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      RD Station: Get data via REST API

      This document provides step-by-step instructions to set up a REST API integration with RD Station to get lead data. We’ll use the integration to pre-populate an ion form in this document.

      You can leverage Ion’s Get Lead integration with the RD Station REST API to optimize your Ion experiences. This integration enables you to retrieve data from RD Station using the respondent's email address. You can leverage Get Lead to pre-populate (or shorten) Ion forms, auto-segment respondents and for progressive profiling.

      Before we begin

      There are a few items you'll need to roundup from RD Station prior to setting up the integration, listed below:

      A private app needs to be created in RD Station in order to generate the REST API details. 

      • RD Station Client ID
      • RD Station Client Secret

      Please find steps below to generate these details within RD Station. Should you need additional guidance with the steps below, please reach out to RD Station support.

      1. Log into RD Station App Store

      2. Click “Create App” button

      3. Give your app a name, select a category, and check the boxes for the languages you would like to support.

      4. For the callback URL, use the below, but replace the bold part of the URL with your Ion console’s URL. Please note that the actual client ID value will replace the xxxxx placeholder in step 8.

        1. https://yourcompany.postclickmarketing.com/Admin/Integration/RDStationAccounts/HandleCallback?clientid=xxxxx

      5. Click “Save and next” button

      6. The next screen will show you your app’s Client ID, Client Secret and the Callback URL. Copy both the Client ID and Client Secret values from this screen and save them in a separate document for later.

      7. Click next

      8. Edit your app’s information and replace the placeholder clientID value (xxxxx) with the Client ID value that you copied.

      9. Save


      There are a few items you'll need to have ready in Ion prior to setting up the integration, listed below:

      Check out the "Before you begin" support post for guidance in creating these items.

      • Create data collection fields
      • Create ion form(s)
      • Set-up testing creative

      Let’s Get Started!

      1. Add RD Station account credentials to Ion

      1. Click the Integrations tab in your Ion console’s side nav
      2. Click “Set up account credentials” toward the top of the screen
      3. Under "RD Station", click “New RD Station credential”
      4. Add a friendly label for your account, then enter your RD Station Client ID and RD Station Secret
      5. Save

      2. Create field mapping

      Taking the steps below will enable you to extend the respondent's email address to RD Station and map the data points returned to their corresponding Ion data collection fields. To get started, add your new field mapping:

      1. Navigate into the Integrations screen
      2. Click green “New field mapping” button
      3. Label the field mapping and optionally add a description
      4. From the Integration type menu, select “RD Station”
      5. Save

      3. Add Email Address as Outbound field

      The email address must be added as an outbound field to retrieve data from RD Station.  

      1. Click green “New outbound field” button
      2. Select Data field from the Source drop-down
      3. Select the data field category then data collection field you’ll use as the key
        • For email, select Contact Info > Email Address
      4. Make your field required to run the integration
      5. Select the corresponding RD Station field
      6. Save

      4. Create Inbound fields

      Inbound fields will map the data RD Station returns into their corresponding Ion data collection fields.

      1. Click green “New inbound field” button
      2. From the Target dropdown menus, selection the Ion data collection field you seek to populate with RD Station data
        • To pre-populate ion forms with RD Station data, be sure to select the data collection field used on your form
      3. From the Source dropdown, select the RD Station field you want to pull data from
        • OR, select Javascript code if you want to transform the RD Station data prior to storing it in Ion data collection
      4. Save
      5. Repeat these steps for each RD Station data field you seek to save into Ion data collection

      5. Create integration

      1. Navigate back to Integrations screen
      2. Click into the Integrations tab
      3. Click green “New integration” button
      4. Enter label
      5. Optionally add a description
      6. Select the Field Mapping you’ve just created
      7. Skip Maximum retries
      8. Select Get Lead as the API method
      9. Click the key dropdown and select email
        • This is the field RD Station will use as the key to retrieve data
      10. Optionally add yourself to the debug distribution list for testing
        • This will deliver an email to the designated address when the integration runs that displays the request and response from RD Station
        • Check "Only send error emails" if you want to receive the debug email only when there is an error

      6. Add integration to Ion pages

      The Ion platform runs the integration based on rules you create. For RD Station Get Lead, the rule will typically run the integration at the page-level of the landing page. You can, however, run the integration on any actionable step in your Ion experience. The steps below walk through adding the rule at the page-level to populate an Ion form with RD Station data.

      1. Navigate into the testing creative with form that you set up prior to beginning the integration steps
      2. Under the Page tab in creative studio, click on +RULES
      3. Add the following rule:
        • Condition: No conditions required
        • Action: Run integration (select RD Station, Get Lead integration)
      4. Save

      7. Test integration

      To test your integration, use the creative you’ve added the page-level rule to in the previous step. Please note, integrations do not run in Preview Mode, so you'll want to open a URL for testing.

      When running the RD Station Get Let integration at the page level, an email address has to be passed in on the query string. To test, append ?EmailAddress= to the URL and set it equal to an email address that exists within your RD Station account.

      NOTE: EmailAddress is a standard field name for the Ion email address field, but please be sure that the parameter name you append to the URL matches the "data name" of the Ion data collection field you are using (if something other than EmailAddress). 

      The integration will run when you visit the page. Ion form fields included in the field mapping will pre-populate with data retrieved from RD Station, if available.

      If you’re on the debug email distribution list, you’ll receive an email that displays the request and response from RD Station.

      Nice work!

      Once you’ve completed these steps, your integration is ready for use. You can add the rule to run the integration on all applicable creatives.

      As noted, RD Station Get Lead can be used to accomplish other objectives. Here are some examples that can be accomplished using this integration and ion's Rules engine:

      • Shorten or replace forms
      • Auto-segment respondents
      • Build progressive profiles
      • Serve-up dynamic content based on RD Station data

      If you have any questions, please contact us at help@rockcontent.com. 😀