, which field maps to which value, and what conditional logic applies).
Technical considerations:
Pull and Transfer integrations are processed through Appical's middleware, which applies the agreed mapping and business rules.
Push integrations place full responsibility for data mapping and validation on the client side; Appical's role is limited to providing API documentation and support on its use.
If your integration requires functionality not currently supported by the Appical API, this needs to be addressed before a Push or backend-to-API migration can proceed.
Related articles
Standard vs Custom Integrations
Supported Systems and Standard Fields
The Mapping Document Explained
The Integration Process, Step by Step
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