Connectivity Tools
These tools are in beta and are currently being rolled out.
Please contact the Cyclr Support Desk if you have any feedback you wish to share when using them.
Introduction
These tools make use of Cyclr’s Connectors framework to expose features you can use in your integrations. As a result, including them in your integrations counts towards the number of Connectors you have in use.
They are all available within Cyclr’s Builder under Utility Connectors:
Connectivity Tool | Purpose |
Enables creation of ad-hoc HTTP calls, without needing to use an existing Connector or create a new Custom Connector. | |
Enables creation of ad-hoc Webhook Steps and - optionally - related Synchronous Response Steps. | |
Allows you to link 2 integrations together. |
Quick Connector > HTTP Request
The HTTP Request step allows you to make an HTTP request to a specified host. This means that, instead of requesting a method from the Cyclr Support Team, you have the option of creating a custom method yourself for a particular purpose.
You can use an HTTP Request step for individual cases, such as to create a custom method for a single use, to go to a single endpoint, or to retrieve a specific set of data.
If you want a Connector with more customization options, or for more extensive use, see the documentation on how to create a Custom Connector.
Setup
The HTTP Request step has four different tabs in the Step setup popup to configure the method. You can use the Previous and Next buttons at the bottom of the popup to switch between the tabs.
Changes are only saved when the Create button on the final Authenticate/Finish tab is clicked.
You can use the following fields to set up and configure your custom method.
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Name | Name the method to help you identify it. |
Description | A description of the method. |
Method Type | Select a type of method you want to create from the dropdown menu. |
Endpoint | Enter the endpoint for the method call. |
Authentication Type | Select the type of authentication you want to use from the dropdown menu. Note: If choosing API Key, Cyclr will insert the value as an HTTP Header. It’s not currently possible for this to be provided in the URL or QueryString. |
Authentication Values | Depending on the Authentication Type that you select, Cyclr might display fields for you to select which authentication values the connector requires to authenticate. |
Add Method
You can paste JSON data into the JSON Request box. Cyclr uses this data to generate fields for the method. To respond to a webhook, you need to add fields to the step.
Cyclr returns the response as JSON, XML, or form encoded data. Use the Accept HTTP header in the request to specify which.
Authenticate/Finish
The Authenticate/Finish tab provides fields for you to enter your authentication values and authenticate the step. These fields change dependent on the Authentication Type and Authentication Values that you select on the Setup tab.
For more information on authenticating connectors, you can view the Authentication section of the Cyclr documentation.
When working with an API that uses Bearer Tokens for authentication:
set the Authentication Type to “API Key”.
set the API Key Header to “Authorization”.
on the Authenticate/Finish tab set the API Key to “Bearer[space]YOUR_API_KEY“, e.g.:
Bearer 0000-000-0000-000-00000
Select the Create button on this tab to save any changes that you’ve made to the HTTP Request step. Cyclr displays a spinner with the message “Creating Quick Connector”. When the creation of the step completes, you are directed to the Field Mapping tab.
Field Mapping
The Field Mapping tab is only visible after you add a method and select Next on that tab. When you configure your HTTP Request step, you can map the fields in the same way as a standard method step.
For more information, see the Cyclr documentation on how to map fields.
Event Triggers > Webhook
The new Webhook step allows you to set up a webhook from inside the builder. This means that you don't have to set up a Generic Webhook utility connector. Instead, you can define the fields within the webhook step to create a webhook for a specific cycle.
The Webhook step uses the Generic Webhook Connector’s functionality, which means that Connector is referenced.
The Event Triggers' Webhook Step only supports JSON.
For a Webhook step that supports XML and uses field auto-discovery, see the Generic Webhook Connector.
Setup
You can set up the Webhook step from the integration template builder:
Select and drag the Webhook step from the Tools section of the right sidebar.
Select the Step Setup cog icon on the Webhook step to configure it for your cycle.
The first field is the Webhook URL, which is automatically filled with the default value. You can't edit this value in the step, but you can select Copy to copy the value.
To generate the fields you want to use, enter data into the Paste JSON box.
Once you have the data, select Save to create the fields.
When successful, the application displays a message that says: Fields created successfully. If the data isn't in the correct format, the application alerts you with the following error message: Error encountered trying to generate custom fields.
Since the Webhook step doesn't store the values that you enter but generates custom data from your field mapping, the application may change the format and example values in the Paste JSON box.
Field Mapping
After you generate the fields for the Webhook step with JSON, you can map these fields in subsequent steps in the cycle, according to how you want the webhook step to function. You map these fields in the same way as a standard method step. For more information, see the Cyclr documentation on how to map fields.
Example
For example, you can enter data such as the following into the Paste JSON box in the Webhook step setup:
{
"field1": 1,
"field2": "example"
}If you then connect another step, such as a Decision step, to the webhook step, you can select Webhook as the source, and the Field dropdown shows the fields you created.
Linking > Link To/From
Templates (and Cycles) can be linked by adding a Link To step that will act as the sending template, then configuring it by defining a payload for field mapping and selecting a template to link to (the receiving template).
Once this step is configured, a Link From step will be available in the selected receiving template builder tools, which must be added to the receiving template to complete the link.
Notes on use
Templates can be chained, A to B to C, or follow branching by using multiple Link To steps in a single template, A to B, A to C, or a combination of both.
When updating payload schemas in Link To steps in sending templates, the Link From step in the receiving template must be updated to use the new schema.
Likewise, when a receiving template has a new release, the Link To step in the sending template will need to be updated too, to link to the new receiving template release. So when promoting releases to Live, it's best to work backwards starting with the outermost receiving template.