Connectors

General information on connectors

Connectors provide a framework for the import and export of data in Webdesk.
The definition of source connectors (the source the data comes from) and target connectors (where the data goes) allows the data flow to be designed. This way not only can data from the time management system be synchronized into Webdesk, but databases can also be addressed and text files (CSV files) created. Data can also be exported from Webdesk, imported into other systems and adapted on the way there by means of scripting (interface framework).

In principle there are the following types of connectors:

Reading connectors
Writing connectors
Connectors that can both read and write

You can reach the overview of all connectors via the menu tree under:

SYSTEM
--> Connectors

Here you will find a list of the connectors with the following fields:

Name	This column contains the name of the connector.
Class name	This column gives the technical class name of the connector.
Update allowed	This column provides information on whether updates are allowed for this connector or not.
Configuration of	If the connector is a configuration, the original connector from which the configuration is derived is shown here.
Source	A green check mark indicates whether the connector serves as a source connector (can read).
Target	A green check mark here indicates whether the connector in question also serves as a target connector (can write).

In addition, linked connectors can also be defined in Webdesk. They represent a connection between connectors (e.g. for the CSV import of person data --> CSV connector as reading connector, database connector as writing connector) and thus allow an even more precise definition of the data flow (definition as target or source connectors).

Configurable connectors

The following connectors can be configured and must therefore be created as a new connector configuration before use. In contrast, non-configurable connectors can be used immediately without creating a configuration.

Name	Description	Capabilities
dbConnector	Read and write access to relational databases	read, write
seperatorFileConnector	Reading and writing text files. The columns in the text files either have fixed lengths or are separated by a separator (CSV). The text files can be stored in the file system or in the DocumentManagement module.	read, write
templateFileConnector	Writing individually created text files based on a template. With this connector, user-defined files can be generated using Velocity (e.g. XML, EDIFACT, etc.). Storage takes place in the file system or in the DocumentManagement module.	write
summarizeConnector	Reads data from another source connector and groups and sums the data. A typical use case would be, for example, to flexibly group employees' travel expenses by wage types.	read
notesConnector	Reading data from Lotus Notes databases.	read
travelConnector	Reading travel expense reports, where each record corresponds to exactly one travel expense report. Can also be used to change the travel status in the travel expense report after a synchronization.	read
PoPersonConnector	Reading and writing person master data and role assignments (i.e. who is the responsible role holder for a particular person)	read, write
PoGroupConnector	Reading and writing group master data (e.g. OUs) and role assignments (i.e. who is the responsible role holder/superior for a particular department)	read, write
Union Connector	The Union connector is a reading connector that combines the records of several reading connectors. A typical application example would be if you want to merge the data from several data sources with the same data structure into a larger "virtual" data set. For example, absences from the time management system could be combined with absences from a groupware system and thus made available as a new input data source.	read
deltaWriteConnector	This writing connector is used to identify changes in databases and forward them.	write
deltaWriteSrcConnector	This connector works in conjunction with the deltaWriteConnector and is started after it.	write

Creating a new connector / new configuration

To create a new connector, click the "New configuration" button in the list of connectors.

The following fields must now be filled in:

Only after filling in the parent connector and then saving can the information specific to this parent connector be entered!

Parent connector	Selection of the connector from which the new configuration is to be derived. All configurable connectors in the Webdesk system are available for selection (e.g. PoGroupConnector, dbConnector, seperatorFileConnector, templateFileConnector, etc.).
Name	Name of the newly created connector
Data flow direction	Selection of the direction of the data flow - depending on the type of connector (reading and/or writing), the options "Data source", "Data target" or both are available. Data source: the new configuration is to serve as a source connector (reading connector) Data target: the new configuration is to serve as a target connector (writing connector) Data source and target: the new configuration is to serve in both directions, both as a (reading) source connector and as a (writing) target connector
Description	Short description of the properties and intended use of the newly configured connector

The remaining parameters are defined depending on the respective connector type and can be found in the detailed description pages for the individual connectors.

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