Integrations
Integrations for the channels you rely on.
Connect your own WhatsApp, Messenger, email, SMS and calling providers, or start with the built-in channels we offer. For the SIS, the application portal and other campus systems, a REST API, inbound webhook triggers and CSV or Excel files let your team connect what you run.
Your providers or ours
Your own provider accounts, or the built-in channels.
Messages and calls are what you pay for, and you choose how, channel by channel. An institution can keep its existing email service and start WhatsApp on a built-in channel, for example.
Bring your own provider
Connect the accounts your institution already runs: the WhatsApp Business Platform (directly or through a provider such as Twilio), an email service such as SendGrid or Amazon SES or any SMTP server, an SMS gateway such as Twilio, a supported cloud telephony provider and your Facebook Page. Those providers bill you directly at their own rates, and the credentials you store are encrypted.
Use the built-in channels
Starting without provider accounts? Our offer includes built-in channels and free sign-up credits, and you add credits as you go. Built-in channels are available in supported countries, and we confirm availability for yours when we set up your account.
WhatsApp
- Bring your own provider
- WhatsApp Business Platform, directly or through a provider such as Twilio
- Built-in, with free sign-up credits
Facebook Messenger
- Bring your own provider
- Connect your Facebook Page
- Built-in, with free sign-up credits
- Connect your Page
SMS
- Bring your own provider
- An SMS gateway such as Twilio
- Built-in, with free sign-up credits
Email
- Bring your own provider
- An email service such as SendGrid or Amazon SES, or any SMTP server
- Built-in, with free sign-up credits
Calling
- Bring your own provider
- A supported cloud telephony provider; transcripts with a supported softphone provider
- Built-in, with free sign-up credits
Channels, sign-in and campus systems, on the same lead record.
Messaging and calling connect through your provider accounts or the built-in channels. Staff sign-in, your website and campus systems connect through OpenID Connect, embeddable widgets and the REST API.
WhatsApp messaging
Connect your own WhatsApp Business Platform account, directly or through a provider such as Twilio, or start with the built-in channel we offer. International applicants get templates, media and two-way chat either way.
Learn moreFacebook Messenger
Connect your institution's Facebook Page. Messenger threads land in the conversations inbox, and a new conversation can create an inquiry.
Learn moreEmail service or SMTP
One-to-one email, templates and campaigns through your own email service such as SendGrid or Amazon SES, any SMTP server, or the built-in email we offer.
Learn moreSMS
Deadline reminders, templates and campaigns through your own SMS gateway such as Twilio, or the built-in SMS we offer. Sent texts show in the inbox and on the lead's history; inbound SMS replies aren't supported.
Learn moreCalling
Click-to-call, inbound calls and recordings through a supported cloud telephony provider, and a browser softphone with transcripts through a supported softphone provider. Calls from known leads, answered or missed, are logged on their record.
Learn moreIdentity: OpenID Connect SSO
Staff sign in with their work account through your OpenID Connect identity provider, with MFA on top.
Learn moreProgram-page forms & chat widget
Inquiry forms for program and landing pages, with CAPTCHA, spam protection and UTM capture, and a chat widget that creates an inquiry once a visitor shares an email or phone number.
Learn moreREST API
Your application portal and other campus systems create and read leads, each with its own scoped API key, quotas and an IP allow-list.
Learn moreInbound webhooks
Your SIS or portal starts a workflow by calling the workflow's webhook URL with its secret header. API integration webhooks are verified by HMAC signature.
Learn moreHow data flows
Inquiries come in from your channels. Campus systems read them through the API.
Inquiries arrive from forms, website chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, the API and imports, and are checked for duplicates on email and phone. Your SIS and other systems read leads through the REST API, and lead record exports to Excel or CSV handle bulk transfers.
Where inquiries come from
- Website forms & chat widget
- WhatsApp & Messenger messages
- REST API
- CSV & Excel import
higheredcrm.ai
- One lead record, duplicate-checked
- Two-way WhatsApp & Messenger
- Workflows, incl. webhook triggers
- Encrypted stored credentials
Where data goes next
- REST API reads
- Lead exports to Excel or CSV
What each connection powers in higheredcrm.ai.
Every connection ends on one lead record, where counselors work the inquiry and track each application through to enrollment.
Messaging
- Connects through
- WhatsApp Business Platform (directly or through a provider such as Twilio), your Facebook Page, or built-in WhatsApp
- What it powers
- Conversations inbox, chatbots, templates, bulk sends and auto-replies
Email
- Connects through
- An email service such as SendGrid or Amazon SES, any SMTP server, or built-in email
- What it powers
- Counselor email, templates and campaigns
SMS
- Connects through
- An SMS gateway such as Twilio, or built-in SMS
- What it powers
- Templates, campaigns, sent history
Calling
- Connects through
- A supported cloud telephony provider, or built-in calling
- What it powers
- Click-to-call, softphone, recordings, transcripts, call logs
Identity
- Connects through
- OpenID Connect SSO
- What it powers
- Staff sign-in with your identity provider
Website
- Connects through
- Embeddable forms and chat widget
- What it powers
- Inquiry capture with UTM and spam protection
Campus systems
- Connects through
- REST API and inbound webhooks
- What it powers
- Create and read leads, start workflows from your SIS or portal
Spreadsheets
- Connects through
- CSV and Excel files
- What it powers
- Import up to 50,000 leads at a time (duplicates skipped); export lead records
Installed systems
- Connects through
- Push to integration
- What it powers
- Send a lead, one at a time, in bulk or when it enters a stage, to specific systems installed in your account
Connected securely
Integrations your IT team can sign off.
Connections carry applicant data, so stored credentials are encrypted and each API key and inbound webhook is checked before anything is accepted.
- Encrypted credentialsProvider keys and passwords you store are encrypted with AES-256.
- Signed inbound webhooksIntegration webhooks carry an HMAC signature; workflow webhooks need their secret header.
- Scoped API keysOne key per integration, limited to the access and request quota it needs.
- Network limits per API keyAccept calls only from the campus or vendor networks you list as CIDR ranges.
- Rate limitingPlatform-wide request limits that help protect against abuse.
- Integration logsA log of integration activity for your IT team to troubleshoot.
Building your own connection?
Your developers can start with the REST API, the form and chat snippets and the inbound webhook trigger on the developer page, then bring their questions to our team.
Where connected channels show up in the product.
Conversations inbox
Two-way WhatsApp and Messenger threads next to the email and SMS your team sent.
ExploreChatbots
Flow-based bots on WhatsApp, Messenger and the website chat widget.
ExploreCalling
Click-to-call, the browser softphone, recordings and transcripts.
ExploreLead capture
Forms, website chat, WhatsApp, Messenger, the API and imports.
ExploreDevelopers & API
The REST API, widget snippets and the inbound webhook trigger.
ExploreRoles, security & campuses
SSO, MFA, audit logs, masking and field encryption.
ExploreGlossary: WhatsApp Business Platform, Omnichannel inbox, Attribution, CRM vs SIS, Chatbot
FAQ
Integration questions from IT teams
Which WhatsApp setups can we use?
Connect your own WhatsApp Business Platform account, directly or through a provider such as Twilio, or start with the built-in WhatsApp channel we offer where it's available. Templates, bulk sends, media and two-way conversations work the same way in the inbox with any of them.
Do you connect to our student information system?
No. There's no packaged SIS connector today. Your IT team can create and read leads through the REST API, call a workflow's webhook trigger when a record changes in the SIS or application portal, and use CSV or Excel files for bulk hand-offs, such as at a deposit deadline. A few specific systems installed in your account can also receive a lead pushed from the CRM; ask us which ones apply to you.
How do inquiries from search and social ads get in?
Point ad traffic at embedded inquiry forms, which save UTM and campaign values, or post leads to the REST API from another tool. Lead-ad responses can also be imported from a CSV or Excel file with the source and campaign set on each row.
Can staff sign in with their work account?
Yes, through single sign-on with any identity provider that supports OpenID Connect. SAML is not supported. MFA with an authenticator app is available on top, and you can make it mandatory.
Can higheredcrm.ai send events to our other systems?
Not through outbound webhooks, which the product doesn't have. Your systems read leads through the REST API, and lead record exports to Excel or CSV cover bulk transfers into the SIS or a data warehouse.
How are integration credentials protected?
Provider credentials you store, such as email and messaging keys, are encrypted with AES-256. API keys are scoped per integration and can be limited to your networks with an IP allow-list, and inbound webhooks are verified by HMAC signature or secret header.
Who bills us for messages and calls?
If you bring your own provider, that provider bills you directly at its own rates, under your institution's account. If you start with the built-in channels we offer, you use free sign-up credits first and add credits as you go; the pricing page explains the offer.
What if a campus system isn't listed here?
Most connections run through the REST API, a workflow webhook trigger or CSV and Excel files. Tell us what the system does, and we'll say which parts work with these methods and which need your developers.
Check your setup with our team.
Bring your IT lead and we'll go through each connection you plan to use: your own providers or the built-in channels, OpenID Connect SSO, the REST API and your spreadsheet hand-offs.