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Intermediate Certificate on pass

Choosing Connectors by Business Need

Match a real business need to the right connector category, read the roadmap, and understand how connections stay secure.

3 lessons 30 min 5-question assessment 70% to pass

What you’ll learn

  • Map a business need to the correct connector category
  • Interpret roadmap statuses to set realistic expectations
  • Explain how AWRA keeps connections secure
  • Know how to request a connector that is not yet live

Course content

3 lessons · 30 min of reading
01
Lesson 1 of 3 Reading 10 min

Matching a need to a category

The fastest way to choose a connector is to name the outcome you want and let the category point you to the options. "Get approval alerts where my team already chats" leads to Communication & Notifications (Slack, Teams, WhatsApp). "Keep my books in step" leads to Accounting & Finance (QuickBooks). "Meet e-invoicing rules" leads to Tax & Compliance (KRA eTIMS). "Archive our documents" leads to Storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive/SharePoint, S3).

Some needs are met by broad, one-to-many connectors rather than a single app. Automation platforms like Zapier and Make sit in Productivity & Automation and can bridge AWRA to thousands of other tools, while Developer & Data offers inbound webhooks for custom pipelines. If no single named connector fits, an automation or webhook connector is often the route.

Choosing by category also prevents a common mistake: assuming AWRA cannot do something because a specific brand is not listed. The category may already cover the outcome through a different provider, an automation bridge, or a webhook — so scan the whole category before concluding the need is unmet.

Key takeaways

  • Name the outcome first, then let the category surface the options.
  • Communication, finance, tax, storage, CRM, e-signature, identity, automation, and developer each map to a class of need.
  • Automation (Zapier/Make) and webhooks are one-to-many routes when no single app fits.
  • Scan the whole category before assuming a need is unmet.
02
Lesson 2 of 3 Reading 10 min

Reading the roadmap and setting expectations

Statuses are how the directory sets honest expectations. Live means switch it on now. Planned means it is approved and being built next, so it is a reasonable near-term bet. Coming soon means it is catalogued but unscheduled, so treat it as directional rather than a date. Reading the status before you plan a rollout keeps timelines realistic.

Availability can also depend on things beyond the status: your tenant configuration, the provider granting access, the API scope you are allowed, and any custom rollout work. A connector being Live in the catalogue does not remove the need to have the provider account and permissions in place on your side.

This is why the guidance for anything not clearly Live is to confirm with the team. Public statuses are planning guidance, not a delivery commitment, and the exact scope of a connection is best scoped with AWRA rather than assumed from a card. Set expectations from the status, then validate specifics before committing a deadline.

Key takeaways

  • Live = now, Planned = near-term, Coming soon = directional.
  • Availability can still depend on tenant config, provider access, and API scope.
  • Public statuses are planning guidance, not a delivery commitment.
  • Confirm exact scope and timing with the team before committing deadlines.
03
Lesson 3 of 3 Practice 10 min

Security and requesting a connector

Connections are built to be safe by default. They use provider OAuth where available, so AWRA never stores your provider password; credentials and tokens are stored encrypted and scoped to your tenant; and outbound events use signed webhooks with automatic retries and delivery monitoring. Access to the Connectors directory itself is gated by the integration manager permission, so not just anyone can wire up an external system.

Because of that permission gate, the practical first step for many teams is access, not configuration. If you cannot see Connectors under Settings, ask your organization admin to grant the integration manager role rather than requesting broad admin access — least privilege applies to integrations as much as to any other sensitive area.

If the connector you need is Planned, Coming soon, or not listed at all, the path is to talk to the team. Many connectors can be scoped as part of a rollout, and telling AWRA what you need helps prioritise the roadmap. Use the contact route from the Connectors page or help center, and describe the outcome you want and the provider involved.

Key takeaways

  • Connections use OAuth, encrypted scoped tokens, and signed webhooks with retries.
  • The directory is gated by the integration manager permission.
  • Request the integration manager role rather than broad admin access.
  • For a missing or roadmap connector, contact the team — many are scoped during rollout.

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