Every business has contacts scattered across systems: ERP, accounting software, membership databases, partner portals, industry directories. Getting those contacts into a shared directory usually means one of two things: manual CSV exports (tedious) or a custom integration project (expensive).
There's a third option that most people overlook: a simple script, an API key, and a scheduled task. Total cost: 2 hours of IT time. Total recurring cost: zero.
The Contact Ingress Pipeline
Contact Central provides a full REST API with API key authentication. Any system that can export data — even just to a CSV file — can feed contacts into Contact Central automatically.
The pattern is simple:
1. **Export:** Get contacts out of your source system (CSV export, database query, API call).
2. **Transform:** Map the source fields to Contact Central's contact schema.
3. **Send:** POST each contact to the Contact Central API with your API key.
4. **Schedule:** Run the script on a schedule (daily, hourly, on-demand).
That's it. No middleware. No integration platform. No consultant.
Example: PowerShell + Scheduled Task
Here's what a typical setup looks like for a Windows environment:
Step 1: Create an API Key
In Contact Central, go to Admin → Settings → API Keys → Create. You get a key like `cc_abc123...`. This key authenticates all API requests.
Step 2: Write the Script
A PowerShell script that reads a CSV export and sends contacts to the API:
The script is typically 30–50 lines. No special libraries needed.
Step 3: Schedule It
Use Windows Task Scheduler (or cron on Linux) to run the script on a schedule:
Step 4: Forget It
Once scheduled, the pipeline runs unattended. New contacts from the ERP appear in Contact Central — and from there, in every team member's Outlook and phone via Exchange Sync.
Real-World Scenarios
ERP → Contact Central
Export customer contacts from SAP, Abacus, or Bexio nightly. Push to Contact Central. Sales team sees current customer data in Outlook next morning.
Membership Database → Contact Central
Association exports member list monthly. Automated import updates Contact Central. Office sees current membership contacts.
Partner Portal → Contact Central
Partner system exports new leads weekly. Script sends them to Contact Central with a "Partner Lead" tag. Sales follows up.
Event Registration → Contact Central
After a trade show, export the registration list. One-time import with the CSV wizard, or automated via API if the event platform supports it.
What About Duplicates?
When automated imports run regularly, duplicates are a concern. Contact Central handles this:
Why This Beats Traditional Integration
| Contact Ingress Pipeline | Traditional Integration | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 2 hours | 2–8 weeks |
| Cost | CHF 0 (IT time only) | CHF 5,000–20,000 |
| Middleware needed | No | Usually |
| Vendor dependency | None | Integration partner |
| Maintenance | Script + schedule | Ongoing contract |
| Flexibility | Change anytime | Change request + budget |
Getting Started
1. Sign up for a Contact Central trial (30 days free).
2. Create an API key in Admin → Settings.
3. Export contacts from your source system (CSV or API).
4. Write a simple script to push contacts to the API.
5. Schedule it. Done.
The API documentation (Swagger) is built into Contact Central — browse endpoints, test calls, and see response formats directly in the system.