Sage 200 API Roles and Responsibilities

This article gives a breakdown of who is responsible for each part of the Sage API. Each role’s duties and limits are clearly defined so you know who to contact for specific needs.

Overview: When setting up or using the Sage 200 API, it’s important to know which team handles each aspect. The information below clarifies who to contact (and who not to) at each stage, helping you get the right support quickly and avoid misrouted queries.

Sage Business Partner Sales (Licensing & Registration)

Role: This team’s sole responsibility is to add the Sage 200 API registration to your Sage account (usually applying an existing Microsoft 365 integration licence to the Sage 200 site upon request).

Support Scope: Licensing setup. They will ensure the Sage 200 API is added to the customer’s account once the prerequisites are met.

Out of Scope: Technical setup or development assistance. Business Partner Sales will not help with technical configuration, troubleshooting the API installation, or any queries about using API endpoints. Those areas are covered by other teams (Technical Support or Developer Support).

Contact: Reach Sage Business Partner Sales via [email protected]. They typically engage upon request from a Sage Business Partner who needs the Sage 200 API enabled on a customer’s account.

Sage 200 Technical Support (API Activation & Setup Issues)

Role: Sage 200 Technical Support assists with activating the API and resolving any setup issues during the onboarding phase. If something goes wrong during the API enablement, they’re the team to help fix it.

Support Scope: Initial API configuration and troubleshooting. This includes:

• Activating the API if the Sage 200 System Administration shows the status “Pending Authorisation.” In such cases, Technical Support can manually enable or “authorise” the API on the Sage 200 site (often after Business Partner Sales has added the API registration).
• Setup assistance: Helping with configuration queries during API onboarding, such as guidance on installing the Sage 200 API components (Native API tunnel) or diagnosing error messages encountered in the setup process.
• Onboarding emails: Resending the Sage 200 API onboarding email if the original was missed or ended up in spam. They can also verify or update the email address used for onboarding, in case the invite went to the wrong contact.

Post-setup usage and development queries. Sage 200 Technical Support will not advise on how to use the API, how to call specific endpoints, or resolve errors related to custom integrations once the API is enabled. They focus only on the setup and activation stage. For any development or usage issues after setup, Sage Developer Support is the correct contact.

Sage Developer Support (Post-Setup API Usage & Development)

Role: Sage Developer Support assists with using the API after it’s been set up successfully. This team supports developers and users with questions about how to interact with Sage 200 through the API.

Support Scope: API usage, endpoints, and development guidance. This includes:

• Endpoint queries: Providing guidance on how to use various Sage 200 API endpoints, correct request formats, and interpret API documentation.
• Error diagnosis: Helping understand error messages or unexpected API responses when your application calls the Sage 200 API (assuming the API itself is already activated and working).
• Best practices: Advice on interacting with the API, performance considerations, and general usage tips after setup.

Out of Scope: Initial setup and environment issues. Sage Developer Support will not fix or configure the API if it wasn’t set up correctly. If a problem raised with Developer Support turns out to be caused by an incomplete or incorrect API setup, they will redirect the issue back to Sage 200 Technical Support. Developer Support’s focus is strictly on post-onboarding usage – they expect the API to be properly installed and running.

Business Partner Responsibilities

If you are a Sage Business Partner implementing the API for a customer, you have a broad role in managing the process end-to-end on the customer’s behalf. Key Business Partner responsibilities include:

• Pre-Qualification: Verify prerequisites before starting. Ensure the customer has a supported Microsoft 365 subscription (licence) and meets all requirements for Sage 200 API usage. For example, confirm the Microsoft 365 plan is compatible with the Sage 200 API and that the customer’s Sage 200 system is ready for integration.
• Initiating API Activation: Own the activation process. As the partner, you should initiate and coordinate the API setup:
  • Licensing/Registration: Contact Sage Business Partner Sales to request that the Sage 200 API registration be added to the customer’s account (or your own account, if applicable). You’ll likely need to fill out and return a form for Sage to apply the API registration.
  • Technical Setup: Work closely with Sage 200 Technical Support if any technical issues arise during installation or if the API remains in a pending state after onboarding. For example, if System Administration shows “Pending Authorisation” after the customer attempts to connect their Microsoft 365 tenant, you should reach out to Technical Support to get the API enabled.
• Client Guidance: Advise the customer on their part. Ensure the customer is using an appropriate Microsoft 365 Global Administrator account (e.g. the admin@<company>.onmicrosoft.com tenant admin) for the API onboarding process. Warn them that using a non-admin or personal Microsoft 365 account could lead to permission issues during setup. Part of your role is to guide the client through such requirements to avoid common pitfalls.
• Directing Support Queries Appropriately: Use the right support channels:
  • For licensing or registration of the API, reach out only to Sage Business Partner Sales (not Technical Support or Developer Support).
  • For API setup/activation problems or errors during onboarding, contact Sage 200 Technical Support (not Developer Support, since it’s a setup concern).
  • Don’t ask Technical Support or BP Sales to help with development or endpoint usage questions – those belong to Developer Support after the API is up and running (see Developer Support above). Logging cases with the correct team from the start will avoid delays.

Customer Responsibilities

If you are a Sage 200 customer (whether working through a Business Partner or directly with Sage), you also play a part in a successful Sage 200 API integration. Customer responsibilities include:

• Licensing: Maintain the required Microsoft licence. Ensure you have the correct Microsoft 365 subscription (licence) that supports the Sage 200 API. Without a valid supported Microsoft 365 plan in place, the Sage 200 API cannot be activated. (Your Business Partner or Sage can advise which subscriptions are compatible if you’re unsure.)
• Tenant Administration: Provide admin access. Make sure you have access to your Microsoft 365 tenant’s Global Administrator account (or have someone available who does). The API onboarding requires a Microsoft 365 admin account to grant permissions and complete the setup. After setup, you’ll continue to manage your Microsoft 365 environment (user accounts, roles, etc.) as needed for the API’s operation.
• Information Sharing: Give accurate details for setup. Provide your Business Partner (or Sage) with all necessary information about your Sage 200 site for the API registration and activation. Typically, you’ll be asked for details like your Sage Account Number or Serial Number, the exact Site Name and Site URL as they appear in Sage 200 System Administration, and the email address that should receive the API onboarding invitation. Having these details ready and correct will speed up the onboarding process and avoid delays.
• Post-Setup App Support: Understand your support path. Once the API is live, ongoing use of any third-party applications or custom integrations that connect to Sage 200 via the API is generally outside of Sage 200 Technical Support’s scope. Ensure you know who the developer or vendor of your integrated app is, as they will typically handle support for how the app uses the API. (See the What to do if my app stops working section below for guidance on troubleshooting issues.)

Developer Responsibilities

If you are the Developer or Development Partner working on the application that uses the Sage 200 API, the responsibility for the solution’s ongoing success largely shifts to you once the API is enabled. Developer responsibilities include:

• Maintaining the Integration: Support and update the app. After initial setup, it’s the developer’s duty to maintain the integration or application using the Sage 200 API. This means handling any code changes, updates, or troubleshooting within the integrated solution itself as needed over time.
• Using Official Resources: Refer to Sage API documentation. Make use of the official Sage 200 API documentation, SDKs, and resources provided by Sage. These should be your first point of reference for how endpoints work, what data formats to use, and how to resolve common errors. Sage often provides detailed docs and examples to assist developers – leveraging these can answer many usage questions without needing to contact support.
• Seeking Help (Post-Setup): Contact Sage Developer Support for API usage issues. If you encounter difficulties using the API (for example, you’re receiving unexpected errors from an endpoint that you can’t resolve, or you need clarification on API behaviour), you or your customer can reach out to Sage Developer Support. Be ready to supply clear details: which endpoint or operation is problematic, the error message or result you are seeing, and what you’ve tried so far. Developer Support will assist in diagnosing issues related to the API’s usage, not code debugging of your entire application.
• Handing Off Setup Problems: Escalate setup issues appropriately. If Sage Developer Support investigates and identifies that the root cause of an issue is an incorrect setup or onboarding problem (not a usage bug), they will advise that the matter be passed back to Sage 200 Technical Support to address the configuration. As the developer, you might need to coordinate with the customer or Business Partner to ensure a new Technical Support case is raised for the setup fix. In summary, Developer Support helps with “how to use it”, and anything relating to “it wasn’t set up correctly” should be handled by Tech Support.

What to Do if My App Stops Working (Troubleshooting Guide)

If your integrated application (or integration) that uses the Sage 200 API suddenly stops working, don’t panic. There are a few steps to determine where the problem lies and who should help you. The approach differs slightly depending on whether you’re a direct Sage customer or working with a Business Partner:

1. Perform a Quick API Connection Check – “API Test Tool”:
The very first step is to verify if the Sage 200 API itself is still functioning properly by using the Sage 200 API Test Tool. This is a small utility provided by Sage (downloadable via Sage’s website or knowledgebase) that can check if the API can retrieve data from Sage 200. Use it to see if it can return the list of sites on your Sage 200 system:

• If the test tool successfully returns your sites (i.e., it lists the Sage 200 company sites), then the API connectivity and setup are fine. The issue likely lies with the application itself or how the app is using the API.
• If the test tool does not return any sites (or you encounter errors connecting), then there’s likely a fundamental API issue (for example, a configuration or environment problem). This will require further investigation into the API setup or system status.

2. Next Steps for Support – Direct vs Partner-Supported:

• If you are a direct Sage 200 customer (no Business Partner):
  • Test tool shows NO sites: This indicates an API-side problem (the Sage 200 API may not be running correctly or lost its connection). You should raise this with Sage 200 Technical Support for assistance, since it suggests the API setup might need attention.
  • Test tool shows sites OK: This confirms the API itself is running normally. The problem likely lies with your third-party app or integration logic. In this case, you should contact the developer or vendor of your app to troubleshoot the application. If that developer requires help from Sage regarding the API’s behaviour, they would engage Sage Developer Support on your behalf for advanced assistance.
• If you are supported by a Sage Business Partner:
  • First, reach out to your Business Partner and inform them of the issue. The partner will perform the initial troubleshooting with you.
  • The Business Partner will run the API Test Tool to check if the API returns sites (on the customer’s Sage 200 system):
    • If NO sites are returned: This suggests an onboarding or setup issue with the API itself. The Business Partner should first verify the API configuration (e.g. check that the API is still enabled, the Microsoft 365 connection is intact, etc.). If they cannot quickly resolve it, the partner will escalate the issue to Sage 200 Technical Support to investigate and fix any underlying system problems. Essentially, the focus here is on getting the API connectivity restored.
    • If sites ARE returned: This means the Sage 200 API environment is running correctly. The issue is likely within the application or integration’s own processes. The Business Partner should then involve the developer of the application (this could be the partner’s in-house developer or a third-party software vendor) to diagnose why the app isn’t functioning. The developer should look at the API calls the app is making, error logs, etc. If needed, the developer (or partner) may contact Sage Developer Support for additional help with understanding any API-related errors. But the primary responsibility at this stage is on the application’s developer to fix whatever is causing the app to fail, since the API itself is confirmed to be fine.

Summary

By using the Sage 200 API Test Tool as a first step, you determine whether the API setup or the application is the source of the problem. If the API isn’t responding correctly (no sites returned), focus on API setup support (through your Business Partner and Sage 200 Technical Support). If the API is working (sites are returned), focus on application support (through your developer or Sage Developer Support). Also, remember to involve the right people based on your support relationship: direct customers should engage Sage support directly, whereas partner-supported customers should work through their Business Partner for the initial investigation.