Harnessing Dell Boomi Connector Calls for Data Integration

Dell Boomi is a robust cloud-based integration platform (iPaaS) that streamlines the process of connecting disparate applications and systems. One of the essential mechanisms within Boomi processes is the “connector call.” Let’s dive into what connector calls are, how to use them, and best practices to keep in mind.

What is a Connector Call?

• A connector call allows your Boomi process to interact directly with an external system or application.
• Connectors, the building blocks of Boomi, come with pre-configured operations (e.g., Create, Read, Update, Delete) that you tap into using connector calls.
• Think of it as your Boomi process, making a specific request to another system – like retrieving sales data from Salesforce, updating inventory in NetSuite, or sending a message via Slack.

How to Use Connector Calls

1. Choose Your Connector: Dell Boomi provides a rich library of connectors for popular applications and services (Salesforce, NetSuite, SAP, Workday, databases, messaging systems, etc.). Find the one that suits your interaction.
2. Add the Connector Call Shape: Drag the “Connector Call” shape into your Boomi process.
3. Configure the Operation:

• • Select the connector and the specific operation you want to perform.
  • Provide any necessary credentials or authentication details for the system you’re interacting with.
  • Define your input parameters for operations like updating or searching for records.

1. Mapping:

• • Map data from your Boomi process to the fields required by the external system in the connector call’s request.
  • You’ll also map data from the connector call’s response to variables within your Boomi process.

Should Connector Calls Live Inside or Outside Maps?

A common question is whether to place connector calls within or outside map shapes. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide:

• Within Maps: This is useful when you need to perform a connector operation for every record or document that passes through the map shape, such as updating multiple order lines in an ERP system.
• Outside Maps: This is preferable when you only need to make a single connector call, regardless of the number of records flowing through your process. For instance, you could check a global configuration value at the start of your process.

Best Practices

• Error Handling: Implement robust error handling around connector calls since external systems can be unavailable or return unexpected results. Use decision shapes and exception handling to manage these scenarios.
• Performance: Consider the frequency and volume of data involved. If you expect high volumes, batching operations may provide performance gains.
• Caching: Employ Boomi’s caching mechanism to store frequently used data from lookups in connector calls. This reduces the number of calls to external systems, improving performance.

Example

Suppose you want to fetch customer data from NetSuite upon receiving a new customer ID in your Boomi process. Here’s a basic flow:

1. A trigger (webhook, file listener, etc.) receives the customer ID.
2. Use a “Connector Call” shape with the NetSuite connector and a “Get” operation.
3. Map the incoming customer ID to the corresponding field in the NetSuite connector request.
4. Map the response data from NetSuite (customer name, address, etc.) to variables in your Boomi process for further use.

In Conclusion

Connector calls are the backbone of interaction between your Boomi processes and the vast connected landscape of applications you work with. Understanding how to use them and best practices leads to effective and resilient integration workflows.