Connections
Connections are necessary for moving data to and from your target product.
Connections bundle everything needed to authorize App Xchange to access the target product of a connector. App Xchange leverages connections to enable certain features and behaviors on the platform, like different types of authentication or testing connections before executing the flows that depend on them. You must establish connections in your workspace to the products or applications between which data will be transferred.
Below is an example of a green, successful connection and red, disconnected or unsuccessful connection. If there is no icon or status on the right of a connector’s row, the connector is using the legacy Connector Registration Configuration accessed by clicking on the connector name.
Create a New Connection
Follow these steps to add the connection to the connector in your workspace. Be careful when changing the connection initially assigned to a workspace. If the new connection does not work, you must contact the owner of the preferred connection to reassign the original connection.
Navigate to the Account > Workspaces page.
Select the appropriate workspace and choose Integrations in the left pane.
Select + Add Connection for a compatible connector. The Workspace Connection drawer opens.
4. Select Create New to create a new connection. Alternatively, you can select Assign Existing to choose a pre-existing connection you own.
5. If the connection has a base connection associated with it, select it in the Base Connection field. This is used as a starting point to create the connection. App Xchange adds the connection definition.
6. Use the Select connection definition dropdown to select the appropriate connection definition from the authentication options.
7. Enter the Connection Details and select Connect.
App Xchange creates the new connection. It is now available under the Assign Existing tab. Use this tab to reassign the connection if it has been disconnected or if you want to reuse the connection details already created.
Connection Results
When a user creates a new connection, that connection is now connected. That means the connection is successfully tested and available for use on any valid connector registration to which you have access. A connection that is connected does not need to be tested for each connector.
A connection is owned by the user who created it. That means the connection is usable in all workspaces owned by that user's account. Other users on that account can view the connection but cannot edit it or view private fields like credentials (as defined by the associated connector).
If the connection employs an authentication method with an OAuth grant type or flow, it must incorporate an OAuth client. An OAuth client is owned by the user who created it and is available to that user's account and to the connection for which it is prepared.
A user who is an integration provider (typically with an App Xchange for Products license) may create a new connection to be used by a workspace deployed on behalf of another account. For example, when a user buys a prebuilt App Xchange integration on the Trimble Marketplace, the integration provider typically deploys a managed workspace on behalf of that user. The integration provider also typically prepares a new connection for them to use in that workspace.
In this scenario, the integration provider owns the new connection. It is available for both the provider's account and the integration customer's managed workspace. The integration customer may also create their own connection for use by their account, including any workspaces managed by the integration provider.
Note: The properties or details of a connection may vary, for example, based on the authorization method employed by the API of the connected product or application.
Connection Management
To manage a connection being used on your workspace, select the connection name.
The preferences (gear) icon on this view includes options to change the connection used or to remove the connection from the integrations in the workspace.
Select Manage to bring up the connection details in your account.
This view displays the connection name, the connector it enables, and its connection details. Connection details may include properties like the URL of an API or the type of authentication employed by the connector. Private fields such as API keys or user passwords are only viewable and editable by the user who owns or initially prepared the connection. The sidebar displays connection activity and usage details, including the workspaces and accounts that use the connection.
You can connect, disconnect, or test the connection from the connection details page. Testing the connection leverages whatever method the connector builder chose to confirm its authentication credentials. Disconnecting a connection deactivates it for all the workspaces in the right pane using that connection. Selecting Connect connects it to all the workspaces listed in the right pane using the connection.
View Available Connections and Clients
The Connections page displays all connections and OAuth clients that belong to your account.
The Connections tab includes a list of connections that belong to your account. For each connection, it details the connector name, connection name, the user who created it, the status, the test result, and the latest test date.
You can use the search bar and the Account Connections and External Connections filters to find a specific connection. Select any connection to view its connection details page.
The OAuth Clients tab includes a list of OAuth Clients that belong to your account. For each client, it details the name, connector, connector definition, and whether or not it is public.
You can use the search bar to find a specific client. Select any client name to configure it. Select the Trash Can icon to delete a client.
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