> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://vendex.gitbook.io/ledgerise/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://vendex.gitbook.io/ledgerise/08-adapters/01-overview.md).

# adapters overview

Adapters are the only layer in Ledgerise that knows about the outside world. The engine has no built-in knowledge of Paystack, Flutterwave, Zoho Books, or any other system. Adapters are what make the integration possible — and keeping them separate from the engine is what makes the system stable.

***

## two directions

**Inbound adapters** receive raw transaction data from a source system and translate it into the canonical transaction schema that Ledgerise stores internally. Every record entering Ledgerise passes through an inbound adapter.

**Outbound adapters** receive journal entries from the engine and deliver them to a target accounting system. They translate Ledgerise's internal format into whatever the accounting system expects.

Because both directions share the same contract and the same schema, adding support for a new source or destination requires only a new adapter — the journal engine and everything between never changes.

***

## inbound adapter modes

Inbound adapters support four modes, depending on how the source system sends data:

| Mode             | How it works                                                                        | When to use it                                                                                                     |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Webhook**      | Your source system pushes individual transaction events to a URL Ledgerise exposes  | Real-time event-driven integrations where your payment provider or internal system calls a URL on each transaction |
| **File import**  | You upload a flat file (CSV or XLSX) exported from your source system               | Batch imports, legacy systems that export periodic reports, manual one-off loads                                   |
| **Poll**         | Ledgerise calls your source system's API on a schedule and fetches new transactions | Systems that expose an API but do not send webhooks                                                                |
| **Manual entry** | An operator enters a single transaction directly through the UI                     | Edge cases and corrections only — not a substitute for automated ingestion                                         |

***

## built-in adapters

Ledgerise ships with the following adapters:

**Inbound:**

| Adapter           | Mode        | Use case                                                                              |
| ----------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `webhook-adapter` | Webhook     | Generic JSON webhook integration for any system that can push events                  |
| `csv-import`      | File import | CSV and XLSX file uploads from any source                                             |
| `poll-adapter`    | Poll        | Generic JSON API polling for any system that exposes a paginated transaction endpoint |

**Outbound:**

| Adapter       | Use case                                                                          |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `zoho-books`  | Post journal entries directly to Zoho Books via the Zoho Books API                |
| `journal-csv` | Export journal entries as a CSV file for manual import into any accounting system |

***

## how adapters are managed

You enable, disable, and configure adapters in **Settings → Adapters**. Each adapter displays its healthcheck status, last run time, and latency. Credentials are stored encrypted using your `LEDGERISE_CREDENTIALS_KEY`.

→ See [Settings → Adapters](/ledgerise/07-settings/01-adapters.md)

***

## building a custom adapter

All adapters — built-in or custom — implement the same four-method interface: `meta()`, `validate()`, `normalize()`, and `healthcheck()`. If you need to integrate a source or destination system that isn't covered by a built-in adapter, you can build and register a custom one.

→ See [adapter specification](/ledgerise/08-adapters/02-adapter-spec.md) for the technical contract → See [building an adapter](/ledgerise/08-adapters/03-building-an-adapter.md) for a step-by-step walkthrough

***

## adapter pages

* [Adapter specification](/ledgerise/08-adapters/02-adapter-spec.md) — the full interface contract that all adapters must implement
* [Building an adapter](/ledgerise/08-adapters/03-building-an-adapter.md) — a practical walkthrough for developers
* [Generic webhook](/ledgerise/08-adapters/04-generic-webhook.md) — configuring the `webhook-adapter` for your source system
* [Generic CSV import](/ledgerise/08-adapters/05-generic-csv.md) — importing transaction files with the `csv-import` adapter
* [Generic poll](/ledgerise/08-adapters/06-generic-poll.md) — polling an API with the `poll-adapter`
* [Zoho Books](/ledgerise/08-adapters/07-zoho-books.md) — configuring the Zoho Books outbound adapter
* [Journal CSV export](/ledgerise/08-adapters/08-journal-csv-export.md) — exporting journal entries as CSV for manual import