generated: '2026-07-18'
method: searched
source: >-
  https://developer.crunchtime.com/docs/using-apis and
  https://developer.crunchtime.com/docs/usage-guidelines — the cross-cutting
  request/response conventions that apply across every Crunchtime Inventory &
  Labor API operation.
description: >-
  How Crunchtime's Inventory & Labor REST APIs behave across every operation:
  token-based authentication with a site name, JSON request/response bodies, the
  getAll vs getByPage retrieval pattern, batch save semantics, rate-limit
  signaling, environment (test/production) separation and guard, and the
  deprecation/versioning policy. Cross-links authentication/, errors/,
  rate-limits/, and lifecycle/.
base_url:
  production: https://webservices.net-chef.com
  test: https://webservices-test.net-chef.com
api_style: REST over HTTPS, JSON request and response bodies
authentication:
  scheme: >-
    Per-environment API authentication token (header authenticationtoken) plus
    site name, application user id and password. See authentication/crunchtime-authentication.yml.
  docs: https://developer.crunchtime.com/docs/getting-started-with-apis
environments:
  separation: Separate Test and Production tokens and hosts; a token is bound to one environment.
  guard: >-
    Requests to a "-test" endpoint are validated against a matching "-test" site
    name; a mismatch is blocked and returns an error, preventing accidental writes
    to production.
retrieval_pattern:
  getAll:
    description: Targeted queries; requires query parameters to constrain the result set.
    list_limit: 500000
  getByPage:
    description: Paged retrieval for large datasets; does not require the getAll query parameters.
    default_page_size: 10
    param: pageNumber
  guidance: Limit your process to a single active download at a time for data stability.
save_semantics:
  method: POST
  behavior: Create or update in the same call based on whether the referenced record exists.
  batch_size: 50
  feedback: Per-record success/failure returned within the response.
  referential_integrity: >-
    Referenced entities (e.g. Locations, Positions for an Employee) must already
    exist and match exactly; the API will not create referenced records.
pagination:
  style: page-number
  request_param: pageNumber
  default_page_size: 10
idempotency:
  supported: false
  notes: >-
    No idempotency-key header or contract is documented. Save operations are
    create-or-update by record identity rather than idempotent replays.
rate_limiting:
  limit: 500 requests per 5-second window per site/route
  response_code: 429
  counts_all_requests: true
  details: rate-limits/crunchtime-rate-limits.yml
error_envelope:
  format: HTTP status codes; JSON body with per-record results on save
  details: errors/crunchtime-problem-types.yml
versioning:
  scheme: date-based service version (e.g. 20.26.07.02); tracked on the What's New / developer hub
  deprecation_policy: >-
    At least 30 days' notice before changing or removing existing endpoints or
    fields; commercially reasonable support of the previous version for at least
    6 months. New endpoints/fields may be added without prior notice.
  details: lifecycle/crunchtime-lifecycle.yml
data_exchange_alternatives:
  flat_file: Crunchtime Data Pump (CDP) batch flat-file processing as an alternative to the real-time APIs.
support: apiquestions@crunchtime.com