Article Type: Node Reference
Audience: Developers, App Admins
Module: Data Flows / Integration
Applies to Versions: Platform 3.0+
Prerequisites: Understanding of Data Flow concepts, Connection setup
1. Overview
What are Integration Nodes?
Integration nodes enable Data Flows to communicate with external systems through Fuuz's iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) capabilities. These nodes leverage pre-built connectors to interact with enterprise software systems like SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Plex, Salesforce, and many others without requiring developers to write complex integration code.
Key Concepts:
- Connector: A pre-built integration template that defines how to communicate with a specific external system
- Connection: A configured instance of a connector with URL, credentials, and options specific to your environment
- Operation: A specific action performed against the external system (e.g., GET, POST, Query)
Integration Node Types
| Node |
Purpose |
Use Case |
| Connector Node |
Execute operations using pre-built enterprise connectors |
ERP integrations (Plex, SAP, NetSuite) |
| HTTP Node |
Make generic HTTP/REST API requests |
Custom APIs, systems without native connector |
| FTP/SFTP Node |
File transfer operations via FTP/SFTP protocols |
EDI file exchanges, batch imports/exports |
| SMTP Node |
Send emails via SMTP protocol |
Custom email notifications with attachments |
| Database Nodes |
Direct database connectivity (SQL Server, Oracle, ODBC) |
Legacy system integrations, data warehousing |
2. Connectors and Connections
Before using integration nodes, you must configure Connections based on available Connectors. Connectors are system-provided templates; Connections are your configured instances with credentials.
Connection Properties
| Property |
Description |
| Name |
Unique identifier for this connection |
| Active |
Whether the connection can be used (inactive connections cannot be used) |
| Connector |
The connector template this connection uses |
| URL |
The endpoint URL for the external system |
| Options |
Connector-specific options (varies by connector type) |
| Credentials |
Authentication credentials (securely stored) |
| Request Payload Logging |
Enable logging of request payloads for this connection |
| Response Payload Logging |
Enable logging of response payloads for this connection |
Available Connectors (Partial List)
| Category |
Connectors |
| ERP Systems |
Plex (Classic, UX, API, IAM), NetSuite (REST, SOAP), SAP Cloud, Infor, Dynamics 365 |
| CRM/Sales |
Salesforce, Zoho, Channel Advisor, Magento |
| Accounting |
QuickBooks |
| HR/Payroll |
ADP Vista |
| Shipping/Logistics |
FedEx, UPS |
| Cloud Services |
AWS Lambda, AWS S3 |
| Communication |
SMTP |
| Data Exchange |
EDI Nation, TecCom Web Services |
| File Transfer |
FTP, SFTP |
| Database |
Microsoft SQL Server, ODBC (Plex, NetSuite) |
| Generic |
HTTP, Fuuz, MFGx, Echo |
| Payments |
Square |
3. Connector Node
The Connector node executes operations against external systems using pre-built connectors. This is the recommended approach for enterprise integrations as it handles authentication, error handling, and protocol-specific requirements automatically.
Configuration Parameters
| Parameter |
Description |
| Connection |
Select the pre-configured connection to use |
| Operation |
The operation to execute (varies by connector) |
| Request Transform |
JSONata transform to build the request payload |
| Output Transform |
JSONata transform to process the response |
| Return Errors |
When true, errors return as success instead of throwing |
| Degree of Parallelism |
How many requests can execute concurrently |
Design Standard - Node Naming: The name of the node must indicate what it is calling.
Example: "Calling Plex DS - POs_Get (key:12345)"
Design Standard - Node Description: The description must include the parameters and a description of the intent.
Example: "Pulling POs with status of Open"
4. HTTP Node
The HTTP node provides generic HTTP/REST API capabilities for systems without a native connector. While flexible, native connectors are preferred when available.
Design Standard: It is highly recommended that a native connector node is used over the HTTP node.
Example: Avoid using HTTP to call Salesforce unless the Salesforce connector does not meet the need.
Configuration Parameters
| Parameter |
Description |
| Connection |
HTTP connection with base URL and credentials |
| Method |
HTTP method: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE |
| Path |
The URL path (appended to connection URL) |
| Headers |
Additional HTTP headers (JSON object) |
| Body/Data |
Request body data (JSON object) |
HTTP Connection Credentials
| Field |
Description |
| Username |
Username for Basic Authentication |
| Password |
Password for Basic Authentication |
| Headers (Options) |
Default headers applied to all operations |
Design Standard: Use of $integrate() in transforms is highly discouraged. It is being deprecated. The intent is to make all outbound calls pink in color for easier reference.
5. FTP/SFTP Node
The FTP and SFTP connectors enable file transfer operations with external systems. Common use cases include EDI file exchanges, batch data imports/exports, and document archival.
Common Operations
| Operation |
Description |
| List |
List files in a directory |
| Get |
Download a file from the server |
| Put |
Upload a file to the server |
| Delete |
Remove a file from the server |
| Rename/Move |
Rename or move a file |
Best Practice: Documents generated by the Render Document node are often written to an FTP for external system pickup.
6. SMTP Node
The SMTP connector enables sending emails through external SMTP servers. This provides more control than the System Email node for scenarios requiring specific SMTP configurations.
Connection Options
| Option |
Description |
| Port |
SMTP server port (default: 587) |
| Secure |
Use secure connection (default: false) |
| Ignore TLS |
Ignore TLS certificate validation (default: false) |
| Require TLS |
Require TLS connection (default: false) |
| Username |
SMTP authentication username |
| Password |
SMTP authentication password |
7. Database Connectors
Database connectors enable direct SQL connectivity to external databases. These are useful for legacy system integrations or data warehousing scenarios.
Microsoft SQL Server
| Option |
Description |
| Port |
SQL Server port (required) |
| Database |
Default database to connect to |
| Connection Timeout |
Idle connection close time in seconds (default: 30) |
| Request Timeout |
Request timeout in seconds (default: 30) |
| Encrypt |
Encrypt connection (required for Azure) |
ODBC Connector
The ODBC connector provides connectivity through Open Database Connectivity drivers, with pre-configured support for Plex and NetSuite.
| Option |
Description |
| Driver |
Select driver: Plex or NetSuite |
| Port |
Connection port |
| Custom Properties |
Custom ODBC connection string properties |
8. Integration Request Logging
Fuuz logs all integration requests for auditing and troubleshooting. The IntegrationRequestLog captures detailed information about each request made through integration nodes.
Log Fields
| Field |
Description |
| requestTimestamp |
When the request was made |
| responseTimestamp |
When the response was received |
| responseTime |
Total request time in milliseconds |
| connectionName |
Name of the connection used |
| connectionUrl |
URL used for the request |
| requestPayload |
Request payload (may be truncated for large payloads) |
| responsePayload |
Response payload (may be truncated for large payloads) |
| numberOfRequests |
Number of requests made by the connector |
| degreeOfParallelism |
Number of concurrent requests allowed |
| error |
Error message (if request failed) |
| returnErrors |
Whether errors were returned as success |
Tip: Enable Request/Response Payload Logging on your Connection to capture full payloads for troubleshooting. Disable in production once stable to reduce storage.
9. Best Practices
Naming Standards
- Node Name: Must indicate what it is calling - e.g.,
"Calling Plex DS - POs_Get (key:12345)" - Node Description: Must include parameters and intent - e.g.,
"Pulling POs with status of Open" - Connection Name: Use descriptive names indicating environment - e.g.,
"Plex Production API"
Connector Selection
- Use native connectors over HTTP node whenever possible
- Native connectors handle authentication, pagination, and error handling automatically
- HTTP node should only be used when no native connector exists
Error Handling
- Use Return Errors = true when you want to handle errors in the flow rather than failing
- Check response status/codes before processing data
- Implement retry logic for transient failures using topics
- Use appropriate Degree of Parallelism to balance throughput and external system limits
- Batch requests when possible to reduce API call overhead
- Implement pagination handling for large data sets
10. Troubleshooting
| Symptom |
Likely Cause |
Resolution |
| Connection not available in dropdown |
Connection inactive or not created |
Verify connection exists and Active = true |
| Authentication failures |
Invalid or expired credentials |
Update connection credentials; refresh tokens |
| Timeout errors |
External system slow or unavailable |
Increase timeout; check external system status |
| Rate limiting errors |
Too many requests to external system |
Reduce Degree of Parallelism; add delays |
| Payload truncated in logs |
Payload too large for logging |
Use Log node to capture full payload in designer |
| SSL/TLS errors |
Certificate issues with external system |
Check connection encryption settings; verify certificates |
- Data Flow Design Standards - Integration naming conventions
- Fuuz Platform Nodes Complete Guide - System Email, Render Document
- Source & Event Nodes Complete Guide - Webhook integration patterns
- Transform Nodes Complete Guide - JSON/XML/CSV transformations
- Connection Administration - Connection setup and management
- Platform Website: fuuz.com
12. Revision History
| Version |
Date |
Author |
Description |
| 1.0 |
2025-01-01 |
Craig Scott |
Initial release - Comprehensive guide covering Connector, HTTP, FTP/SFTP, SMTP, and Database integration nodes. |