Integrations and interfaces
Model a business exchange, identify who initiates it and check its endpoints, middleware and data operations.
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An integration records an exchange of information between applications. An interface is the named endpoint an application uses for that exchange. One webshop can expose an order feed that several systems use. Recording each business exchange separately lets you see which consumers a change to the feed would affect.
Start with the business exchange
Suppose a warehouse requests new orders from a webshop once an hour. The request starts at the warehouse. The Sales order travels from the webshop to the warehouse.
| Question | What to record for this exchange |
|---|---|
| Who produces and receives the orders? | Source Application is the webshop. Target Application is the warehouse system. |
| Who starts the exchange? | The warehouse requests the data. Choose Pull under Initiator. |
| How does the exchange take place? | If confirmed, record Request response as the delivery pattern, HTTPS as the protocol, JSON as the format and Hourly as the frequency. |
| What if the warehouse also sends a shipment confirmation? | That is a second business exchange with its own purpose, direction and data object. |
With edit access, open Integrations and choose Add integration. Select two different applications, name the exchange, choose its Organization and select Create Integration. For the remaining fields and editing steps, see Relationships.
Read the recorded flow
Open the integration's Integration flow card. Follow the source application's output interface to the target application's input interface. Binding an endpoint identifies the surface used by this flow. Other interfaces on either application may serve different consumers.
Under Data objects, check the operations for each object carried. Atlas lets you record create, read, update and delete (CRUD) for the individual exchange. A warehouse may read orders through the feed while the webshop also creates and updates them locally. Record the application's own operations on its fact sheet. See Data objects.
If a message broker carries the exchange, link its existing technology record through Middleware. Reuse that component on other flows that use the same broker. For a direct connection, confirm that with the two owners when reviewing a missing middleware link. See IT components.
Verify the dependency
- Confirm the endpoints and data objects with the application owners.
- Compare the protocol, format and frequency with the current specification. Ask how long the warehouse can operate if orders stop arriving.
- Check the phase dates and the supporting source before using the flow in a replacement decision.
Troubleshoot the record
| What you find | What to check next |
|---|---|
| The arrow seems reversed | Trace one order from its producer to its recipient. Check the initiator separately. |
| Two records look alike | Compare their purpose, consumer, data and timing before combining them. |
| Data objects or an endpoint are missing | Open the relevant card, confirm the missing relationship and add it if you can edit. |
| An owner reports that deliveries have stopped | Check operational monitoring first. Update the lifecycle or open a change request when the architecture change is confirmed. |