External connections

External connections describe how your application uses another service. Open Connectors to declare its documentation and the access details required for test and production.

Before you start — Prepare the provider documentation and requested test and production access. Identify the business operation that will use the service. Declaration, association and a verified exchange are separate stages.

Declare a service to integrate

Describe the provider and supply its actual documentation and access requirements.

1. Click Add an API connection.
2. Enter External service name.
3. Provide API documentation link, or paste the content in API documentation.
4. Supply the requested Test credentials and Production credentials.
5. Use Add a secret for additional name/value pairs.
6. Click Add.

The declaration is recorded. Documentation or a documentation link is required; a service name alone does not explain the integration.

Review the declared connection

Check the saved provider information and existing associations before further changes.

1. Open the service from the connector list.
2. Read Documentation and the supplied documentation content.
3. Check that test and production access belong to the correct provider accounts.
4. Inspect Linked modules.

Keep credentials in the connection's credential fields rather than a public description or website page.

Attach the service to a business area

Associate the connection with the area responsible for the operation that needs it.

1. Open the business area and its Connector view.
2. Click Add a connector.
3. Choose the existing connection.
4. Click Add.

The association tells the project which area uses the service. One connection can be associated with several areas.

Detach a connection from an area

Review the association to remove and the other uses of the same connection.

1. Open the area's linked connectors.
2. Click Detach for the association concerned.
3. Review the confirmation and click Detach the connector.
4. Check the remaining associations.

The selected association is removed. The connection stays declared in Connectors, and you can attach it again at any time.

Note — Detaching an association is different from removing the connection from the whole project. Declaration and activation states are also different from a successfully tested business workflow. Verify the completed integration before relying on it in production.

One delivery connection may support orders and customer follow-up. Removing its association with one area does not describe the other area’s requirements. Review the remaining links and test the completed exchange in its proper environment before relying on it.

Deactivate or delete a connection

Deactivate a connection to stop your modules using it while keeping its declaration, or delete it to remove it from the project.

1. Open the service from the connector list, then open the Settings tab.
2. Click Activation, check Current state, then click Deactivate (or Activate to turn it back on).
3. To remove it instead, click Deletion, review the confirmation, then click Delete.

A deactivated connection stays declared but is not used by your modules; you can reactivate it at any time. A deleted connection leaves the connector list and is detached from every module that used it.

Resolve a connection-preparation problem