Interfaces & Integrations
primedocs can be integrated into existing systems as well as be called from other systems, from data retrieval and web embedding to automated document generation. In addition, user data can be kept up to date via user synchronization.
Interface Options
- Connect: Automate document creation processes via the Connect interface. Connect allows partial or complete automation of document generation.
- Select: Access address data and generic data from various systems via primedocs Select.
- API: Call primedocs information and document generation via the Web API (Admin API, Connect API, Connect Session API).
- MCP: Expose primedocs capabilities to AI agents (e.g. Microsoft 365 Copilot) via the Model Context Protocol.
- Connected Services: External services that primedocs authenticates against on the user's behalf (used by InvokeUrl, HttpDataProvider, and Connect Sessions).
- Export as Template: Export primedocs templates for third-party systems as "normal" Office templates stamped with meta information, in case the target system does not offer any extension options.
- Protocol Handler: Invoke the primedocs Desktop Client from other applications, links or scripts via the
primedocs:URL protocol (create a new document, control the window, trigger Connect). - Use cases: how individual third-party systems and services are connected in practice (embedding primedocs Web into CMI, SharePoint, Teams or a web application of your own, and preparing documents for e-signature services).
3rd Party / Product Integrations
Depending on the product, primedocs connects to business applications and surrounding systems in different ways. Most integrations follow one of four patterns. The list below shows which pattern is used for which product.
Integration patterns
| Pattern | Building blocks | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Start: create a document from the business application | Connect, Connect API, Connect Session API with Connect Session Templates, Protocol handler | The business application passes data such as case number, recipient or subject and triggers document creation (see Connect Variants). |
| Data: retrieve data in primedocs | Select with HttpDataProvider, SqlDataProvider, LdapDataProvider, ExcelDataProvider, CsvDataProvider and ProviderPipeline | Users search for addresses or master data directly in the surrounding system. For REST APIs with OAuth sign-in, a Connected Service handles authentication on behalf of the user. |
| Handover: pass on or file the document after creation | Commands after document generation (e.g. InvokeUrl), Output Management | The finished document goes to a DMS, a signature or delivery service, or back to the business application. |
| Sign-in and users | Active Directory or Entra ID, User synchronisation, SCIM | Users sign in with their existing account, and their data is taken over from the directory. |
A system that is missing from the list below can usually be connected using one of these patterns. If it offers a REST API, the HttpDataProvider (with a Connected Service where needed) is the usual way to retrieve data, and the Connect Session API is the usual way to start from within the system.
Integration examples
info
The following list is not exhaustive and illustrates example integrations with business applications and surrounding systems.
The Implementation column shows how the integration is achieved:
- Product integration: primedocs ships a dedicated building block for this product, such as a ready-made embedding, a dedicated DataProvider or a dedicated address interface.
- Configuration: the integration uses general building blocks such as the HttpDataProvider, the Connect Session API or Output Management.
- Integration approach: the integration can be built with general building blocks but has to be assessed per project.
| Product | Pattern | Implementation | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office | Core component | Product integration | primedocs integrates with Office both via COM add-ins and via Office.js-based web add-ins. |
| Active Directory / Entra ID | Sign-in and users | Product integration | For sign-in (see Server Installation), primedocs uses the existing Active Directory or Entra ID infrastructure. It also serves as the source for user synchronisation, for example via LDAP / AD or Microsoft Graph. |
| SCIM | Sign-in and users | Product integration | See SCIM. |
| LDAP directories | Data, sign-in and users | Product integration | Retrieve contact data via the LdapDataProvider and synchronise users via LDAP / AD. |
| CMI | Start, data, handover | Product integration | Start document creation from CMI Desktop (Connect) or CMI Web (Connect Session Template), use CMI business cases as a data source, and write documents back to CMI. See CMI. |
| Microsoft SharePoint | Start | Product integration | Embed primedocs Web in SharePoint. See SharePoint. |
| Microsoft Teams | Start | Product integration | Embed primedocs Web in Teams. See Teams. |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | Start | Product integration | Provide primedocs functions to Copilot via the Model Context Protocol. See MCP. |
| Microsoft Information Protection (Purview) | Core component | Product integration | Apply sensitivity labels during generation. See the MIP document function. |
| Microsoft Dynamics 365 | Data, handover | Configuration | Retrieve data from the Dynamics 365 Web API via the HttpDataProvider with a Connected Service (Entra ID). In primedocs Desktop, the Dynamics CRM address interface and the «Dynamics CRM Integration» document function are also available. The latter saves the Word document to the CRM via the «In Dynamics CRM speichern» button. It uses the organisation service of classic Dynamics CRM installations with Windows sign-in. |
| Salesforce | Start, data | Integration approach | Start document creation from Salesforce via the Connect Session API, for example with a button that opens primedocs Web with the passed data. Retrieve data from the Salesforce REST API via the HttpDataProvider with a Connected Service (OAuth). |
| Odoo | Start, data | Integration approach | Retrieve data from the Odoo Web API via the HttpDataProvider and start document creation via the Connect Session API. |
| innosolv (innosolvcity, innosolvenergy) | Data, handover | Product integration | Retrieve contact data via the innosolv address interface. In classic Word templates, the «nest/is-e» document function takes a target path when started via Connect. Its directory must already exist. The «Zur Weiterverarbeitung freigeben» button saves the document there, as .docx or, if the extension is .pdf, as PDF/A. |
| Vertec | Data | Configuration | Retrieve data via the HttpDataProvider, which also processes XML responses. For classic templates, the VerTec and Generic HTTP address interfaces are available. |
| search.ch (TelSearch) | Data | Configuration | See the example in HttpDataProvider. For classic templates, a dedicated address interface is also available. |
| Zefix | Data | Configuration | Retrieve company data via a ProviderPipeline. See the example. |
| Microsoft SQL Server | Core component, data, sign-in and users | Product integration | primedocs database. Retrieve data via the SqlDataProvider and synchronise users via SQL. |
| Oracle, MySQL, MariaDB, IBM System i | Data, sign-in and users | Product integration | See SqlDataProvider and user synchronisation via SQL. |
| Microsoft Excel / CSV | Data, sign-in and users | Product integration | See ExcelDataProvider, CsvDataProvider, ExistingListDataProvider and user synchronisation via CSV. |
| DeepSign / Adobe Acrobat Sign / DocuSign | Handover | Configuration | Address e-signature services via placeholder texts in the templates. See Electronic Signatures. |
| ePost | Handover | Integration approach | Hand documents over to the ePost Communication Platform via Output Management. See ePost. |
Address interfaces (classic)
For classic templates (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook), primedocs also ships address interfaces that load contact data directly from a third-party system. They are still delivered. For new templates, the data interface with its DataProviders is the recommended approach.
| Address interface | System |
|---|---|
| Abacus | Abacus ERP |
| Cobra CRM Plus | cobra CRM |
| Creativ OM | OM by Creativ |
| Dynamics CRM | Microsoft Dynamics CRM |
| Microsoft Dynamics Navision | Microsoft Dynamics NAV |
| ETV Access | directory data from directoriesDATA |
| Exchange | contacts from Microsoft Exchange |
| Generic HTTP | any HTTP interface with JSON or XML responses |
| Generic SQL | SQL databases |
| innosolv | innosolvcity (formerly NEST) |
| LDAP | LDAP directories, Active Directory |
| Lotus Notes | HCL Notes (formerly IBM Lotus Notes) |
| Outlook | contacts from Outlook |
| RUF wwSoft/geSoft | wwSoft and geSoft by RUF Informatik |
| SAP C4C | SAP Cloud for Customer |
| SAP Puls | HR data from SAP |
| SharePoint | address lists in Microsoft SharePoint |
| search.ch | search.ch telephone directory |
| Excel and CSV lists | custom address lists as Excel or CSV files |
| VerTec | Vertec |
| Zefix | Central Business Name Index (Zefix) |
note
Is a use case missing from this list, or are there questions about a specific implementation? The Helpdesk can help. New integration possibilities are welcome.
Connect Variants
To allow a business application to directly trigger the document generation process, the primedocs Connect integration option can be used. Depending on the type of application and the use case, different variants are available:
| Type of application | Client type of primedocs | Integration via... | Data supply | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop Application | primedocs desktop | Connect (see Start document generation) | Yes | |
| Desktop Application | primedocs Document Creation Server | Connect API (see Connect API) | Yes | Server-side document generation without user editing. |
| Web Application | primedocs web | Connect Session Template (see Connect Session Templates) | Yes | Embeds our web app into your own web application (see Use cases). Data is supplied via URL parameters and the initializers of the Connect Session Template. |
| Web Application | primedocs Document Creation Server | Connect API (see Connect API) | Yes | Server-side document generation without user editing. |
| Web Application | primedocs desktop | Connect call via Protocol Handler | Yes | The web application can call the primedocs desktop client via protocol handler and pass a URL to an API that generates the Connect file. |