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  • Get Started
    • Welcome
    • What is Ottimate?
    • Integration Journey
    • Sandbox Environment
    • Authentication
    • API Limits
    • Idempotency
    • Release Plan
  • Account Set Up
    • Onboarding an Ottimate account
    • Accounting Integration
  • Invoice Capture
    • Overview
  • Accounts payable
    • Overview
    • Purchase Orders
    • Purchase Receipts
    • Invoices
  • Catalog
    • Overview
    • Catalog-Entries
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On this page
  • Quick Reference
  • What is the Sandbox Environment?
  • Why Use Sandbox?
  • Sandbox vs Production
  • Data Isolation
  • Feature Parity
  • Getting Sandbox Access
  • Credential Provisioning
  • Using the Sandbox Dashboard
  • Testing Invoice Upload
  • Viewing API Results
  • Recommended Testing Workflow
  • Best Practices
  • During Development
  • Data Management
  • Security
  • Transitioning to Production
  • Validation Requirements
  • Production Access Process
  • Production Differences
  • Need Help?
  • Sandbox Access & Organization Setup
  • Technical Support
  • Next Steps
Get Started

Sandbox Environment

Overview of the different environments provided by Ottimate and the associated API URLs for each environment
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All development and testing MUST be performed in the Sandbox environment. Production credentials are only issued after successful validation in Sandbox. Never test integrations directly in Production as this will affect live accounting data and workflows.

Quick Reference

Use these URLs when developing your integration:

EnvironmentDashboardAPI BaseAuth Server
Sandboxsandbox.ottimate.comhttps://sandbox-api.ottimate.com/v1https://sandbox-auth.ottimate.com/oauth/token
Productiondashboard.ottimate.comhttps://api.ottimate.com/v1https://auth.ottimate.com/oauth/token

Always start with Sandbox URLs during development. Replace with Production URLs only after receiving production credentials.

What is the Sandbox Environment?

The Sandbox environment is a complete, isolated replica of the Ottimate production system designed specifically for development, testing, and validation. It provides a safe space to build and test your integration without any risk to live accounting data or workflows.

Why Use Sandbox?

  • Risk-Free Testing: Test your integration without affecting real accounting data or business operations
  • Experiment Freely: Try different approaches, test edge cases, and debug issues without consequences
  • Realistic Environment: Access the same features, APIs, and workflows available in production
  • Error Testing: Safely test error handling and failure scenarios
  • Validation Required: Complete and validate your integration before accessing production

Sandbox vs Production

Data Isolation

The Sandbox environment is completely separate from Production:

  • Independent Data: Sandbox data and settings do not sync with or affect Production
  • Different Identifiers: The same entity will have different Ottimate-generated IDs in each environment
  • Separate Credentials: Sandbox and Production use different API keys, Client IDs, and Client Secrets
  • Isolated Users: User accounts and permissions are managed separately

Feature Parity

The Sandbox environment replicates all core production features:

  • All API endpoints and operations
  • Authentication flows
  • Invoice processing and extraction
  • Approval workflows
  • Vendor and dimension management
  • Catalog functionality

Getting Sandbox Access

Credential Provisioning

Ottimate provisions Sandbox and Production credentials in two separate stages to ensure proper testing and validation:

Stage 1: Sandbox Access During the Discovery and Development phases, your Ottimate Partner Manager will:

  1. Create and configure a mock client account in the Sandbox environment with all necessary features enabled (this is required for the API to function)
  2. Provide you with:
    • Sandbox API Key (X-API-Key header)
    • Sandbox Client ID and Client Secret (OAuth2 credentials)
    • Access details for your configured Sandbox organization
    • Invitation to dedicated Slack channel for support

The API will not work without a properly configured client account in Sandbox. Ensure your Partner Manager has completed the organization setup before attempting API calls.

Stage 2: Production Access After successful validation in Sandbox:

  • Production API Key
  • Production Client ID and Client Secret
  • Access to production organization(s)
  • Go-live support and monitoring

This staged approach mitigates the risk of impacting high-stakes accounting tasks and ensures your integration is production-ready.

Using the Sandbox Dashboard

You can log in to the Sandbox Dashboard to test your integration from an end-user perspective and verify how your API calls affect the system.

Testing Invoice Upload

The Sandbox supports multiple methods for creating and uploading invoices:

  • API Upload: Use POST /v1/invoices/upload to upload invoice files for extraction
  • API Creation: Use POST /v1/invoices to create invoices programmatically with structured data
  • Desktop Upload: Test InstantCapture desktop upload functionality
  • Manual Creation: Create invoices manually from the Invoice tab to understand the user workflow

Viewing API Results

After making API calls, log in to the Sandbox Dashboard to:

  • Verify invoices were created correctly
  • Check extraction results from uploaded files
  • Test approval workflows
  • Validate dimension assignments
  • Confirm vendor associations
  • Review export status

Recommended Testing Workflow

Follow this workflow to ensure comprehensive testing in Sandbox:

1

Step 0: Client Account Setup (Prerequisite)

IMPORTANT: Before you can use the API, a mock client account must be onboarded and configured in the Sandbox environment.

What’s required:

  • Your Ottimate Partner Manager will create and configure a test organization in Sandbox
  • All necessary features and modules will be enabled for your integration
  • User accounts and permissions will be set up
  • The organization structure (companies, locations) will be configured

Why this matters: The Ottimate API will not function without a properly configured client account. All API requests are scoped to a specific organization, so this setup is mandatory before any testing can begin.

Action needed: Contact your Ottimate Partner Manager to confirm your Sandbox organization has been created and configured with:

  • Organization name and settings
  • Enabled features (Instantcapture, Purchase Orders, Catalog Match, etc.)
  • Company and location structure
  • Initial user accounts

Once confirmed, you’ll receive:

  • Your Sandbox organization ID or account identifier
  • Confirmation that your API credentials are linked to this organization
2

Step 1: Authenticate

After your Sandbox organization is configured, obtain your first access token using the Sandbox Auth URL and your credentials:

$curl -X POST https://sandbox-auth.ottimate.com/oauth/token \
>  -H "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded" \
>  -H "X-API-Key: your-sandbox-api-key" \
>  -d "grant_type=client_credentials" \
>  -d "client_id=YOUR_SANDBOX_CLIENT_ID" \
>  -d "client_secret=YOUR_SANDBOX_CLIENT_SECRET"
3

Step 2: Test With Authentic Data

Use accounting entities from your ERP for testing in Sandbox:

  • Create accounting vendors using POST /v1/vendors
  • Set up accounting dimensions using POST /v1/dimensions
  • Configure catalog entries if needed
  • Verify data in Sandbox Dashboard
4

Step 3: Test Core Workflows

Test all integration scenarios based on your AP workflow:

  • Invoice creation and upload
  • Data synchronization (vendors, dimensions)
  • Invoice updates and modifications
  • Approval workflows
  • Error handling and edge cases
5

Step 4: Validate Results

Verify outcomes in the Sandbox Dashboard:

  • Check that invoices appear correctly
  • Validate approval chains
  • Confirm dimension assignments
  • Review export status
6

Step 5: Test Error Scenarios

Intentionally test failure cases:

  • Invalid authentication
  • Malformed requests
  • Missing required fields
  • Duplicate data handling
  • Rate limiting behavior
7

Step 6: Schedule Validation

Once testing is complete, work with your Ottimate Partner Manager to:

  • Review test results
  • Complete validation checklist
  • Address any issues or concerns
  • Receive approval for production access

Best Practices

During Development

  • Use Sandbox URLs Consistently: Always point to sandbox-api.ottimate.com and sandbox-auth.ottimate.com during development
  • Test Thoroughly: Don’t rush to production—test all features and edge cases in Sandbox first
  • Use Realistic Test Data: Create test data that mirrors real-world scenarios you’ll encounter in production
  • Document Test Cases: Keep track of what you’ve tested and the results
  • Test Error Handling: Intentionally trigger errors to ensure your integration handles them gracefully

Data Management

  • Never Use Real Data: Do not use actual company information, real vendor data, or sensitive information in Sandbox
  • Create Meaningful Test Data: Use descriptive names for test entities (e.g., “Test Vendor - Electronics”, “Test Invoice - High Value”)
  • Clean Up Regularly: Keep your Sandbox organized by archiving or removing old test data
  • Coordinate with Team: If multiple developers share the Sandbox, coordinate data creation to avoid conflicts

Security

  • Keep Credentials Secure: Treat Sandbox credentials with the same security as production
  • Use Environment Variables: Never hardcode credentials in your source code
  • Rotate Credentials: Request new credentials if they may have been compromised
  • Don’t Share Credentials: Each developer should have their own set of credentials when possible

Transitioning to Production

Validation Requirements

Before receiving production credentials, Ottimate will validate:

  • Authentication: Proper OAuth2 flow implementation and token management
  • Core Functionality: All planned API operations working correctly
  • Error Handling: Appropriate handling of API errors and edge cases
  • Data Integrity: Correct data formatting and validation
  • Integration Stability: Consistent performance and reliability

Production Access Process

  1. Complete Sandbox Testing: Finish all development and testing in Sandbox
  2. Request Validation: Contact your Ottimate Partner Manager to schedule validation
  3. Validation Session: Demonstrate your integration and review test results
  4. Receive Production Credentials: Upon approval, receive production API key and OAuth credentials
  5. Update Configuration: Update your integration to use production URLs
  6. Monitor Go-Live: Ottimate team monitors initial production usage for any issues

Production Differences

When moving to production, be aware:

  • Different Credentials: Use production API key, Client ID, and Client Secret
  • Different URLs: Update all endpoints to use api.ottimate.com and auth.ottimate.com
  • Different IDs: Entity IDs from Sandbox won’t exist in production—data must be recreated or synchronized
  • Real Impact: All operations affect live accounting data and workflows
  • Production Support: Access to production support and monitoring

Need Help?

Sandbox Access & Organization Setup

To receive Sandbox credentials and ensure your mock client account is properly configured, reach out to your Ottimate Partner Manager or contact peter.niu@ottimate.com.

Before you start testing, confirm:

  • Your Sandbox organization has been created and configured
  • All required features are enabled for your integration
  • Your API credentials are linked to the organization

Technical Support

During development, use your dedicated Slack channel for real-time support from the Ottimate technical team.

Next Steps

Authentication Guide

Learn how to authenticate with Sandbox

API Reference

Explore available endpoints