Connections
To build an integration on App Xchange, connections need to be established to the products or applications between which data will be transferred.
Each connector on the platform may include a formal definition of what constitutes a connection to its connected product or application. In these cases, we can leverage that definition to enable certain features and behaviors on the platform like different types of authentication, or testing connections before executing the flows which depend on them.
Terminology
Connector: The connector is an intermediary between the App Xchange platform and an external product, database, or application. It enables integrations to be built by facilitating interactions with those products or applications.
Connection: A connection definition is built into a connector to define exactly what is needed for a user to connect their connector. A connection may be utilized by a user entering values based on that definition (e.g. credentials) and enabling it for their account using the Connect button in the connection edit drawer.
Connected: The Connect button performs a test of the connection details entered by a user and, if no problems are encountered, makes that connection available for use to any workspaces in their account. A connection may be assigned to a workspace even if not connected (to enable preloading or bypassing transient connection test errors if needed); but disconnecting a connection will deactivate it across the account. Note that only the user who owns a connection may assign it to a workspace. Be careful when changing the connection assigned to a workspace: if the new connection does not work, it may be necessary to contact the owner of the preferred connection to assign it back. The App Xchange team is evaluating a new feature that would allow a user to make a connection available to other users; please let us know if this is needed.
Connections Page
A list of connections belonging to an account may be viewed on the Connections page:
This page includes a list of connections available to use by the account, and provides details including the connector and connection name, latest test date, and other properties.
To view the details of an individual connection, select the connection name from the list.
This view provides details on a connection including its name, the connector it enables, and other fields which vary depending on the connector being used. In general, this may include properties like the URL of an API or the type of authentication employed by the connector. Private fields, often including credentials like an API key or user login and password, are viewable and editable only to the user who owns or initially prepared the connection.
In addition, this view provides details on connection activity and usage, including the workspaces the connection is used in.
The Test button will initiate a test of the connection to confirm any expected behavior. The Disconnect option provided will deactivate the connection in every workspace it is currently used in.
In the context of a particular workspace, the Integrations view lists the connectors in use therein. If a connector includes a formal connection definition, the status of its connection will also be indicated.
To manage the connection being used on the 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.