>Hi,
>
>I need to understand (and learn) a .NET technology that would be used as follows:
>
>Some 3P software has to add record(s) to a table in SQL Server database. Then my application will "deal" with this record(s) (this is not relevant to the question). I may need to "tell" the 3P software how the data from their program will go to the database. Will I need to build Web Services to consume their data/messages? (not sure if "consume" is the right term though). Or another technology?
>
>What technology should I look at and learn?
>
>TIA

I'm with Craig and Rob. Web API - easy to use from a variety of clients using Json or XML.
Use attribute routing rather than mapping....