# Creating a seamless integration experience with webhooks — Albato Help Center

Source: https://albato.com/wiki/articles/creating-a-seamless-integration-experience-with-webhooks

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# Creating a seamless integration experience with webhooks

Last update:  
13/2/2026 · 3 min read

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IN THIS ARTICLE

Webhooks are a method for applications to communicate in real-time by sending automated messages when specific events occur. Here's how they work:

## How webhooks function

1.  **Event Triggering:** A webhook is initiated by an event in a source application, such as a user action (e.g., submitting a form, making a purchase, or updating a record). When such an event occurs, the application fires a message with relevant data about the event, known as a payload.
    
2.  **Sending Data:** The source application sends this payload to a specified webhook URL — a unique endpoint in the receiving application. This URL acts like a phone number that the source application "calls" to deliver information about the event.
    
3.  **HTTP Request:** The data is sent over the web using an HTTP request, typically POST. The receiving application processes this request and may respond with an HTTP status code (e.g., **200 OK** or **404 Not Found**).
    
4.  **Real-Time Updates:** Unlike APIs that require polling, webhooks push data instantly when an event occurs — reducing server load and transaction costs.
    
5.  **Subscription Management:** Users create webhook subscriptions, specifying which events they want to receive and providing a webhook URL. This often involves an API call.
    

> Note: We suggest setting up **individual webhooks** for each user. Albato will generate a unique webhook URL for each customer and send it to your endpoint. You must store these URLs to reuse them when users run their integrations.

##Two basic types of webhook implementation

### Auto-subscription (desirable type)

Here, Albato needs an API method in your SaaS to **subscribe to your webhooks**. Your subscription API should allow specifying events to subscribe to and accept a **subscription URL**.

Example: [Shopify webhook subscription](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-rest/2024-01/resources/webhook#post-webhooks)

If using auto-subscription, you must also provide an **unsubscribe method**.

Example: [Shopify webhook unsubscribe](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-rest/2024-01/resources/webhook#delete-webhooks-webhook-id)

#### Here's how it works step by step:

1.  Albato subscribes to your SaaS events.
2.  Albato specifies an HTTPS endpoint to receive events.
3.  Event XYZ in your SaaS is created and a webhook id is returned.
4.  Your SaaS sends a webhook payload to Albato.
5.  Albato unsubscribes using the webhook id when the Automation is stopped.

#### Standard webhook requirements:

1.  JSON format
2.  Event type in the payload
3.  Payload containing all fields needed in integrations

See below a Shopify webhook “Customer created” example:

-   Albato subscribes to your webhook

AD\_4nXdKbJBtMYGZCCG6L45J1--5rMOxzQaFXjTxuNuaIC\_TNHNyohBMG5ZuDXKo03Er2EQ\_keYOx0oK\_Xw6rtqTlXhGL2cyCdrrbF3XdHF3AWYyVqdTTW30UNQYMUXd76ZQasUp2pTJpg.jpg

-   Your webhook response with the payload

AD\_4nXdedq1L9UxzhPxfmu6SjbqFKH0pWtKF5SpQ3dhPxJf2-a45gVXTemJREoQum5jtv0MRuKIqgYe0NzMa7zKa7vAA48FDg8iQF3YRUbZ0CXofbA80CAU69xDKo3vXWhL2RWO9PySXrw.jpg

### Manual subscription

If a webhook subscription API isn’t feasible, users can manually paste a webhook URL into your UI using the URL provided by Albato in the iFrame.

> Note: Manual subscription is not user-friendly as it requires back-and-forth steps for setup.

You can streamline this via the [SSO connection method](https://albato.com/wiki/articles/method-for-creating-a-connection-to-your-own-system).

Example response:

AD\_4nXdp7k56F2s5kBr5opXqR8fTgUW2sXxUYcan\_CeIc5SslvHOU7vlApyIGSw2cnjrz\_eTGjGdOKsUQFnInaihJZ3MdVyHYrawUV5OJzlU9JbT5NDxCrnbUNiaFY2y3fVLdvGaR7GEuQ.jpg

> Note: If your webhooks contain custom user-specific fields, Albato can fetch them automatically via your API and insert them into user integrations, improving UX.

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