Post Project API Maintenance

Brad Duff-Hudkins

Post-Project Maintenance For Projects Using API Templates

After an API Project is live and completed, what was created will most likely require updates over time. These could be as small as copy changes to the branding or more complicated issues which would require changes to the API code itself. The latter necessity may arise because of how your particular site is configured, alterations to the components used by the API, scheduled upgrades to the Convio platform, browser updates or changes to the API tools and underlying protocols themselves.

Because future maintenance for API projects is the responsibility of the client after a project is complete, here are recommended steps and options available to you for getting resolution as quickly as possible should an issue arise:

1. Review Related Components - If something is not functioning properly, first review all the related components such as any page, file, wrapper, donation form or survey to see if it has been modified recently. If so, the modification may have caused an unforeseen issue and reversing the change might fix the problem.
   
   
   
2. Document Behavior - Write down what you see or don’t see, especially any error messages. The more detailed you can be with what is happening or not happening the faster someone on Community or in Support can deduce the problem.
3. (Optional) Try Community – If the error is not critical (critical ex: Donation Form is down or main functionality of a large campaign is down) try posting the issue on Community. Many clients, Convio Employees and Convio Certified Partners read the Community everyday and help each other out as they discover problems or new tips and tricks together.
   
   
4. Contact Support– Support can determine if the issue is something related to the Convio platform which would require an engineering bug fix or if the problem is related to elements built on top of the platform such as API code templates. If the result is a bug then Support will help update you with the bug # and when it is slated to be fixed. If Support determines the problem is related to elements built on top of the platform then someone will have to modify the API code to resolve the issue - Step 3 explains your available options for updating the API code.
   
   
5. Updating API Code - To fix functionality built on top of the platform there are free resources available as well as paid ones to help fix or update API elements.

   Do-It-Yourself Option: For projects based on API Templates created by Convio (these are most API project offerings implemented by Convio), you should first check the instructions for recreating and updating the API Templates the project is based on. These templates will be maintained and kept up-to-date by Convio so they will be updated as soon as a bug is discovered or as the platform evolves with new functionality. The instructions and code snippets are available FREE for download on http://open.convio.com/downloads or on the Convio Community http://community.customer.convio.com. For ongoing discussion on working with, implementing, and modifying the templates post your questions on the Convio Community using the link above. Cost: FREE!

   Hired Assistance: After reviewing the template instructions, code and community help, if you think the implementation is beyond your or your staff’s skill set then Convio Services or a Convio Certified Partner can do the update for you at a cost-per-hour basis. Clients can contact their Account Manager for further details or to get a quote on cost. Cost: Hourly rate, based on scope of project. A minimum charge and resource lead times may apply.