Flow Builder

WIP Feature

This is a future develoment for ConnectNow, it isn't available yet. These docs are not finished and are subject to significant change. We're working on it, so hold tight!

What is it?

The Flow Builder allows you to integrate any system with a REST API with ConnectNow, using a powerful but simple to use visual interface.

You can create a workflow that is triggered under specific circumstances which performs specific actions. Some examples include:

• Inspect and mutate or halt a chat message before it is sent. This effectively creates a 'Blocked Phrases' function.
• Provide a Flow to send common phrases in a single click, saving interaction time. You can even inject the customer's information in to the message.
• Send an API request to an external system when the query status changes, or on a button click. You can even program in forms for data capture before firing the request.

TIP

Note that rendering forms in the UI during a Flow is only possible on the "manual" trigger type.

Trigger types

The following triggers are available:

Trigger	Chat	Queue System	Issue Tracker
Status changed	✅	✅	✅
Manual	✅	✅	✅
Scheduled	✅	✅	✅
User register	✅	✅	✅
User log in	✅	✅	✅
User log out / disconnect	✅	✅	✅
User updated	✅	➖	✅
Company created	✅	✅	✅
Company updated	✅	✅	✅
User added to company	✅	✅	✅
User removed from company	✅	✅	✅
Message sent	✅	➖	✅
Skill updated	➖	✅	➖
Queue updated	➖	✅	➖
Issue created	➖	➖	✅
Issue updated	➖	➖	✅

Message

A Flow starts with a message object. It contains information on the event that triggered the Flow, and will also contain any associated chat, query, user objects etc.

You pass this message through a series of nodes, manipulating it by adding, changing, or removing properties and performing actions.

Bear in mind that although the message starts with the event and trigger information, you're in full control and can completely change the structure of the message during your Flow.

Nodes

Alert

Sends a browser alert to one, several, or all users in the company (if they're logged on).

Inputs

Name	Description	Type
In	The event message	Message

Options

Name	Description	Type	Example
Title	The title of the alert	String	"Emergency alert"
Message	The main body of the alert	String	"There is Pizza in the cafeteria "

Outputs

None.

Change

Sets, updates, or deletes properties of the incoming message.

Inputs

Name	Description	Type
In	The event message	Message

Options

Name	Description	Type	Example
Criteria	A list of criteria, each with an output	<action, property, value>[]	set sensitiveField '***'

Combine

Combines multiple objects in to a new message.

TIP

This is really useful for combining the output of a HttpRequest or Form node with the original message.

Inputs

Name	Description	Type
In{n}	An object to combine	Object

Options

Name	Description	Type	Example
Combine each	What to combine; the entire object or a specific property	msg.{property} | entire message	msg.property
Output type	How to combine	Array | Merged Object | Stringified	Merged object

Outputs

Name	Description	Type
Message	The combined message	Message

Form

WARNING

This node is only available on manual trigger mode.

Renders a form to the user who fired the Flow. Used to gather additional information for use later in the Flow.

Inputs

Name	Description	Type
In	message	Message

Options

Name	Description	Type	Example
Fields	A list of fields for the user to fill in	FormField[]	n/a

Outputs

Name	Description	Type
Message	The user's response to the form inputs	FormResponse

HTTP Request

Perform a HTTP request. The response is provided as the message output.

Inputs

Name	Description	Type
In	message	Message

Options

Name	Description	Type	Example
Method	HTTP method to use	HttpMethod	POST
URL	The URL to send the request to	String	https://my-app.com/api/endpoint
Body	The body to send. Unavailable if method is GET.	JSON | XML | FormURLEncoded | Text	{ "property": "value"}
Headers	HTTP headers to send	Record<string, string>[]	x-api-key : {{my-app-api-key}}

Outputs

Name	Description	Type
Message	The HTTP response, including status, headers, and body	HttpResponse

Send Chat Message

WARNING

This node is only available on Chat Flows.

Programmatically sends a message to the chat. The message will appear to come from "System administrator".

Inputs

Name	Description	Type
In	message	Message

Options

Name	Description	Type	Example
Message	The message content	This query was logged to ServiceNow	POST

Outputs

None.

Switch

Route the logic path based on the input message properties.

Inputs

Name	Description	Type
In	The event message	Message

Options

Name	Description	Type	Example
Property	Which property of message to inspect	String	status
Criteria	A list of criteria, each with an output	<rule, value>[]	== 'closed'

Outputs

Name	Description	Type
Path{n}	If criteria n is matched	Message

Types

Below are types shared amongst various nodes.

HttpMethod

A HTTP verb:

• GET
• POST
• PUT
• PATCH
• DELETE

HttpResponse

A HTTP response message returned by the HttpRequest node.

Example:

{
    "status": 200,
    "headers" {
        "Content-Type": "application/json"
    },
    "body": "{\"id\": \"abc123\"}"
 }

FormField

A form field with various types and options. Each can contain a default value and mandatory/optional settings.

Types:

Type	Description	Options
Text	Text input	minLength, maxLength
Number	Numerical input	min, max
Boolean	Boolean input ()	n/a
Select	A dropdown select	n/a

FormResponse