The Selling API glossary
A shared language
for connected selling.
Plain-language definitions for the technical concepts that appear across our sales API guides.
- API
- An interface through which software requests information or actions from another software system.
- CRM
- Customer relationship management software: a shared place for contacts, accounts, opportunities, and relationship history.
- Data contract
- An agreement about the shape, meaning, ownership, and expected behavior of information exchanged between systems.
- Event
- A record that something happened, such as a lead being created or a review being requested.
- Webhook
- A provider-initiated HTTP notification sent to a configured receiving endpoint when an event occurs.
- Record identity
- The stable identifier used to recognize the same business record across updates and connected systems.
- External ID
- An identifier from another system stored alongside a record to support matching and synchronization.
- Idempotency
- A property that allows a repeated operation to have the same intended effect as a single execution.
- Reconciliation
- A comparison between systems to find and resolve missed updates, inconsistent records, or incomplete processing.
- Lead scoring
- A method for combining chosen signals into a prioritization score. A score is only as useful as its inputs and validation.
- Fit
- How closely a potential customer matches the characteristics relevant to an offering or sales motion.
- Intent
- Evidence of a buyer’s interest or need. Its meaning depends on the source, timing, and context of the signal.
- Suppression
- A rule or record preventing an action, such as sending email to an address that has opted out.
- Prompt
- Instructions and context supplied to a model to guide a particular task or conversation.
- Grounding
- Connecting an answer or recommendation to relevant source information that can be checked.
- Retrieval
- Finding relevant information from an available collection before answering or making a recommendation.
- Function calling
- A model interface pattern in which the model proposes a structured tool invocation that an application can inspect and execute.
- Human handoff
- A transfer from an automated interaction to a person, ideally including the request, known facts, and unresolved questions.
- Turn-taking
- The handling of speaking, listening, pauses, and interruptions in a voice conversation.
- Evaluation
- A structured way to assess system behavior against defined tasks, examples, and criteria.
These definitions are learning aids. For exact provider behavior, follow the primary-source documentation linked in the developer guide and individual articles.