Connections Overview
Connections are saved access details for the systems your automations use, such as email, databases, Slack, Salesforce, cloud storage, file transfer servers, and AI providers.
Instead of asking every workflow builder to enter usernames, passwords, tokens, server names, and security settings again and again, Global Configurator stores that setup once. Teams can then choose the saved connection inside Automation Hub whenever a node needs to talk to another system.
How Connections Work
Think of a connection as a reusable access card.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Admin creates it | An administrator enters the required details for a system, such as a mail server, database, or cloud account. |
| 2. Global Configurator protects it | Sensitive values such as passwords, tokens, and private keys are encrypted. |
| 3. Builder selects it | A workflow builder chooses the saved connection in an Automation Hub node. |
| 4. Automation uses it | When the job runs, Qinfinite uses the saved access details to perform the action. |
What a Connection Stores
| Item | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Connection name | A friendly name, such as Corporate SMTP Relay or Salesforce Production. |
| Type | The kind of system, such as SMTP email, Salesforce, SFTP, PostgreSQL, Slack, or OpenAI. |
| Required details | The minimum information needed for that system to work. |
| Advanced details | Optional settings such as timeout, SSL mode, region, or custom endpoint. |
| Tags and description | Search helpers so teams know when to use the connection. |
| Test status | Shows whether Qinfinite was able to reach and authenticate with the system. |
Encryption
Sensitive fields such as passwords, secrets, tokens, and private keys are encrypted before they are stored.
- Qinfinite identifies sensitive fields for each connection type.
- Sensitive values are encrypted before they are saved.
- Standard screens and read-only views do not expose decrypted secrets.
- Automations can use the secret only when they run and only through the approved internal flow.
This means teams can reuse a connection without sharing the actual password or token with every workflow builder.
Connection Lifecycle
Creating a Connection
Choose the connection type, give it a clear name, enter the required details, add useful tags, and save it.
Example: create Corporate SMTP Relay once, then every email node can reuse it for reminders, approvals, and alerts.
Testing a Connection
If the connection type supports testing, run a test after saving it. The result helps you confirm that Qinfinite can reach the system and authenticate successfully.
Deleting a Connection
When a connection is no longer needed, remove it from the active list so new workflows cannot select it.
Supported Connection Types
| Connection Type | Common Use | Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Email (SMTP) | Send email through a mail server | Email (SMTP) |
| Email (Microsoft Graph) | Send email through Microsoft 365 | Email (Microsoft Graph) |
| Slack | Post messages to Slack channels | Slack |
| Microsoft Teams | Post messages to Teams channels | Microsoft Teams |
| Salesforce | Read or update Salesforce records | Salesforce |
| ServiceNow | Create and update service tickets | ServiceNow |
| SAP | Connect to SAP business systems | SAP |
| Jira | Create and update Jira issues | Jira |
| Linear | Create and update Linear issues | Linear |
| Azure DevOps | Work with boards, repos, or pipelines | Azure DevOps |
| GitHub | Work with repositories and pull requests | GitHub |
| GitLab | Work with projects, merge requests, and pipelines | GitLab |
| Bitbucket | Work with repositories and pull requests | Bitbucket |
| AWS S3 | Store or retrieve files in cloud storage | AWS S3 |
| SSH | Run approved actions on servers | SSH |
| FTP / SFTP / FTPS | Exchange files with servers or partners | FTP / SFTP / FTPS |
| SQL Database | Connect to MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQL Server | SQL Database |
| MariaDB | Connect to MariaDB databases | MariaDB |
| Aurora | Connect to Amazon Aurora databases | Aurora |
| Azure SQL | Connect to Azure SQL databases | Azure SQL |
| Google Cloud SQL | Connect to Google Cloud SQL databases | Google Cloud SQL |
| IBM Db2 | Connect to IBM Db2 databases | IBM Db2 |
| MongoDB | Connect to MongoDB collections | MongoDB |
| Kafka | Send or receive event messages | Kafka |
| RabbitMQ | Send or receive queue messages | RabbitMQ |
| ActiveMQ | Send or receive broker messages | ActiveMQ |
| Amazon SQS | Send or receive AWS queue messages | Amazon SQS |
| OpenAI | Use OpenAI models in automations | OpenAI |
| Claude | Use Claude models in automations | Claude |
| Gemini | Use Gemini models in automations | Gemini |
| Generic API | Connect to other HTTP-based services | Generic API |
When to Create a New Connection
Create a separate connection when the system, environment, owner, permissions, or security level is different.
For example, keep Salesforce Production separate from Salesforce Sandbox, and keep Finance SFTP separate from HR SFTP. This makes the right option easier to choose and safer to manage.