Connections
Manage connections to external services — the credentials and configuration that workflow nodes use to call APIs, databases, AI providers, and more.
Two Concepts: Integrations and Connections
There are two related concepts in Apptor Flow:
| Concept | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Integration | Admin → Integrations | An admin-created template that defines the type and structure of a service (e.g., "REST API with OAuth2", "PostgreSQL"). Think of it as a blueprint. |
| Connection | Connect (top nav) → /connections | A named instance of an integration, with actual credentials stored per environment (dev, prod). Think of it as a configured instance of the blueprint. |
Flow: Admin creates an integration definition → Users create connections based on that definition.
The Connections Page
Navigate via Connect in the top navigation bar, or go directly to /connections.
This page lists all connections available to you. Each connection card shows:
- Connection name (e.g., "Stripe", "Production DB")
- Integration name and type (e.g., "Gmail · Email")
- Scope — Organization (shared with all users) or Personal (only visible to you)
- Credential status — how many environments have credentials configured
Creating a Connection
Click New Connection. A 2-step wizard opens.
Step 1: Setup
- Search for and select an integration from the list (e.g., "Gmail", "OpenAI")
- Enter a Connection Name — auto-populated from the integration name; you can customize it (e.g., "Sales Team Gmail")
- Set Connection Visibility:
- Organization — all team members can use this connection in their workflows
- Personal — only you can see and use this connection
Click Create Connection to move to step 2.
Step 2: Configure Credentials
This step shows a grid of environments (Development, QA, Staging, Production). For each environment you want to configure:
- Fill in the credential fields for that environment (fields vary by integration type — API key, username/password, OAuth2 client ID + secret, etc.)
- Click Save Credentials for that row
You can configure one environment now and return to add others later. Click Done to close the wizard.
The connection is now available in the properties panel dropdowns for all compatible node types.
Editing a Connection
Click the Edit (pencil) icon on any connection card. The same 2-step wizard opens, pre-filled with the existing configuration.
Credential fields show placeholder text — enter a new value to change it, or leave blank to keep the existing credential.
Deleting a Connection
Click the Delete (trash) icon on a connection card. A confirmation dialog appears before deletion.
Integration Types
| Type | Used By |
|---|---|
| REST API | Rest API node, REST API Tool node |
| Database | SQL node, SQL Tool node |
| Send Email node, Email Tool node | |
| SMS | Send SMS node |
| AI Provider | AI Agent node, Voice Call node |
| MCP | MCP Tool node |
| Storage | File Manager Tool node |
Admin: Managing Integration Definitions
Admins manage integration templates at Administration → Integrations (/admin/integrations).
The integrations list displays cards with the integration name, type, scope (System or Organization), and description.
Use the Search box to filter by name or type. Use the scope tabs (All / Organization / System) to filter by who created the integration.
Creating an Integration
Click New Integration. A form opens with the following sections:
Basic Info
- Name (required) — the display name shown to users when they create connections
- Description (optional)
- Domain Vertical (optional) — link to a CRM, HRIS, or other domain integration category
Type
Select the integration type from the grid of cards:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| REST API | HTTP/HTTPS APIs with flexible auth |
| Database | PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, SQLite |
| SMTP, SendGrid | |
| SMS | Twilio, AWS SNS |
| AI Provider | OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), Google, Ollama, HuggingFace |
| MCP | Model Context Protocol (HTTP, SSE, WebSocket, STDIO) |
| Storage | Google Drive, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Box |
API Specification (REST API type only)
- Optionally link to an imported OpenAPI spec
Configuration Mode
Choose how credentials are structured:
- Same for all — one configuration applies to every environment
- Per environment — separate configuration per environment (Development, QA, Staging, Production)
The Per environment mode opens tabs for each environment type. Configure each one independently, or use Copy from... to duplicate settings from another tab.
Authentication (for REST API and similar types)
| Auth Type | Fields |
|---|---|
| None | No auth fields |
| Bearer | Bearer token |
| API Key | Header name, location (header or query), key value |
| Basic | Username, password |
| OAuth2 | Authorization endpoint, token endpoint, user info endpoint, scopes, client ID, client secret |
| Custom Headers | Key-value header pairs |
Click Create Integration to save.
Editing an Integration
Click the Edit (pencil) icon. The form opens pre-filled. The integration type cannot be changed after creation.
Managing Versions
Click the Manage Versions (stack) icon to view the integration's version history (Draft, Active, Deprecated). This is primarily relevant for REST API integrations linked to versioned OpenAPI specs.
Deleting an Integration
Click the Delete (trash) icon. A confirmation dialog appears. Deleting an integration that has existing connections will affect those connections.
Note: System-level integrations (scope: System) can only be deleted by super admins.
Using Connections in Workflows
Once a connection is configured, it appears in the properties panel dropdown of compatible node types.
For example, in an AI Agent node's AI Provider Integration field, the dropdown lists all connections of type AI Provider that are available to you. Select the one you want the node to use.
The workflow engine automatically uses the credentials for the correct environment — Development credentials when running in Development, Production credentials when running in Production.
Secrets and Credentials
For secure credential storage, use the Secrets feature instead of pasting raw values into connection fields. Store your secret value in Administration → Security → Secrets, then reference it in connection credential fields using @@SECRET:YOUR_KEY@@.
See Manage Access guide for details on creating and managing secrets.