What is a Data Connector?
Understand what a Data Connector is and how Process designers can interact with a data source from within their ProcessMaker Platform assets such as Screen Builder and Process Modeler.
Overview
In ProcessMaker Platform, a Data Connector connects your ProcessMaker Platform assets to a data source. That data source may be one of the following:
A Representational State Transfer (REST, also RESTful) Application Program Interfaces (APIs)
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) via an XML WSDL file
After a Data Connector is created and configured, Process designers can reference the data source via the Data Connector from within their ProcessMaker Platform assets. Each Data Connector is configured with which data source that Data Connector interacts, making it easy for Process designers to interact with technical data sources such as REST(ful) APIs and SOAP services. Incorporating data from external data sources helps you make business decisions from information outside of your ProcessMaker Platform instance.
Below are a few ways to use Data Connectors:
In Screen Builder, use the records in a Collection as Select List control options in a Screen.
In Screen Builder, use the response from a third-party API endpoint as Select List control options in a Screen. See an example.
While modeling a Process, place a Data Connector connector into your Process model to automatically access records from a Collection records or access external data from a third-party data source to incorporate new information into Requests started from your Process. After this external data has been incorporated into Requests, make business decisions based on that data.
Data Connectors use Resources with which to interact with a data source.
Video Demonstration
See how Data Connectors call third-party Application Program Interfaces (APIs), and then use that data in Processes.
Related Topics
pageWhat is a Resource?pageManage Data ConnectorspageView Data ConnectorspageCreate a New Data ConnectorpageSearch for a Data ConnectorpageEdit a REST-Type Data ConnectorpageDelete a Data ConnectorpageExample: Data Connector Provides Options in a Select List ControlLast updated