Integrating with Horizon

6 steps to to quickly set up your integration.

Jillian Shiflett avatar
Written by Jillian Shiflett
Updated over a week ago


This document illustrates the process for automating the binder creation process on HomeBinder for users of Horizon Report writing software. Once completed an inspector will be able to create binders with just one click on the Report Publishing screen in Horizon software.

General Description
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For an inspector that uses Horizon and wishes to incorporate an automated way of creating binders, they will need to signup for an account on HomeBinder first and then enter three key parameters into the Horizon system.

These parameters are:
 1. API Key – A string of numbers and characters that uniquely identifies all HomeBinder users.
 Example: 32d982944b36410f86c1bddf1fb4d19b

2. Route Name – The specified path so that the two systems know how to “talk” to each other.
 Example: jsmith or aplusinspections

3. Template ID – The identification of the template that the inspector wishes to use in their HomeBinder account for default parameters to create.
 Example: 1223

In addition, to automate the process of transferring binders from the inspector’s account to the client, there is an additional step (Step 6) that must be completed. Inspectors can skip this step if they want to transfer binders manually, however that is not typically done by most inspectors.

This document illustrates how to get the three parameters from HomeBinder and enter them in the Horizon system, and subsequently how to create a binder with “one click”.

***NOTE: DO NOT FORGET TO COMPLETE STEP 5 AS IF THIS IS NOT DONE, THE PROCESS FOR TRANSFERRING THE BINDERS TO YOUR CLIENTS WILL NOT BE AUTOMATED.***

QUESTIONS?
 Call 800-377-6915 OR email support@homebinder.com

STEP 1 – Get your API Key and API Route
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NOTE: To create an account on HomeBinder, go to https://www.homebinder.com/inspectors and click on Start Free Trial.

After your account is created on HomeBinder, go to the Settings page and get your API Key and API Route Name. If these do not exist under your account , click Edit, then click Generate API Key and then choose (type in) an API Route Name. We recommend you make the route name a combination of your first and last name (no spaces, dashes, period or other characters.
 Examples for API Route Name:
 John Smith → johnsmith
 A-Plus Inspections → aplusinspections

STEP 2 – Get your Template ID
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Next, get your Template ID. This can be found under Templates in the menu on the left. See the blue circle for where the Template ID can be found. Most new inspector accounts will only have one template and although an inspector can have many templates, at this point, the integration between the systems restricts the user to only use only one template at any given point in time. (although it can be changed to another template at any time.)

STEP 3 – Input Parameters in Horizon
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With these three parameters in hand (API Key, API Route Name, Template ID), navigate to your Profile in Horizon and click on Settings next to “HomeBinder Integration”

and input them in screen shown.

Make sure you have clicked “Enable HomeBinder Integration” before clicking Save and Back

STEP 4 – Create your first Binder
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Now that the integration is complete, you will see a button on the Report Publishing page that will allow you to “Create HomeBinder” with one click at the completion of each inspection.

NOTE: You will get a confirmation message letting you know that the binder was successfully created.

STEP 5 – Automate the Transfer Process
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With Steps 1-5 completed, the process of creating binders is automated. In this last step, you’ll be automating the process of handing the binders off to your clients. As you’ll see below, a time delay can be put in place so that binders can be modified by logging into HomeBinder after pressing the button in Horizon on a case-by-case basis if desired.

Login to HomeBinder and click on the Settings in your menu, then click on Edit.

The screen will look as below:

The bottom three settings are used for this purpose.

Binder Auto Transfer/Share: This activates the system to automatically Transfer (or Share – not typically used) binders to clients. CHECK THIS BOX and confirm on the screen that comes up.

Binder Action Option: This should be set to Transfer. (In some limited cases it may make sense to Share with clients but we recommend you connect with a HomeBinder representative to discuss this.)

Binder Transfer/Share Delay (in hours): The number of hours that the binder will stay in your account on HomeBinder before an email is sent to the client and they now have access to the binder. You can use this in cases where you want to manually modify or edit binders before they are sent to your client. Generally inspectors put this window somewhere between 4 and 24 hours. NOTE: THE MINIMUM IS 1 HOUR.

STEP 6 (Optional) – Setting up Previous Clients
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After initially signing up, many inspectors set up previous clients from the last few months since those clients have most recently closed on their homes.

To do this, simply navigate to the report, go to the delivery screen and click the “Create HomeBinder” button just as you would with any other inspection.

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