Chevin Fleet Solutions has launched a new API tool for its FleetWave product. Designed to be the central hub for all asset, fleet and driver-related information, FleetWave now features an API capability that allows secure external access to specific areas of the software’s data.
Already configured to integrate with over 100 different third-party systems — including GPS and telematics, fueling systems, accounting software and leasing providers — FleetWave’s new standard API tool allows system users to extend the software’s integration options even further.
Ron Katz, senior vice president for North American Sales, explained that by leveraging information stored in FleetWave’s standard data tables, users can now build their own APIs using CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) rules. Put simply, data stored in FleetWave can now be shared with or updated by other software applications, in ‘real time’, all without bulk imports, exports or the manual keying of data.
“If you want to maximize the efficiency of your fleet and minimize its cost, then fleet cannot operate as a standalone entity. It needs to be tightly integrated into the whole corporate structure. If you can deliver high levels of integration with critical internal systems, then all kinds of new efficiencies and decision-making opportunities are created.”
Katz said there are dozens of potential external data feeds from suppliers and information sources available to fleets, and automated integration provides the ability to harmonize this information into near real-time intelligence.
“There are obvious benefits — for example, taking data from your fuel supplier or commercial fuel card will provide you with accurate information regarding fuel use, mileage and sustainability achievement – however system integration also opens the door to all kinds of new managerial strategies.
“FleetWave is used as the central system to manage the entire fleet, with the ability to leverage intelligence from other systems and applications — a function that we believe is key for gaining complete oversight of a fleet’s information, cost and performance. Our new API tool expands on this by allowing users with programming knowledge to build their own integrations with standard FleetWave tables.
“Our API framework is always expanding, and this new function is an invaluable means of sharing data, streamlining processes and eliminating administrative duties.
“In fact, the integration capabilities of FleetWave have become so sophisticated that we are increasingly finding our software being used as a critical operational tool as well as a business intelligence tool by entire organizations, not just for managing the fleet.”