geotab

Geotab Development Guide

This is the unified skill for all Geotab fleet management development. Navigate to the specific reference you need based on your task.

Choosing a Data Channel

Geotab has three ways to get fleet data. Pick based on the task:

Need	Channel	Reference	Speed
Pre-aggregated KPIs (distance, fuel, idle, safety) for dashboards/reports	OData Data Connector	DATA_CONNECTOR.md	~5–11s
Raw entities (trips, devices, GPS, faults) or real-time data	MyGeotab API	API_QUICKSTART.md	~0.5–2s
Natural language questions, ad-hoc exploration	Geotab Ace	ACE_API.md	~30–45s

Key constraints:

• Data Connector requires HTTP Basic Auth on a separate server — not usable from Add-Ins (they only get a session token). Use for server-side scripts, Python apps, and BI tools. Supports $select (column selection) and $filter (row filtering) for server-side query customization. Respects user permissions (group/vehicle scope).
• API is the only channel for real-time data (DeviceStatusInfo) and works everywhere including Add-Ins. Scales well for targeted queries (one vehicle's trips, one device's location), but "fetch all trips for the whole fleet and aggregate in code" doesn't scale to production fleets with thousands of vehicles. Use the Data Connector for fleet-wide KPIs at scale. Respects user permissions (group/vehicle scope).
• Ace is great for exploration but slow, may apply implicit filters, and results can vary between runs. Respects user permissions (group/vehicle scope).
• For trip-level or per-event detail, use the API — the Data Connector only has daily/hourly/monthly aggregates.

Full comparison with benchmarks: DATA_ACCESS_COMPARISON.md

Quick Navigation

Task	Reference	Description
Connect to API	API_QUICKSTART.md	Python authentication, fetching data, entity types
Build Add-Ins	ADDINS.md	Create custom MyGeotab pages (vanilla JS)
Style with Zenith	ZENITH_STYLING.md	React components matching MyGeotab look
AI Queries	ACE_API.md	Natural language fleet queries via Geotab Ace
Data Connector	DATA_CONNECTOR.md	OData API for pre-aggregated KPIs, safety, faults

Reference Files

Core Development

Reference	When to Use
API_QUICKSTART.md	Starting with Geotab API, fetching devices/trips/drivers, Python development
ADDINS.md	Building custom pages in MyGeotab, JavaScript Add-Ins
ZENITH_STYLING.md	Upgrading Add-Ins to professional React UI
ACE_API.md	Natural language queries, trend analysis, AI insights

Data Analysis

Reference	When to Use
DATA_CONNECTOR.md	Pre-aggregated fleet KPIs via OData (daily/hourly/monthly distance, fuel, idle, safety)
SPEED_DATA.md	Working with vehicle speed data, LogRecord queries
TRIP_ANALYSIS.md	Analyzing trip data, fuel efficiency, distance calculations

Add-In Development

Reference	When to Use
EMBEDDED.md	No-hosting Add-In deployment, inline JSON config
EXAMPLES.md	Complete working Add-In code examples
INTEGRATIONS.md	Navigation, email, maps, external APIs
SECURE_BACKEND.md	Securing Cloud Functions called by Add-Ins
STORAGE_API.md	Persisting Add-In data with AddInData
TROUBLESHOOTING.md	Debugging common Add-In issues

Zenith Components

Reference	When to Use
ZENITH_COMPONENTS.md	Detailed Zenith component API reference
ZENITH_EXAMPLE.md	Complete React + Zenith Add-In example

Common Patterns

Authentication (Python)

import mygeotab
from dotenv import load_dotenv
import os

load_dotenv()

api = mygeotab.API(
    username=os.getenv('GEOTAB_USERNAME'),
    password=os.getenv('GEOTAB_PASSWORD'),
    database=os.getenv('GEOTAB_DATABASE'),
    server=os.getenv('GEOTAB_SERVER', 'my.geotab.com')
)
api.authenticate()

Fetching Data (Python)

from datetime import datetime, timedelta

# Get all vehicles
devices = api.get('Device')

# Get trips from last 7 days
trips = api.get('Trip',
    fromDate=datetime.now() - timedelta(days=7),
    toDate=datetime.now()
)

# Get drivers
drivers = api.get('User', search={'isDriver': True})

Add-In Structure (JavaScript)

geotab.addin["your-addin-name"] = function() {
    var apiRef = null;

    return {
        initialize: function(api, state, callback) {
            apiRef = api;
            // Setup code
            callback();  // MUST call!
        },
        focus: function(api, state) {
            // Refresh data
        },
        blur: function(api, state) {
            // Cleanup
        }
    };
};

API Call (JavaScript)

api.call("Get", { typeName: "Device" }, function(devices) {
    console.log("Found " + devices.length + " vehicles");
}, function(error) {
    console.error("Error:", error);
});

Critical Rules

1. Never use typeName: "Driver" - Use User with search: { isDriver: true }
2. Always use date ranges for trips - Never fetch all trips without time bounds
3. Test credentials once before loops - Failed auth locks account 15-30 min
4. External CSS for Add-Ins - Inline <style> tags may be stripped
5. Call callback() in initialize - Or Add-In will hang

Entity Types Quick Reference

Type	Description	Common Use
Device	Vehicles/assets	Fleet inventory
Trip	Completed journeys	Route analysis
User	Users and drivers	Driver management
DeviceStatusInfo	Current location/status	Live tracking
LogRecord	GPS breadcrumbs	Historical routes
StatusData	Sensor readings	Engine diagnostics
ExceptionEvent	Rule violations	Safety monitoring
FaultData	Engine fault codes	Maintenance — varies by demo database
Zone	Geofences	Location monitoring
Group	Organizational hierarchy	Vehicle grouping

See API_QUICKSTART.md for the complete list of 34 entity types.

Getting Started

1. Create demo account: my.geotab.com/registration.html (click "Create a Demo Database")
2. Set up .env file: Store credentials safely
3. Install dependencies: pip install mygeotab python-dotenv
4. Read your first skill: Start with API_QUICKSTART.md

Resources

• Geotab SDK Documentation
• MyGeotab Python Library
• API Reference
• Zenith Storybook
• Demo Database Reference