Skip to main content

Define a workflow

Multiple steps must be taken into consideration before a workflow is defined for reading data with SaaS - Generic connector. Programming skills are required to build the converter between data that is returned by the third-party SaaS product and data that is read by SaaS - Generic connector.

Guidelines to define a workflow:

  1. Find out the pricing model that is used for the SaaS product. Supported values are PerUser, PerUserCap, Agreement, and Undefined, where the first is the most often used model. If a subscription price is custom created and dependent on multiple factors, Agreement is a good choice. Pricing models are explained in JSON schema as MeteringTypes.

  2. Find out if the SaaS product offers a way to query data from their system. This can, for example, be a REST API, SOAP API, or an SDK. If one is available, gain access to it. There can be multiple ways to achieve this, for example, via an application and user authenticated access. If questions regarding the third-party API arise, please contact the SaaS product customer support department.

  3. Decide how to map the data between the third-party SaaS product and fields in the generic_saas_schema.json file. Become familiar with the properties which are required by SaaS - Generic connector and determine whether you can populate them with data from the third-party product. As part of this step, it is important to validate that all properties that are required can be fetched from the SaaS product.

  4. Build the converter. The choice of programming approach and programming language is entirely up to the you who builds a converter. The converter must do the following:

    • Query data from a third-party SaaS product.

    • Process results and convert them into .json files while adhering to the generic_saas_schema.json file.

    • Store .json files in a specified folder.

    The converter should be documented, contain a scheduling functionality, and define error-handling procedures.

  5. When files are saved in a specified folder, configure SaaS - Generic connector and run the aggregation. To verify whether the aggregation was successful, check the log file; if its not, the log file may contain error messages. Depending on the eventual error, adjust the generated .json file manually, adjust the converter, or adjust the configuration of Snow Integration Manager. To see if any errors are resolved, run the aggregation again.

  6. After the aggregation has finished successfully, check the results in Snow License Manager. To complete the integration of your SaaS product, add the subscription price.

  7. Optional: Schedule an aggregation in Snow Integration Manager that will check the specified folder for .json files and push data to Snow License Manager.