Webhook Integration

OVERVIEW

Watchman Monitoring's webhook integration allows Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to receive real-time notifications about computer status changes, plugin alerts, and system events. This powerful feature enables you to integrate Watchman Monitoring with your existing business tools, automation platforms, and communication systems. You can configure multiple webhook endpoints to send different event types to different systems, providing maximum flexibility for your MSP operations.

WHAT ARE WEBHOOKS?

Webhooks are HTTP callbacks that send data from one application to another when specific events occur. Think of them as "reverse APIs" - instead of your tools asking Watchman Monitoring for data, Watchman Monitoring automatically sends data to your tools when something happens.

WAYS MSPS CAN USE WEBHOOKS

Streamline Operations

• Automated Ticket Creation: Automatically create tickets in your PSA when critical alerts occur

• Real-time Notifications: Get instant Slack or Teams notifications for urgent issues

• Workflow Automation: Connect to Zapier or IFTTT to trigger actions in hundreds of other applications

• Multiple System Integration: Send different event types to different systems simultaneously

Improve Client Communication

• Proactive Alerts: Notify clients immediately when their systems have issues

• Status Updates: Keep clients informed about system health and maintenance

• Custom Reporting: Send automated reports to clients based on specific events

• Multi-Channel Notifications: Use different webhook endpoints for different client types

HOW IT WORKS

1. Event Detection: Watchman Monitoring continuously monitors your clients' computers for:

• Computer Events: New computers added, status changes (online/offline)

• Plugin Events: Disk space alerts, malware detections, system warnings, etc.

• Status Changes: When issues are resolved or new problems arise
 

2. Webhook Delivery: When an event occurs, Watchman Monitoring:

• Creates a JSON payload with event details

• Sends it to all configured webhook endpoints that match the event type

• Handles retries if delivery fails

• Logs all delivery attempts for troubleshooting
 

3. Integration Processing: Your receiving systems (Slack, PSA, automation tool) process the webhook data and take appropriate action.

SUPPORTED EVENT TYPES

Computer Events

• Computer Added: When a new computer reports for the first time

• Beacon Status Changed: When a computer goes online/offline (via Beacon Service)

Plugin Events

• Plugin Alert: When a new issue is detected (disk space, malware, etc.)

• Plugin Status Changed: When plugin status changes (issues resolved, new problems)

• Plugin Cleared: When an issue has been automatically resolved

WEBHOOK PAYLOAD STRUCTURE

For complete technical documentation including all event types, payload examples, and integration details, see our API Documentation.

MULTIPLE WEBHOOK ENDPOINTS

Watchman Monitoring supports configuring multiple webhook endpoints per company, allowing you to have:
 

• Different Integrations: Send different event types to different systems

  - Send critical alerts to Slack

  - Send all events to your PSA system

  - Send client notifications to Teams
 

• Client-Specific Routing: Configure different webhook endpoints for different client types

  - Enterprise clients: Full event notifications

  - SMB clients: Critical alerts only

  - Internal monitoring: All events to internal systems
 

• Redundancy: Set up backup notification systems

  - Primary: Slack notifications

  - Backup: Email webhooks

  - Emergency: SMS webhooks
 

Best Practices for Multiple Endpoints

• Organize by Purpose: Name endpoints clearly (e.g., "Slack Critical Alerts", "PSA All Events")

• Event Type Strategy: Don't duplicate event types across endpoints unless you need redundancy

• Testing: Test each endpoint independently to ensure proper routing

• Monitoring: Check delivery logs for each endpoint separately

POPULAR MSP INTEGRATION SCENARIOS

1. Slack Notifications

Use Case: Get instant team notifications for critical alerts

Setup:

1. Create a Slack app and get a webhook URL

2. Configure Watchman Monitoring to send webhooks to Slack

3. Watchman automatically formats messages with rich attachments and color coding

Benefits:

• Real-time team notifications

• Color-coded alerts (green for good, yellow for warnings, red for critical)

• Rich formatting with computer details and plugin information

• Channel routing based on event types

2. PSA Integration (ConnectWise, Autotask, Kaseya)

Use Case: Automatically create tickets when critical issues occur

Setup:

1. Create a webhook endpoint in your PSA system

2. Configure Watchman Monitoring to send webhooks to your PSA

3. Set up ticket creation rules based on event types
 

Benefits:

• Automatic ticket creation for critical alerts

• Reduced manual ticket entry

• Consistent ticket formatting

• Integration with existing workflows

3. Zapier Automation

Use Case: Connect Watchman Monitoring to hundreds of other applications
 

Setup:

1. Create a Zap with "Webhooks by Zapier" as the trigger

2. Configure Watchman Monitoring to send webhooks to Zapier

3. Set up actions in other applications (Google Sheets, email, CRM, etc.)

Benefits:

• Connect to 500+ applications

• Create custom workflows

• Automate data entry and reporting

• Build custom dashboards

4. Microsoft Teams Integration

Use Case: Team collaboration and client communication

Setup:

1. Create a Teams webhook connector

2. Configure Watchman Monitoring to send webhooks to Teams

3. Set up different channels for different event types

Benefits:

• Team collaboration on alerts

• Client communication channels

• Integration with Microsoft 365

• Custom message formatting

5. Custom Application Integration

Use Case: Build custom tools and dashboards

Setup:

1. Create an HTTP endpoint that accepts POST requests

2. Configure Watchman Monitoring to send webhooks to your endpoint

3. Process the JSON data in your application

Benefits:

• Complete customization

• Integration with proprietary systems

• Custom reporting and analytics

• Business intelligence integration

CONFIGURATION GUIDE

Step 1: Access Webhook Settings

1. Log into your Watchman Monitoring dashboard

2. Navigate to Integrations → Webhook Endpoints

3. Click New Endpoint to add additional webhook endpoints (you can have multiple endpoints configured)

Step 2: Configure Your Endpoint

1. Endpoint Name: Give your webhook a descriptive name (e.g., "Slack Alerts", "PSA Integration")

2. Webhook URL: Enter the HTTPS URL where you want to receive webhooks

3. Event Types: Select which events you want to receive:

   - Computer Added

   - Beacon Status Changed

   - Plugin Alert

   - Plugin Status Changed

   - Plugin Cleared

Step 3: Test Your Integration

1. Click Test to send a sample webhook

2. Verify your receiving system processes the data correctly

3. Check the delivery logs to ensure successful transmission
 

Step 4: Monitor and Maintain

• Review delivery logs regularly

• Monitor for failed deliveries

• Update webhook URLs if your receiving systems change, and manage multiple endpoints as needed

• Test periodically to ensure continued functionality

BEST PRACTICES FOR MSPS

1. Event Selection

• Start Simple: Begin with critical alerts only (Plugin Alert, Beacon Status Changed)

• Avoid Noise: Don't enable all events unless you have proper filtering

• Client-Specific: Consider different webhook configurations for different client types

2. Security Considerations

• HTTPS Only: Always use HTTPS webhook URLs

• Authentication: Implement proper authentication in your receiving systems

• Rate Limiting: Be aware of webhook rate limits (500 per hour per company)

3. Monitoring and Maintenance

• Regular Testing: Test webhooks monthly to ensure they're working

• Delivery Monitoring: Check delivery logs for failures

• Backup Systems: Have alternative notification methods for critical alerts

4. Client Communication

• Proactive Updates: Use webhooks to notify clients of issues before they call

• Status Pages: Create client-facing status pages using webhook data

• Automated Reports: Generate client reports based on webhook events

5. Multiple Endpoint Strategy

• Purpose-Driven: Create separate endpoints for different purposes (alerts, reporting, client communication)

• Event Type Distribution: Distribute event types logically across endpoints

• Naming Convention: Use descriptive names that indicate the endpoint's purpose

• Regular Review: Periodically review and clean up unused endpoints
 

TROUBLESHOOTING

Common Issues:

Webhook Not Receiving Data

• Verify the webhook URL is correct and accessible

• Check that your receiving system accepts POST requests

• Ensure HTTPS is properly configured

• Review delivery logs in Watchman Monitoring
 

Partial Data or Missing Events

• Check event type selection in webhook configuration

• Verify your receiving system can handle the JSON payload

• Review rate limiting settings
 

Formatting Issues

• For Slack: Watchman automatically formats messages

• For other systems: You may need to parse the JSON payload

• Consider using Zapier for complex formatting needs
 

Multiple Endpoint Issues

• Endpoint Not Receiving Expected Events: Check that the endpoint is configured for the correct event types

• Duplicate Notifications: Verify you haven't configured the same event types on multiple endpoints

• Endpoint Management: Use the deliveries page to troubleshoot specific endpoint issues

• Testing: Test each endpoint individually using the test buttons on the configuration page
 

Getting Help

• Check the delivery logs in your Watchman Monitoring dashboard

• Test your webhook endpoint independently

• Review the API documentation for payload examples

• Contact support if issues persist