Implementing a Connector for an External System

Acumatica ERP provides built-in integrations with the BigCommerce, Shopify, and Amazon ecommerce systems. For details about these integrations, see Integration with BigCommerce and Integration with Shopify. Each integration uses the Acumatica Commerce Framework to implement the connector between Acumatica ERP and the external system.

By using the Acumatica Commerce Framework, you can implement a custom connector for an external system that provides REST API. In this chapter, you can find information about how to develop a custom connector and use it in Acumatica ERP.

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Connector Implementation: General Information

In this chapter, you will learn how to create a custom connector.

Connector Implementation: Required Libraries

The Acumatica Customization Platform adds the default references to the project of the extension library, such as PX.Data and PX.Common. During the creation of the connector for the external system, you also need to add the references to the assemblies located in the Bin folder of the Acumatica ERP instance and to the external assemblies.

Connector Implementation: Classes for Acumatica ERP Entities

You need to create a class for each Acumatica ERP entitity to be synchronized with the external system through the connector. Classes for Acumatica ERP entities are adapters for the entities of the contract-based REST API of Acumatica ERP.

Connector Implementation: Classes for External Entities

You need to create a class for each external entity to be synchronized with Acumatica ERP through the connector. Classes for external entities are adapters for the entities of the API of the external system.

Connector Implementation: Mapping Classes

For each pair of an internal entity and an external entity that should be synchronized, you need to implement a mapping class, which defines the correspondence between the properties of the internal and external entities.

Connector Implementation: Bucket Classes

For the synchronization of data between an external system and Acumatica ERP, for each entity that you need to synchronize, you need to define a bucket class that defines the entities to be synchronized before and after the synchronization of this entity.

Connector Implementation: DAC for the Connector's Configuration Settings

You need to create a DAC with the configuration settings that are used by the connector. For this DAC, you also need to add a database table and include it in the customization project.

Connector Implementation: API Client

You need to implement an API client of the external system. The built-in connectors in Acumatica ERP use REST API clients or GraphQL clients. The details of the implementation of an API client depend on the external system. In this topic, you can find descriptions of particular approaches that can be used for implementation.

Connector Implementation: Processor Classes

For each pair of entities that you want to synchronize between an external system and Acumatica ERP, you need to create a processor class.

Connector Implementation: Connector Class

The connector class is the main class of a connector for an external system.

Connector Implementation: Connector's Factory Class

A connector's factory class initializes a connector that has the specified type and name.

Connector Implementation: How the Connector Is Detected in the Application

The Connector box of the configuration form of an ecommerce store contains the name of the connector if both of the following conditions are met:

Connector Implementation: How the Connection with the External System Is Established

A user specifies the connection settings of a store on the configuration form, such as the BigCommerce Stores (BC201000) form. The system saves the settings in a database table, such as the BCBindingWooCommerce database table, which is shown in an example in Connector Implementation: DAC for the Connector's Configuration Settings.

Connector Implementation: How Data Is Prepared for Synchronization

The preparation for data synchronization can be started by an automation schedule, as a result of a push notification, or manually if a user clicks Prepare on the toolbar of the Prepare Data (BC501000) form. The following sections describe the general steps involved in the preparation of data for synchronization, presented in the order in which they occur; the process diagram at the end of this topic shows the entire data preparation process.

Connector Implementation: How the Prepared Data Is Synchronized

The synchronization of the prepared data can be started by an automation schedule, as a result of the push notification, or manually if a user clicks Process on the toolbar of the Process Data (BC501500) form. The following sections describe the general steps involved in the synchronization of the prepared data in the order in which they occur; the process diagram at the end of this topic shows the entire synchronization process.

Implementing a Connector for an External System

 Acumatica ERP provides built-in integrations with the BigCommerce, Shopify, and Amazon ecommerce systems. For details about these integrations, see [HelpRoot_Commerce\Commerce_BC_Integration_with_BC_NAV|Integration with BigCommerce] and [HelpRoot_Commerce\Commerce_SP_Integration_with_SP_NAV|Integration with Shopify]. Each integration uses the Acumatica Commerce                        Framework to implement the connector between Acumatica ERP and the external system.{br}

By using the Acumatica Commerce                        Framework, you can implement a custom connector for an external system that provides REST API. In this chapter, you can find information about how to develop a custom connector and use it in Acumatica ERP.
==In This Chapter{nestedtopics}==
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_GeneralInfo|Connector Implementation: General Information]
*:In this chapter, you will learn how to create a custom connector.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_Dependencies|Connector Implementation: Required Libraries]
*:The Acumatica Customization                            Platform adds the default references to the project of the extension library, such as <tt>PX.Data</tt> and <tt>PX.Common</tt>. During the creation of the connector for the external system, you also need to add the references to the assemblies located in the <tt>Bin</tt> folder of the Acumatica ERP instance and to the external assemblies.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_ClassesForAcumaticaEntities|Connector Implementation: Classes for Acumatica ERP Entities]
*:You need to create a class for each Acumatica ERP entitity to be synchronized with the external system through the connector. Classes for Acumatica ERP entities are adapters for the entities of the contract-based REST API of Acumatica ERP.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_ClassesForExternalEntities|Connector Implementation: Classes for External Entities]
*:You need to create a class for each external entity to be synchronized with Acumatica ERP through the connector. Classes for external entities are adapters for the entities of the API of the external system.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_MappingClasses|Connector Implementation: Mapping Classes]
*:For each pair of an internal entity and an external entity that should be synchronized, you need to implement a mapping class, which defines the correspondence between the properties of the internal and external entities.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_BucketClasses|Connector Implementation: Bucket Classes]
*:For the synchronization of data between an external system and Acumatica ERP, for each entity that you need to synchronize, you need to define a bucket class that defines the entities to be synchronized before and after the synchronization of this entity.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_DAC|Connector Implementation: DAC for the Connector's Configuration Settings]
*:You need to create a DAC with the configuration settings that are used by the connector. For this DAC, you also need to add a database table and include it in the customization project.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_APIClient|Connector Implementation: API Client]
*:You need to implement an API client of the external system. The built-in connectors in Acumatica ERP use REST API clients or GraphQL clients. The details of the implementation of an API client depend on the external system. In this topic, you can find descriptions of particular approaches that can be used for implementation.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_ProcessorClasses|Connector Implementation: Processor Classes]
*:For each pair of entities that you want to synchronize between an external system and Acumatica ERP, you need to create a processor class.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_ConnectorClass|Connector Implementation: Connector Class]
*:The connector class is the main class of a connector for an external system.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_ConnectorFactoryClass|Connector Implementation: Connector's Factory Class]
*:A connector's factory class initializes a connector that has the specified type and name.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_HowConnectorDetected|Connector Implementation: How the Connector Is Detected in the Application]
*:The '''Connector''' box of the configuration form of an ecommerce store contains the name of the connector if both of the following conditions are met:
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_HowConnectionEstablished|Connector Implementation: How the Connection with the External System Is Established]
*:A user specifies the connection settings of a store on the configuration form, such as the [HelpRoot_Commerce\BC_20_10_00|BigCommerce Stores] ([~/?ScreenId=BC201000|BC201000]) form. The system saves the settings in a database table, such as the {{BCBindingWooCommerce}} database table, which is shown in an example in [HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_DAC|Connector Implementation: DAC for the Connector's Configuration Settings].
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_HowDataPreparation|Connector Implementation: How Data Is Prepared for Synchronization]
*:The preparation for data synchronization can be started by an automation schedule, as a result of a push notification, or manually if a user clicks '''Prepare''' on the toolbar of the [HelpRoot_Commerce\BC_50_10_00|Prepare Data] ([~/?ScreenId=BC501000|BC501000]) form. The following sections describe the general steps involved in the preparation of data for synchronization, presented in the order in which they occur; the process diagram at the end of this topic shows the entire data preparation process.
*[HelpRoot_Dev_Plugin\CommerceConnector_Implementation_Synchronization|Connector Implementation: How the Prepared Data Is Synchronized]
*:The synchronization of the prepared data can be started by an automation schedule, as a result of the push notification, or manually if a user clicks '''Process''' on the toolbar of the [HelpRoot_Commerce\BC_50_15_00|Process Data] ([~/?ScreenId=BC501500|BC501500]) form. The following sections describe the general steps involved in the synchronization of the prepared data in the order in which they occur; the process diagram at the end of this topic shows the entire synchronization process.