Understanding the Start Shape in Dell Boomi

In Dell Boomi’s process design, the Start shape acts as a crucial gateway, initiating the execution of your integration logic. This unique shape plays a vital role in defining how your process will be triggered and what kind of data (or lack thereof) it will receive. Let’s delve into the critical aspects of the Start shape and how to configure it effectively.

The Purpose of the Start Shape

1. Process Trigger:  The Start shape is where you determine the method that will start your integration process. Here are some common triggering mechanisms:

• • Connector: Connects to external applications or systems (e.g., Salesforce, NetSuite, FTP, HTTP). The Start shape listens for events or incoming data from these systems.
  • Schedule: Executes your process at defined intervals or on a specific date and time.
  • Trading Partner: Designed for interactions involving EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) transactions.
  • API (Web Services Server): Creates an endpoint, enabling other applications to trigger your process via API calls.

1. Initial Data: The Start shape establishes your process’s initial data. You can use it to:

• • Receive Data: If you’ve used a connector-based trigger, the Start shape can receive data from the connected system.
  • Generate Data: You can create data within the Start shape for use in your process.
  • Passthrough: Allows empty processes (functional for sub-processes).
  • No Data: Starts the process without any initial data.

Configuring the Start Shape

1. Select the Start Shape: In your Boomi process canvas, drag the Start shape from the Shapes palette.
2. Choose a Triggering Option: Determine how your process will be started and select the appropriate option:

• • Connector: Pick the relevant connector from the library and configure its parameters according to your system.
  • Other options follow a similar configuration pattern based on your trigger.

1. Define Initial Data (if applicable): If you want your process to begin with data, configure how that data will be generated or received.

Example: A Process Triggered by a Salesforce Update

1. Use a Salesforce connector in your Start shape.
2. Configure the connector to listen for ‘Object Created’ or ‘Object Updated’ events on a specific Salesforce object (e.g., Account).
3. The Start shape will receive the updated Salesforce data, initiating your integration process.

Key Points to Remember

• The Start shape is the first building block of your Boomi process.
• Consider how you want your process to react and interact with external systems to choose the appropriate Start shape configuration.
• For scenarios involving scheduled executions, API endpoints, or EDI, the Start shape types will differ from connector-based use cases.