# Introduction

Ultimo Business Integration provides APIs to Ultimo for third-party applications. The APIs offer the following functions:

* Retrieve data
* Insert data
* Update data
* Delete data

Ultimo Business Integration can be described as:

* A default integration platform
* Offering import & export functionalities
* Based on XML, CSV or JSON
* Accessible via webservices

Ultimo Business Integration offers:

* Support for standards like REST
* Various default integrations
* Additional interfaces created by (partner) consultants
* Integration with files or webservice requests
* Possibilities for XSL transformation
* Default logging and rollback mechanisms

Ultimo is able to process the received data using the built-in business logic. The following types of communications are supported to access the API:

{% content-ref url="../api-guide/rest" %}
[rest](https://developer.ultimo.net/api-guide/rest)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="../api-guide/http-post" %}
[http-post](https://developer.ultimo.net/api-guide/http-post)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="../api-guide/soap" %}
[soap](https://developer.ultimo.net/api-guide/soap)
{% endcontent-ref %}