Connections & Operations Overview

The Connections & Operations framework is the modern approach to building integrations on the Kinetic Platform. It enables you to securely connect to external and internal systems and perform operations like retrieving, updating, or posting data, all without writing custom handlers or managing bridge models.

This method emphasizes modularity, reusability, and visibility, making it easier to build, test, and maintain integrations as part of your workflows.

What Are Connections?

Connections define how the platform communicates with an external system. Think of them as saved credentials and configuration settings, such as base URLs, authentication tokens, and headers.

Connections are reusable across multiple operations and are managed directly in the platform UI. This allows teams to securely configure systems like:

• REST APIs (e.g., Workday, Jira, Salesforce)
• SQL databases (e.g., Postgres, MySQL, SQL Server)

What Are Operations?

Operations define what the platform should do with a connection—such as sending a GET request to fetch user details, or running a SQL query to retrieve asset data.

Operations are designed to be low-code, parameter-driven, and testable. You can define:

• API calls (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
• SQL statements (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE)
• Authentication flows (OAuth 2.0, API Key, Bearer Tokens)
• Dynamic values using input mappings from form data or workflow context

Operations are then used within workflows to automate actions based on form submissions or other events.

Why Use Connections & Operations?

Compared to legacy bridge models, the Connections & Operations framework offers:

• Centralized Management: Easily view and update all integrations in one place
• Reusability: One connection, many operations
• Security: Secrets are stored securely and access is controlled by permissions
• Low-Code Flexibility: Build without needing to write or deploy custom code
• Testability: Built-in tools to test operations and view responses before embedding into workflows

Use Cases

• HR Onboarding: Push new hire info to a cloud HR system
• Asset Management: Query equipment availability from a SQL database
• Help Desk Integration: Create or update tickets in third-party tools like ServiceNow or Jira
• Custom Approval Routing: Fetch approvers dynamically from a directory service

Next Steps

• Create a New Connection
• Build Your First Operation
• Use Operations in Workflows
• Test and Debug Your Operations