How to Sync Netsea Products and Orders with Jinba

Summary

• The Jinba Netsea tools are read-only catalogue connectors: NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS and NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES return supplier and category data but do not create orders or submit purchase requests.
• Authentication is a single Netsea buyer API key stored as {{secrets.NETSEA_API_TOKEN}}, keeping it out of plain text at runtime.
• NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS requires no input parameters, while NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES uses all_levels: false for top-level categories and true for the full nested hierarchy.
• Route the fetched outputs to Google Sheets or notifications for a live supplier or category reference before adding more complex routing steps.
• Build this YAML-based workflow without custom scripting in Jinba Flow, where secrets and deterministic execution are handled by the platform.

To pull Netsea supplier and category data into a workflow, use the Jinba tools NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS and NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES. Both tools authenticate via a single NETSEA_API_TOKEN. A workflow is complete when that data is retrieved and passed downstream to a destination such as Google Sheets or a notification service.

These two tools cover catalogue data only. Jinba does not currently document an action for order creation or submission against the Netsea Buyer API. The scope here is read access to suppliers and categories, which is the correct starting point for any Netsea automation project.

Get Your Netsea API Token First

Authentication is the primary integration prerequisite. The Netsea Buyer API requires a buyer API key on every request. In Jinba, that key is referenced as NETSEA_API_TOKEN.

To generate it:

1. Create or log in to a buyer account at netsea.jp.
2. Open the account settings and generate a new buyer API key.
3. Copy the key and store it as a secret in Jinba using the reference {{secrets.NETSEA_API_TOKEN}}.

The Netsea Buyer API documentation is explicit that the key must be treated as a secret. Do not commit it to a public repository or expose it in a client-side environment. In Jinba, storing it under secrets ensures it is injected at runtime without appearing in the workflow definition in plain text.

Once the token is in place, every subsequent Netsea tool call in Jinba uses the same configuration block. Authentication does not need to be re-established per step.

Building the Workflow in Jinba

A Jinba workflow is a sequence of steps defined in YAML. Each step has an id, a tool, a config block for secrets and parameters, and an input array for data passed from previous steps. The Netsea tools follow this pattern directly.

Fetch All Suppliers

NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS retrieves the complete list of suppliers available on Netsea. It requires no input parameters beyond the authentication token, which makes it the simplest entry point into a Netsea automation workflow.

- id: get_suppliers
tool: NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS
config:
- name: token
value: "{{secrets.NETSEA_API_TOKEN}}"
input: []

The id field names this step so its output can be referenced by later steps. The config block injects the token using the Jinba secrets reference. The empty input array confirms that this step pulls directly from the Netsea API rather than from an upstream step.

The output is a structured list of suppliers. That list becomes available to any subsequent step in the workflow.

Fetch Product Categories

NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES retrieves the product category structure from Netsea. The key configuration option is all_levels.

Setting all_levels to false returns only top-level categories. Setting it to true returns the full nested hierarchy, including sub-categories at every depth. For most catalogue mapping and routing use cases, true gives a more complete picture. Start with false if the category tree is large and the workflow only needs top-level routing.

- id: get_categories
tool: NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES
config:
- name: token
value: "{{secrets.NETSEA_API_TOKEN}}"
- name: all_levels
value: false
input: []

As with NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS, the input array is empty because this step reads directly from the API. The config block carries both the token and the all_levels flag. Switch the flag to true when the workflow needs to filter or route products by nested category paths rather than broad groupings.

Both steps can run independently or in sequence within the same workflow. If the downstream step joins supplier data with category data, run both fetch steps first and pass their outputs together into the enrichment step.

Route the Data Downstream

Retrieving supplier and category data is the first half of a useful workflow. The second half is routing that data to where it creates value. From the Jinba documentation for Netsea, the standard downstream options include:

• Write to Google Sheets: Create a centralized supplier directory or a category reference table. Downstream steps in the same workflow can write the structured output of NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS directly to a named sheet, giving buying teams a live-updating reference without manual exports.
• Send a notification: Trigger a Slack message or email when the supplier list changes. A reliable first automation to deploy has simple logic and a visible failure mode.
• Feed into a product search workflow: Use the category IDs returned by NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES as filters in a downstream step that searches for products within specific categories from specific suppliers.

An iterative build is effective here. A workflow that writes supplier data to a sheet and sends a notification on completion is a complete, testable unit. More complex routing, such as cross-referencing categories with an internal taxonomy, can be added as a separate step once the foundational fetch-and-write loop is verified.

What These Tools Do Not Cover

The Jinba Netsea tools are scoped to read operations on catalogue data. NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS and NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES do not place orders, submit purchase requests, or interact with order management endpoints.

The Netsea Buyer API documentation documents the full scope of available buyer endpoints. Order submission is not part of the integration surface that Jinba currently exposes. Businesses that need to automate order placement against Netsea suppliers should consult the Buyer API documentation directly and assess whether a custom integration is appropriate for that step.

This is not a limitation that should discourage adoption. Catalogue data synchronization is the correct foundation for any Netsea automation project. A reliable, structured view of available suppliers and product categories is the prerequisite for product sourcing decisions, internal approval workflows, and inventory planning. Building that foundation first avoids the pattern of automating order operations before the upstream catalogue data is accurate and accessible.

Next Steps

The full workflow is four steps:

1. Generate a buyer API key at netsea.jp and store it as {{secrets.NETSEA_API_TOKEN}} in Jinba.
2. Add a NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS step with no input parameters to retrieve the supplier list.
3. Add a NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES step and set all_levels based on whether the workflow needs the full category hierarchy.
4. Connect the output to a Google Sheets write step, a notification step, or both.

Organizations operating in the Japanese B2B e-commerce market can deploy this workflow in a single session. There is no custom scripting required and no additional authentication configuration beyond the single NETSEA_API_TOKEN.

To build the workflow, go to Jinba. For the complete list of available tools and configuration options, see the Jinba documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a Netsea API token for Jinba?

Create or log in to a buyer account at netsea.jp, open the account settings, and generate a new buyer API key. Copy that key and store it as a secret in Jinba using the reference {{secrets.NETSEA_API_TOKEN}}. The token is required for every NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS and NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES step; storing it as a secret keeps it out of plain text.

What does the Jinba Netsea integration actually do?

The Jinba tools NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS and NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES read catalogue data from the Netsea Buyer API. They return a structured list of suppliers and product categories that can be passed downstream to Google Sheets, notifications, or other workflow steps. The current integration does not create orders or submit purchase requests.

Can I automate order placement on Netsea with Jinba?

No, order creation or submission against the Netsea Buyer API is not currently exposed in the Jinba Netsea tools. Both documented tools cover read access to suppliers and categories only. Organizations that need to automate order placement should review the Netsea Buyer API documentation and plan a custom integration for that step.

How do I export Netsea suppliers to Google Sheets?

Add a NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS step with the NETSEA_API_TOKEN and no input parameters. Connect its output to a Google Sheets write step in the same workflow. This produces a live-updating supplier directory without manual exports. A notification step can also be added to alert the team when the sheet is updated.

What does the all_levels option in NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES do?

all_levels controls the depth of the category tree returned by NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES. Set it to false to retrieve only top-level categories or true to return the full nested hierarchy, including sub-categories at every depth. For catalogue mapping and routing, use true; if only top-level routing is required, start with false to keep the response smaller.

Do I need coding skills to build a Netsea workflow in Jinba?

No. Custom scripting is not required. A Jinba workflow is a sequence of YAML-defined steps with an id, a tool, a config block, and an input array. The Netsea supplier and category fetch workflow can be built by copying the documented YAML and updating the secret reference.

Can I run NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS and NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES in the same workflow?

Yes, both tools can run independently or in sequence within the same workflow. If a downstream step requires both supplier and category data, run both fetch steps first and pass their outputs together into the enrichment step. Each step reads directly from the Netsea API, so neither requires the other as an input.

Where can I find documentation for the Netsea Buyer API and Jinba tools?

The Netsea Buyer API documentation is available at api.netsea.jp/docs/buyer/. The Jinba-specific documentation for NETSEA_GET_SUPPLIERS and NETSEA_GET_CATEGORIES is at carnot.mintlify.app/ja/pages/tools/productivity/netsea.