Automating With LendingTree.com Steps and procedures when integrating Lenders IT Systems with LendingTree.com This Document This document describes technologies and processes that enable a Lender to electronically integrate their IT systems with LendingTree. This document provides generic information that pertains to all Automation Integrations and would be accompanied by a more specific Integration Document. Intended Audience This document provides information that will allow a Lender to determine how they will be able to integrate their systems with LendingTree in an effort to streamline and enhance their relationship with LendingTree. The document describes the prerequisites needed for a LendingTree integration and information needed to allow the lender to determine when they would be ready to begin a LendingTree Automation Integration. Terms and Conventions Used In This Document A table containing common terms and conventions used throughout this document may be found on the very last page of this document. Table Of Contents
- Opening Page ( this page )
- Introduction to LendingTree Automations
- LendingTree Automations Prerequisites
- Data Formats Available For Automations
- Automations Interfaces Currently Available
- Beginning the Automations Process
- The LendingTree Referral Process
- IP Address Information
- Terms and Conventions
Introduction to LendingTree Automations “Automations” is a term that LendingTree uses to describe a real time electronic integration with the LendingTree system. LendingTree Automations allow a Lender to receive referred QF data in an electronic fashion. Automations generally allow a lender to receive pertinent QF information much faster than they would using any other communication means provided by LendingTree; such as e-mail or by using the LendingTree Lenderweb APEX application.
All integrations between a Lenders system and LendingTree occur via a standard HTTP POST; such as is found in many web services in use today, utilizing SSL encryption. Prior to beginning the automations process, a Lender should confirm that they have a public facing server capable of receiving an HTTP Post. This server must be secured with a valid SSL Certificate from a trusted provider prior to the Lender going live in production.
LendingTree Automations Prerequisites The lender should confirm that they will be able to meet the requirements that are needed to integrate with LendingTree. The requirements that are needed to integrate with LendingTree are as follows;
· Lender must have a server that is accessible on the Internet. · Lenders server must be able to receive and process an HTTPS Post · Lenders server must have an SSL Certificate signed by a trusted CA · Lender should confirm their servers can receive posts from LendingTree servers. IP Address information can be found below · During integration and testing, a technical contact will be needed to coordinate activities between the lender and LendingTree. · This technical contact must have the resources to develop all code that will be needed to allow the lenders systems to work with the LendingTree HTTPS POST. LendingTree does not and can not provide lender with any software or code to enable this integration.
Data Formats Available For Automations There are currently 2 primary data formats a lender may utilize when integrating with LendingTree. The primary data format and most commonly used is XML or Extensible Markup Language. The other data format available to a lender is CGI or Common Gateway Interface. CGI is the oldest data format offered to lenders by LendingTree for integration purposes and provides considerably less information than the more frequently used XML data format. A third data format is available for lenders to use and this is the DU or Desktop Underwriting data format. This format allows a lender to produce an industry standard DU file that may be directly opened inside of Calyx Point or Encompass. The DU file is delivered to the Lender inside of an XML payload. More information about these three data formats can be found by performing a search on the Internet. Information about the Fannie Mae Desktop Underwriting file format can be found by consulting your LOS vendor.
Automations Interfaces Currently Available LendingTree currently offers the following Automation interfaces. A Lender may utilize as many of these interfaces as they would like. · 1 Way CGI ( LendingTree to Lender ) · 1 Way XML ( LendingTree to Lender ) · LenderResponse – CGI ( Lender to LendingTree ) · LenderResponse – XML ( Lender to LendingTree ) · Automated Funding – XML ( Lender to LendingTree ) Both 1 Way interfaces are designed for the sole purpose of sending the QF data to the lender. Both LenderResponse interfaces allow a lender to decision a lead with their own internal systems and generate a POST back to LendingTree that contains the Offer details. These offer details are then sent to the borrower and accessible to the lender inside of Lenderweb APEX. The Automated Funding interface allows a lender is POST funding information to LendingTree in real time, thereby eliminating the monthly chore of manually reporting funded loans. QF reassignment, also known as LO Reassignment, is only available when the lender is posting a decision back to LendingTree. There is currently no interface that allows a Lender to only reassign a QF.
Beginning the Automations Process Before a Lender may begin the Automations Process, they will need to consult their LendingTree Account Manager and request that an Automation Ticket be opened. Once an Automation ticket is submitted by the lenders Account Manager, a member of the LTS Automations staff will be assigned to the ticket. This staff member will be the lenders primary point of contact for all Automation Integration activities. Once the lenders Automation is complete and in production, the lender should then contact LTS for all support issues and not directly contact the staff member who assisted with the integration. During integration, all testing should be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. Once the lender completed testing their integration, the lender would then schedule a time to “Go Live”. Please note that LendingTree does not activate lenders on Friday, Saturday or Sunday due to a lack of on-site staff available to troubleshoot any production issues that may arise. It has been our experience that many of these Automations projects are typically completed within two to three weeks. Lenders should note that an Automations ticket may be cancelled at the discretion of the LTS Automation staff member that is currently responsible for the ticket.
The LendingTree Referral Process The Automation process integrates with the LendingTree referral process in the following manner;
As can be seen in the attached diagram, the Automation process extends the normal LendingTree referral process by initiating a post to the lender once the QF is initially referred to the lender. Even though a lender is automated, they are still able to access the QF details in Lenderweb APEX. The lender may decision the QF by either initiating a LenderResponse POST to LendingTree or by logging into Lenderweb APEX and manually Decisioning the lead.
This information is for lenders that further secure their systems by restricting access to servers based on IP addresses. This information is intended to be read by the lenders networking personnel who would be responsible for the configuration of firewalls and intrusion detection systems. LendingTree IP Address Information | LendingTree will typically send an Automations POST to a Lender from a number of servers. While most servers and services remain stationary in our environment, we do, from time to time, reallocate our systems. It is because of this that we ask lenders who are looking to restrict access to their systems to allow traffic from the following Class C address space, which LendingTree owns.
12.152.18.* or 12.152.18.0-255 However, some lenders may not want to allow traffic from such a wide net of IP addresses, in this case, the lender would need to allow traffic from the following list of IP Addresses. - 12.152.18.209
- 12.152.18.210
- 12.152.18.219
- 12.152.18.220
Please note that during testing, an Automations POST may come from the following IP Address, which is the public address of one of our Implementation servers.
| LendingTree IP Address Information | During implementation and testing, as well as once the automation is in production, the following Ports configurations will be needed. For 1 Way CGI and 1 Way XML, the following ports need to accept traffic sent from LendingTree. For the Automated Funding interface, the lenders systems need to be able to communicate with LendingTree over the following port. For all LenderResponse interfaces, the lenders systems need to be able to communicate with LendingTree over the following port. |
Terms and Conventions | Automation | A process of delivering information in real time to an external system. | Integration | The seamless communication between two separate computing systems. | QF | Qualification Form. Borrower and Loan data collecting by LendingTree. | HTTP | A communication method used to transfer information over the Internet. | POST | An HTTP information transfer method. | SSL | Secure Sockets Layer – a method of encrypting data on the Internet. |
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