Integrating with Yext for JRNI Appointments

Yext is an online brand management tool designed to help businesses create better digital experiences through optimized landing pages and search. JRNI and Yext work together to drive bookings, whilst allowing businesses to seamlessly sync and maintain accurate location information.

Requirements

To use this integration you will need:

• A Yext account
• JRNI “Owner” user access and permissions (including ability to access at the Parent level)

How the integration works

The integration allows JRNI customers to import and maintain accurate location data between their Yext and JRNI accounts. As part of the integration, Yext provides a JRNI application that imports data from Yext into JRNI, enabling appointment scheduling and event booking capabilities. 

Key features

• Central Dashboard: the JRNI application provided by Yext displays real-time statuses of each location to Yext administrators. Access link: https://yext.jrni.com/index.html
• Location auto-sync: Yext administrators can automatically sync all new locations created in Yext, including any changes, directly to JRNI. This is a one-way sync, where Yext remains the source of truth.
• Manual import of location data: Yext administrators can manually import location data instead of auto-syncing, by selecting one or more locations from the Central Dashboard, followed by the import button.
• Booking enabled Yext pages: Offer appointment/event booking links on your Yext pages using JRNI’s scheduling link.

Installing the Central Dashboard

You will need an existing Yext account in order to do this:

1. Log into your Yext account.
2. From your Yext Admin Console, navigate to the Apps tab from the top menu.
3. Search for and locate the JRNI app.
4. Select the Install button.
   1. When prompted, authorize permissions to ‘read and write location data’. This is required so that JRNI can send data back to Yext, including the booking link.
5. Once installed, select the app to launch it.
6. Log into the app using your JRNI login credentials.

1. You will now land on the Central Dashboard where you can track location statuses, sync and import location data. Example below.

Manually importing location data from Yext to JRNI

When importing location data, the integration works by fetching the information from Yext and bringing it into JRNI. You will need existing location listings in your Yext account, before importing them. To manually import location data, follow the steps below:

1. Log into the Central Dashboard.
2. Navigate to your locations list.
3. Select one or more locations, followed by the import icon.

1. Once complete, the icon below the Up To Date column, should display a green tick.

Auto-syncing location data

Instead of manually importing location data from Yext to JRNI, there is also the option to automatically import locations using auto-sync. 

With auto-sync enabled any new location created via Yext, including any changes made to your existing Yext locations, will trigger an import of that location to JRNI. 

It’s important to note that the auto-sync will not import any previously existing Yext locations that were created before the auto-sync was enabled. These locations will need to be imported manually, following the manual import steps. However, once this manual import has been done, and auto-sync is enabled, this won’t need to be done again.

To set up the auto-sync feature you’ll need access to your JRNI SAML SSO secure key:

1. Log into your JRNI account at the Parent level.
2. Select Settings from the left-hand menu, followed by Advanced Settings.
3. On the API Settings tab, copy the string of characters next to SSO API Secure Key.
4. Navigate to the Central Dashboard app.
5. Next to the Auto syncing disabled menu, select the Configure button.
6. Insert the SSO API Secure Key copied from JRNI, and select Save.

The JRNI API will then authenticate the request and import your locations. Once configured, any changes made to your Yext locations will trigger an import of location data to JRNI.

Enabling JRNI booking links on your Yext pages

1. Log into the Central Dashboard.
2. Navigate to your locations list.
3. Select the settings/cog icon to open the Location Settings panel. 
   1. Ensure the Enable JRNI link is toggled on (to purple).
   2. Enter your JRNI customer booking journey URL.
   3. Enter the text you wish to display for the link (e.g., “Book now”).
   4. Select the Save button.

1. Saving this setting will automatically enable the feature on all locations that have been previously imported into JRNI. 
2. By returning to the locations list, you can fine tune the locations you wish to have the links enabled for, using the switch toggles located under the JRNI Enabled column.

1. For any JRNI Enabled locations, a featured call to action message/button, such as “Book now”, will now appear on your Yext optimised location pages.

Once any location has been enabled, you can select the icon under the JRNI Link column to launch and view the JRNI customer journey with the location passed in.

If your featured call to action message and button are not displayed on your location page already, you may need to ensure the following fields are mapped via Yext, in order to populate on the page:

• For featured message/button text (e.g., “Book Now”): featuredMessage.description
• For the featured message URL (e.g., customer journey link): featuredMessage.url

FAQs and troubleshooting

Is it possible to search for a particular location within the Central Dashboard?

It’s not currently possible to search for locations, however if you have lots of locations, you are able to use the pagination displayed to help find the one you need. If you are looking to exclude a location from being imported, use the select all function, and untick any locations you wish to exclude.

Is it possible to import staff members via the Central Dashboard?

Currently, it’s only possible to import location data.

Watch the Yext integration for JRNI Appointments in action

Still have questions?

If you have any further questions about integrating with Yext, please contact JRNI Customer Support, who will be happy to help.