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## Overview

This guide will cover the common patterns that Loan Origination System partners use to integrate with Blend, and point you to all the resources you need to enact those patterns for your LOS.

## LOS Patterns

There are 3 main patterns for LOS integrations:

  1. One-way to Blend

  2. One-way from Blend

  3. Two-way

One-way integrations can either send an application to Blend that was started in the LOS or get an application started in Blend and add it to the LOS. The LOS does not receive updates as the consumer moves through stages of the transaction in Blend or if the consumer's data is updated in Blend.

One-way to Blend integrations are the easiest to set-up, but less featureful for customers. 

Two-way integrations both post data into Blend AND receive updates on consumers and applications if the information is updated or as they move through the transaction. This maintains a consistent picture of the consumer and the transaction in both systems.

## One-Way Integration to Blend Walkthrough

One-way integrations to Blend are usually initiated from the LOS's side, either by allowing users to manually trigger sending a consumer's information to Blend, or automatically triggering the integration to Blend based on logic in the LOS (initial app created or follow-ups needed e.g.).

Follow the steps on the [Create a New Home Lending Application](🔗) page to create an application and add consumer parties' to the application.

Once the information has been sent to Blend, the LOS will not get updates about changes to any of this information in Blend.

## One-Way Integration from Blend Walkthrough

This pattern takes the most work for the smallest pay-off, so it's not really a worthwhile integration pattern in and of itself. However, if most of your applications originate in Blend, and then need to be synced back to the LOS, this the first step on the way to a full-fledged 2-way integration where the application starts in Blend, and it can be helpful to understand how to reach this stepping stone on the way to the big payoff. 

One-way integrations from Blend are initiated by Blend via Event Notifications. Blend's event notifications utilize standard [webhook](🔗) architecture. In order to receive Blend Event Notifications, you will have to create an endpoint that can receive and parse the events, and contact Blend in order to get your subscription set up properly. 

See [Getting Started with Blend Events](🔗) for how to get setup receiving event notifications. For this use case you'll subscribe to the Application Submitted event.

Once you are receiving the Application Submitted event, you will need to call out to Blend's APIs to get the application file in order to import that event into the LOS. See the [Export a Home Lending Application](🔗) page for how to export a mortgage application data file to upload to your LOS.

In the final system, the process will look like this: 

  1. LOS gets an Application Submitted event notification

  2. LOS calls Blend's API to export the application data file

  3. LOS create the application in it's systems

  4. LOS calls Blend's API to update the LOS ID for that application

Once the information has been sent to Blend, the LOS will not get updates about changes to any of this information in Blend until it subscribes to more events. 

## Two-Way Integration Walkthrough

Two-way LOS integrations can start in the LOS or in Blend following the patterns above. However, like the One-way from Blend pattern, Two-way LOS Integrations further leverage Event Notifications to track when changes occur in Blend and make updates in the LOS.

## Applications start in the LOS

Applications that start in the LOS will create an application in Blend the same as the One-Way to Blend integrations. 

However, in order to get structured updates on when changes occur, you will also need to subscribe to the appropriate Event Notifications.

Blend's Event Notifications utilize standard [webhook](🔗) architecture. In order to receive Blend Event Notifications, you will have to create an endpoint that can receive and parse the events, and contact Blend in order to get your subscription set up properly. 

See [Getting Started with Blend Events](🔗) for how to get setup receiving event notifications, and [Events Schemas & Definitions](🔗) to select which events you need to subscribe to. Unlike the One-way from Blend Integrations, you will not use the Application Submitted event. 

Once you are receiving Event Notifications, you will need to write logic on the LOS side to decide what to do with those events. Usually you want to get documents, update the consumers' information, or reimport the application into the LOS.

You'll make use of these instructions: 

  • [Export Documents](🔗)

  • [Export a Home Lending Application](🔗)

In the final system, the process will look like this: 

  1. LOS creates an application in Blend

  2. Consumers use Blend and update some of their information

  3. LOS gets an event notification that consumers information has been updated

  4. LOS calls Blend's API to get the information that needs to be updated and makes the changes in it's systems

  5. Consumers submit documents

  6. LOS gets an event notification that documents have been submitted

  7. LOS calls Blend's APIs to get the documents

  8. LOS loads document into it's system

  9. Significant changes are made to the application in Blend

  10. LOS gets an event notification that application information has been updated

  11. LOS calls Blend's APIs to export the application data file

  12. LOS reimports the application into it's system to update the application

  13. The application gets funded 

  14. The LOS calls Blend's APIs to archive the application

## Applications start in Blend

One-Way from Blend integrations simply need to subscribe to more events and build the logic to support them in order to become a Two-Way integration.

Once you are receiving Event Notifications, you will need to write logic on the LOS side to decide what to do with those events. Usually you want to get documents, update the consumers' information, or reimport the application. 

You'll make use of these instructions: 

  • [Export Documents](🔗)

  • [Export a Home Lending Application](🔗)

In the final system, the process will look like this: 

  1. LOS gets an Application Submitted event notification

  2. LOS calls Blend's API to export the application data file

  3. LOS create the application in it's systems

  4. LOS calls Blend's API to update the LOS ID for that application

  5. Consumers use Blend and update some of their information

  6. LOS gets an event notification that consumers information has been updated

  7. LOS calls Blend's API to get the information that needs to be updated and makes the changes in it's systems

  8. Consumers submit documents

  9. LOS gets an event notification that documents have been submitted

  10. LOS calls Blend's APIs to get the documents

  11. LOS loads document into it's system

  12. Significant changes are made to the application in Blend

  13. LOS gets an event notification that application information has been updated

  14. LOS calls Blend's APIs to export the application data file

  15. LOS reimport the application into it's system to update the application

  16. The application gets funded 

  17. The LOS calls Blend's APIs to archive the application

Identifying Application Source

Make sure to include applicationSource 'type' and 'name' values when you create applications in Blend via a POST home-lending/applications call, this way your Employee teams operating in Blend will be able to use this information to distinguish applications that originated in your CRM or LOS from those they originated in Blend.

For more information, please see the API Schema Reference for [POST home-lending/applications](🔗).

## Additional Information

If you want to allow Lenders or Bankers to seamlessly move between the LOS and Blend, see  [Leveraging Lender SSO for Integrations](🔗).