docs/8.0/ayanova/docs/form-ay-report-edit.md

@@ -254,7 +254,70 @@ You should not store a static copy of an API Bearer access token or hard code it
 
 While it is possible to login via a script using alternate credentials and access the API with alternative access to the current logged in user, this opens a security hole as you would need to hard code credentials into the report script and is **absolutely NOT recommended**.
 
-The following is a simple example of access the API via a Helper to retrieve a value:
+### API convenience functions
+
+Two functions are provided with the report to assist with API usage from your ayPrepareData custom function:
+
+*GET*
+
+The ayGetFromAPI function works with GET routes in the API:
+
+```async function ayGetFromAPI(route, token) {...```
+
+
+*POST*
+
+The ayPostToAPI function works with POST routes in the API:
+
+```async function ayPostToAPI(route, token, data) {...```
+
+
+*Parameters*
+
+The `route` parameter should be the complete route to the api method required and can be constructed from the meta data provided to the report, for example to fetch data from the `server-info` API route:
+```let route=`${reportData.ayServerMetaData.ayApiUrl}server-info`;```
+
+The `token` parameter is the authorization token provided in the Client data as follows:
+```let token=reportData.ayClientMetaData.Authorization;```
+
+The `data` parameter of a POST route differs for each route and is documented in the developer's API documentation.
+
+The following is an example of accessing the API with both a GET and POST action:
+
+```
+async function ayPrepareData(reportData) {
+   
+    //Example API GET method 
+    //to fetch data from API server 
+    //using the "server-info" route
+
+    let route=`${reportData.ayServerMetaData.ayApiUrl}server-info`;
+
+    //Add the data to the main report data object 
+    //so it's available to the template
+    reportData.myData=
+    {
+        ServerInfo:await ayGetFromAPI(
+            route, 
+            reportData.ayClientMetaData.Authorization
+        )
+    };
+
+    //Example API POST method to fetch data from api server
+    //using the "search" route
+    route=`${reportData.ayServerMetaData.ayApiUrl}search`;
+
+    //construct the POST object 
+    let searchPostData={phrase: "Fish"};
+
+    reportData.myData.SearchResults = await ayPostToAPI(
+        route, 
+        reportData.ayClientMetaData.Authorization,
+        searchPostData
+    );
+    return reportData;
+}
+```