Cloud Elements, an IPaaS for a more thorough, in depth integration into the software you love
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
At my organization, we use Cloud Elements as a white label solution to provide various integrated solutions to our customers. It's used by our technology department primarily to enable a quick development cycle into creating integrations with products such as QuickBooks Online, MailChimp, etc. The main business problem it solves is the ability for our team to quickly and efficiently create a new connection to a new piece of software that our users might want. Along with that, we don't have to do any of the actual API maintenance that would be required if we were to set up the system on our own.
Pros
- The API itself is very robust and easy to use, being a standard REST interface, standard HTTP response codes, well-packaged error messages, etc.
- Their uptime is great! I think I've seen one (short) 5-minute' blip' the entire time we've been connected for any type of primary function.
- Their support is top notch, they respond quickly, and the team that works with you is communicative and knowledgable.
Cons
- Their UI, which was in beta when we first chose them as a software, needs a lot of work still. It's relatively slow, there are a number of bugs with things appearing/not appearing. That being said, you can do 100% of the functions you can do on the UI through the API, which we prefer anyway, so it's not really an issue.
- Pricing can be high, depending on your business model.
- Some of the API documentation was a little unclear at first, and required some back and forth on things.
- Required fields in the third party software you are integrating with were unclear.
- If there are special 'rules' around validation going into the software (not CE, third party), then it's all trial-and-error in figuring out how exactly to format your fields.
- Unless you are REALLY strict about your development practices and using CE 'correctly,' it's incredibly easy to get off track and lose all of the benefits of using an IPaaS like CE, because their platform is so flexible.
Likelihood to Recommend
Areas where it would be appropriate:
<ol><li>If you want a really 'deep' integration with a third party software, and you want all the control over how it interacts with your software</li><li>If you want a totally white-labeled solution, that is totally invisible to your customers.</li><li>if you care more about a well thought out/useful API, rather than a pretty UI
</li></ol>Areas where it is less appropriate:
<ol><li>If you want a Zapier-esque hands-off integration for YOU.</li><li>if you want your customers to do more of the work, pay for it/etc.</li><li>if you're a really small business, it could be too expensive. But it depends on your individual contract with them.
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