Inbound Integration - Bringing data into WorkSpan

Table of Contents

- What is Inbound Integration
     - Modes of Data Import
- Types of Inbound Integration
- How does Integration work in WorkSpan?
- Managing Staging Tables in WorkSpan
- Components of the File / API-based integration
   - Auto-create 
   - Auto-Link
   - Manually Add/Link from Staging table
- Managing File Loads / API Loads 
   - Inbound Integration - Add from CRM
   - Inbound Integration - Link to CRM/ Staging table 

- Inbound Integration - Email-based file uploads 

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What is Inbound Integration?

Inbound integration allows data to transfer from external applications into WorkSpan seamlessly. 

Modes of Data Import

WorkSpan supports the following modes to bring data into various Objects.

Through Staging Table into WorkSpan Objects

• File-Based Integration Load - File/Report-based Integration through the WorkSpan Integration Configuration.
• API-Based Integration Load - API-based Integration to bring data from external applications through middleware and the WorkSpan Integration Configuration.

Types of Inbound Integration

• File-Based (.xlsx, .csv and .json supported)
• Multiple input locations such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Onedrive are supported.
• API-Based Integration
• Prebuilt connectors are available on SoftwareAG WebMethods and Microsoft Power Automate.
• Email-Based upload of files to Integrations

How does Integration work in WorkSpan?

• The Integration Configuration is the target for source systems sending data through the WorkSpan API or when a user manually uploads a file.
• The Loaded data lands in the staging table and is either auto-created or hosted securely in the staging table until a user acts.
• A user might
• Add a staging table object as a WS object. When an addition happens the WS object is “linked” / connected to the Staging table object.
• Link an existing pre-pipeline WS object to a staging table object.
• One Staging table object can be “linked” to multiple WS objects.

Managing Staging Tables in WorkSpan

• Staging Tables in WS act as a secure location to store external application data

• Data can be distributed to various sales plans within WorkSpan based on AutoCreate and AutoLink policies.
• Set up security on who can access rows in the Staging table.
• Mapping configuration represents the mapping between the staging table and an object template (the data model and configuration of the object in WorkSpan)
• One staging table can be mapped to multiple templates, thus enabling one integration to fuel multiple Partner Programs within WorkSpan.
• Application users are required to give access to applications to perform read and write operations on data in WorkSpan
• Security profiles can be set on the application user to control access.

Note: Only required for API Based Integration

• An Inbound Integration Configuration represents the Integration setup of the gateway to getting data into WorkSpan
• The Configuration is attached to a staging table to facilitate the data flow.
• This Configuration is also referenced on Middleware Recipes as the target of the recipes.

Components of the File / API-based integration

• Auto-Create 

• Auto-Creating is the ability to automatically create objects in WorkSpan when objects are loaded into the staging table.
• Policies will trigger the creation or update of an object in the staging table.

• Auto-Link

• Auto-Linking is the ability to link any child level 1-O in WorkSpan to a top-level 1-O object. For e.g., Opportunities with Sales Plans.
• Policies will trigger the creation or update of an object in WorkSpan.
• Applies for creates and updates through the UI and for creates and updates through integration.

• Manually Add/Link from Staging table

• Users can review opportunities in staging and add a net new opportunity from the staging table using a Manual Add action. 
• Users can link pre-pipeline objects created in WorkSpan to an object from an external system in the staging table.

Managing File Loads / API Loads

• Data is Imported into the Staging Table
• Summary Details Tab shows the details of the integration
• History tab shows the execution details of an integration job
• Data can be imported using a file by clicking on “Import Data”
• Data can also be emailed using the Integration Email

Note: Post-integration, you have to set up policies, for instance, Auto-Create + Auto-Link policies to make their way from Staging tables to WorkSpan objects (e.g., Lead, Opportunity, etc.) automatically.

Inbound Integration - Add from CRM

• The User can navigate to an object landing page and add an opportunity from CRM.
• Alternatively, the user can perform this action from the context of a parent object.
• This action will take them to the staging table where they can view the objects loaded by an integration.

• The Staging Table contains all the objects brought in through an integration.
• There are indicators on the opportunity to highlight if an opportunity is already added/linked to in WorkSpan.
• Search Filters can be used to narrow down the search results.
• The Dashboard accommodates for customization of the columns, column order, and filters.
• Multiple data sources can be visualized using this dashboard.

• Once an Object is chosen to be added, the flow will progress to add additional details to the Opportunity
• Parent Object Links if any
• Template that will be applied to create the opportunity
• People that the object will be added to

Inbound Integration - Link to CRM/ Staging table 

• Objects in WS can be automatically linked to the new staging table records through ‘Auto-Match’ feature. For e.g., a Pre-Pipeline Opportunity linked to a CRM opportunity matches the records from the new staging table.

Inbound Integration - Email-based file upload

For inbound integration, you will now get an additional option to add email domains to validate the sender email and accept email requests from only those external domains that are specified in your allowlist. This mechanism is aimed at making your process of sending files via email addresses more secure and robust. 

In case this validation is not required, you can leave the list empty/blank, and email requests from any domain will be accepted. You can simply enter multiple domains in “Email Domain” to authorize them for sending files as shown in the image below: