All Collections
Submittable's API
API Basics
Tools and Terms for using Submittable's API
Tools and Terms for using Submittable's API

Explanations of Submittable workflow and API terms.

Pam English avatar
Written by Pam English
Updated over a week ago

Submittable Workflow


Authentication

You'll need to send your Access Token along with every API call. Your Access Token is found in your Submittable account on the Settings page (More > Account).

The API uses Basic Authentication. Your access token should be sent as the password portion of the Basic Authentication header.


Throttling Constraints

  • 10 transactions per second

  • 10000 transactions per hour


Glossary of Tools and Terms


Submission

  • Users make Submissions to organizations that use the Submittable platform.

  • Organizations administrate received Submissions from the organization account view.

  • Submitters have a personal account where they can see and track all Submissions they’ve made.

  • Organizations can view and track all received Submissions through their organization account view.

  • Submissions in bulk are seen and organized in an organization’s Submission List view.

  • Individual Submissions are reviewed in the Submission Details view.

  • Organizations can apply a variety of administrative actions to handle incoming Submissions, including basic Yes/No Review, Custom Review, Multi-Stage Review, and others.


Forms

  • Forms are created in the Forms area of the platform.

  • Forms are created using Submittable’s Form Builder.

  • The Form Builder contains a variety of Form Field Options used to create custom Forms according to an organization’s needs.

  • After Forms are created, they're placed into Projects under the General Settings tab.

  • Each Project can contain multiple Forms. For example, a single Project may contain an Eligibility Form, an Initial Form, an Internal Form, and Review Forms within it.

  • Eligibility Forms are categorized as Eligible or Ineligible depending upon project criteria and submitter response. As of the v3 API, both results are reportable. Reports can only retrieve data after January 10th, 2023.


Project

  • Projects contain Forms.

  • Project Titles, when Live, are seen publicly by Submitters on an organization’s landing page.

  • Projects need a Title and an Initial Form in order to be Live.

  • Organizations may have many Live Projects active at the same time.

  • Projects are configured using the settings area for each Project under the General Settings, Notifications, and Review Workflow tabs.

  • Project ID

Unique number string tied to each Project.


Funds

  • Funds are a paid-for feature and are not included in every account.

  • Funds provide a way for Organizations to organize and track existing budgets.

  • Funds are not connected to any actual banking system but are used to track real distributions.

Organizations set a total Fund amount, then distribute portions of the total Fund to successful Applicants/Submitters.


Review Forms

  • Review Forms are created for administering reviews/judging Submissions.

  • Organization administrators create Review Forms in the Form Builder, then place them into the Custom Review slot for a Review Stage.

  • Assigned reviewers complete Review Forms for Submissions to which they are Assigned.

  • Organizations may enable reviewers to edit their reviews by activating the Enable Editing function in the Review Workflow area for a Project.


Labels

  • Labels are used to organize Submissions.

  • Labels can be applied manually post-submission, or by using the Auto-Label feature.

  • Levels 1-5 Team Members can apply labels to a Submission.

  • Labels can be used to make searches in Public Galleries.

  • Labels are Reportable in Standard and Advanced Reporting.

  • Labels are shown in both the Submissions List view and the Submission Details view.

Label ID: The unique number string attached to each Label.
Each Label has a unique ID. However, label IDs are not visible within the platform. They are, however, visible to anyone making API calls involving label IDs
Form Related Calls


Team Member / Reviewer

  • Organizations have varying numbers of Team Members depending on their account details.

  • Team Members complete Reviews on behalf of Organizations to which they belong

  • Team Members have designated Permission Levels.

  • Organization administrators can give Submission Assignments to any level of Team Member.

  • Team Member ID: The unique number string tied to each Team Member.

    Each Team Member has a unique ID. However, Team Member IDs are not visible within the platform. They are visible to anyone making API calls that involve Team Member IDs.


Multi-Stage Review

  • Multi-Stage Review is a paid feature that enables organizations to conduct multiple review rounds for a single Project.

  • Review stages can be set up with either a simple Yes/No/Maybe or a Custom Review form.


Links to Documentation for API calls

Use the Form calls to create new forms or delete existing forms. You can also manage Additional forms, Request forms, and completed forms with Form calls.

Manage funds and transactions with the Funds calls.

Integrate your Submittable account with Zapier using the Zapier Integration calls. For more information, see the Zapier Integration Documentation.

Use Label calls to create, update, or manage the list of labels for your organization.

Use Messaging calls to get files attached to messages.

Organization calls let you manage Team Members within your organization.

Use Project Calls to change, duplicate, or create a new Project for your organization.

Submission calls let you update submissions from users.

User Calls retrieve submitter information from the submitter ID.

Did this answer your question?