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:

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

Reference Files

Core Development

Data Analysis

Add-In Development

Zenith Components

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

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