What’s an API? A Simple Explanation from Embed Workflow
If you’ve ever connected two apps so they talk to each other—like sending data from a form into your CRM—you’ve already used an API, even if you didn’t know it. APIs are just the behind-the-scenes tools that let software systems work together.
Here’s an even simpler way to think about it. When one app needs something from another—like pulling in data or triggering an action—it uses an API to ask for it. It’s not magic, it’s just a common language apps use to talk to each other.
You don’t need to know the internal logic of the system you’re asking. You just make the request, and it responds. Like saying, “Give me this customer’s info,” or “Add this invoice.” That’s an API at work.
Why APIs Actually Matter
- APIs keep your tools in sync and your team out of the weeds. Here’s what they make possible:
- Add new features without rebuilding anything. Want to add payment processing? Or pull in weather data? Use an API.
- Automate the boring stuff. Let your apps talk to each other so you don’t have to move data by hand.
- Build faster. Skip the hard parts and plug in services that already exist.
How This Actually Plays Out
- Someone fills out a contact form. That info shows up in your CRM without anyone copying it over.
- A deal gets marked as closed. Your billing tool creates the invoice automatically.
- A support ticket gets flagged urgent. Your team gets pinged in Slack right away.
None of these things happen manually. It’s just apps passing data and triggering actions through APIs. That’s the basic engine behind automation.
How We Work with APIs at Embed Workflow
We built Embed Workflow to make that kind of thing easier. Under the hood, everything runs on APIs—but you don’t need to mess with code or figure out how to write integrations.
You pick the events you care about. Someone updates a record, submits a request, reaches a certain status. Then you tell us what should happen next.
That might be sending data to another system. Or notifying a team. Or kicking off a series of steps. We handle the connection piece, so you don’t have to stitch apps together yourself.
Ricardo Valdivieso is a Workflow Specialist at Embed Workflow with years of experience advising enterprises on automation strategy and implementation. He’s worked across tools like Zapier, Make, and Workato, as well as custom-built systems, giving him practical insight into what succeeds in real-world deployments.
At Embed Workflow, he applies this expertise to help SaaS companies deliver powerful, user-friendly automation to their customers.