4.5. Connectors
A connector is a simplified layer above one or a series of channels. It is like a (or multiple) predefined channel(s) with only a few holes to fill. The goal of a connector is to simplify and speed up the integration process by avoiding the end-user to build the integration from scratch. Once the connector has been set up and installed, it will automatically create all the related channels needed for the integration with the parameters exposed and filled by the user.
The connector will be as generic as possible to allow onboarding multiple customers.
One of the most used examples of such a connector is PDF2XML where the customer has only to upload and extract some fields from its PDF invoice to a set of pre-defined fields to integrate its invoice.
The connector definition can be built by any team and changes on the connector definition itself (e.g. change in the transformation) can be released any time (no dependency on Babelway team).
Glossary
This document will use extensively these two concepts:
- Connector definition: The definition of the connector which is in the form of a ZIP file containing all the channels + the steps and parameters that the user will go through when he uses the connector.
Typically, the user responsible to build the connector definition is a user with a very good knowledge of Babelway and the overall business which allows him to find a common integration flow (i.e. similar channels in Babelway) and define/build a connector that will be used by many buyers or sellers.
- Connector: Instance of one connector definition.
Connector will be used by buyers/sellers willing to integrate to Tradeshift, with a very poor knowledge of Babelway but thanks to the concept of connector, they will be able to fill the few parameters needed for the integration, without seeing/understanding specific concept of Babelway (channels, transformation, …)
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4.5.1. Connectors - Walkthrough, Example