Marchex Call Search API

[mkosmicki1]

Has anyone had luck setting up an API for Marchex call tracking data? It uses JSON-RPC and for the life of me I cannot get it to work using the download tool.

Marchex support says they can't really help because they don't have experience with Alteryx (which is a conversation for another day).

I'd appreciate any insight. 

-Michelle

[BrandonB]

Hi @mkosmicki1 

I have an APIs for beginners write up that you can find here: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Engine-Works/APIs-for-Beginners-Integrate-All-the-Systems/ba-p/8074... 

Do you have access to their API documentation and or have it set up in Postman already? The link above is a good place to start, but just wanted to assess where things currently stand.

[apathetichell]

@mkosmicki1do you have it working on Postman? That's usually the first step. For Alteryx it will basically just replicate whatever you are doing in Postman (built dynamically via workflow inputs) and then use the (poorly named) Download tool.

If you can't get it to work in Postman - Marchex should be able to help you.

Hint on the Postman porting

Postman does a great job detecting content-type. See what they have for content-type and make sure Alteryx has that in the download tool.

Hint2:

Postman automatically converts your username/password to Basic  base64(username:password) combo - in Alteryx you'll have to use 3 tools for that.

[mkosmicki1]

Hi, I've had it working in Postman....about 3 years ago. I tried to set it up today and the interface has changed so much I decided to try other options. 

This is not my first API. It is however, the only one that I've never been able to get running in Alteryx.

I'll dive into your hints and links above a little more. Thank you!

[stevemarkovick]

I’ve worked with several call tracking APIs and ran into similar roadblocks, especially when platforms rely on JSON-RPC or less-documented formats. One thing that helped streamline everything was switching to Phonexa. Their API is well-documented, supports both inbound and outbound call tracking, and integrates smoothly with tools like Alteryx or Zapier without needing workarounds. If you’re spending more time troubleshooting than analyzing data, it might be worth considering a platform that’s built for both marketing teams and data workflows.

[mkosmicki1]

Thanks for the suggestion. I did eventually get this up and running in Alteryx. I will check out the tool you suggested though, as we seem to be doing a lot of APIs these days.