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Question

Difference between Access Token and Developer Token

  • May 22, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 18 views
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Hello all!

I'd like to lead off with I am not developer, but rather a consultant trying to build a work flow in a tool called Alteryx that will automatically pull data from a Box account. I am clearly out of my depth dealing with APIs.

 

I am currently the editor of a folder that is updated monthly. I have created a workflow in Alteryx (an ETL tool) that does the following:

  • Uses the api.box.com/oauth2/token POST request to generate an access token
  • Uses the folder and file APIs to pull data from my account

When I use the access token generated by the first step above, I receive a "404 not found" error.

However, when I use the developer token as found in the app configuration page, everything works as intended. The problem is that this developer token expires every 60 minutes and must be refreshed manually. Obviously this is not ideal when we want an automated solution.

I have authorized the app and set the app's access level to "App + Enterprise Access"

Does anybody have any advice on what I may be doing wrong here? I believe I need to generate some sort of access token, but nothing that I've tried seems to work.

Thank you,

John

    4 replies

    C
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    Hi, 

    This may be happening based on the application type you created. May I have the client id? 

    Alex, Box Developer Advocate

    C
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    Alex,

    Here is my app's client ID: 

    plnrcc2ga76wxgbj6uvsg0ueexs54e9c

    - John

    C
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    Looks like this is a client credentials applications... which means tokens generated will be for a service account... not your user... have collaborated the service account into the folder you are accessing? 

     

    C
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    Alex,

    Thank you for that link. I was able to add the service account as a collaborator within the folder that I wish to pull data from. I ran my workflow and everything worked as desired.

    Hopefully this helps anybody that might find themselves in the position I found myself in.

    • App Access Level: App + Enterprise Access
    • I used this API and values to get my credentials:
    • https://api.box.com/oauth2/token
    • client_id
    • client_secret
    • grant_type = client_credentials
    • box_subject_id = enterprise_id (found under General Settings for the app)
    • box_subject_type = enterprise

    The above API call gave me an access_token that I was able to use to pull data from my Box account.

     

     

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