Configure Smart Connectors

Owned by Oksana Vishchuk
Last updated: Jul 27, 2023
4 min read

Overview

Smart Connectors are powerful tools that allow the creation of predefined projects as soon as a file is uploaded to the folder or sent in a message to the e-mail address specified in the Smart Connector configuration. They work similarly to periodic jobs and are designed to save the project manager's time when a client orders multiple translation projects of the same type. 

This guide shows you how to create and configure a Smart Connector. Depending on your knowledge of JavaScript, you can either configure the basic Smart Connector, which does not require any knowledge of JavaScript, or you can prepare an advanced Smart Connector, which requires at least basic knowledge of JavaScript but offers a lot more options.

Prepare Folders for Smart Connectors

Before following this guide, make sure that a special folder in a file-sharing service or in your e-mail service is already prepared and can be mapped for the Smart Connector to scan.

Create a Smart Connector

  1. Go to the Configuration menu > Integrations > Smart Connectors.

  2. Click the Add Smart Connector button in the top right-hand corner. You will be directed to the Add Smart Connector page.

     

  3. Select the Project or Quote radio button according to your needs.

  4. Provide a Name for the new Smart Connector.
    Note: The Smart Connector’s name is not related to the name of the project or quote created using this Smart Connector. The project or quote name can be specified in the Robot Code field.

  5. Check the Active box to enable this Smart Connector.

  6. Select a Client for whom the quotes or projects will be created in the search-as-you-type field.
    Note: The Smart Connector selects the default contact person specified in the client's price list. If there is no default contact person, the first contact person from the client's price list is selected.

  7. (Optional) Select a Budget Code for this client.

  8. Select the Client's Price Profile. If the client has only one price profile, it will be selected automatically.

  9. In the Files Aggregation section, select how to process files from the mapped folder: 

    1. Process every top level file separately option creates separate projects or quotes for each file from the mapped folder.

    2. Process files in batches option creates one project or quote for all files from the mapped folder.

  10. In the Scan for Input Files section, select the Files location and provide the path to a folder that will be mapped and scanned for files. The folder can be either located on your local machine, on the FTP or SFTP server, or on an e-mail server. Provide the necessary information in the fields that appears after you specify the file location.

  11.  In the After Successfully Processing, Store Files in and In Case of Errors, Store Files in sections, decide whether you want to store the files from the mapped folder in an XTRF directory or on FTP or SFTP servers. Provide the necessary path or server details according to your selection.

  12. In the Person Responsible section, select the Home Portal user that will be responsible for this Smart Connector.

  13. In the Connector Definition section, decide whether you want to configure a basic Smart Connector or an advanced one.

    • For a basic Smart Connector: select the source and target languages, service, and specialization that will be applied to all projects or quotes created by this Smart Connector.

    • For an advanced Smart Connector:

      • Select the Robot Code radio button.

      • Change the settings according to your needs. You can find the list of available parameters by clicking the Available Parameters link on the left or in the  Smart Connectors - Technical Guide,

        The advanced parameters added to the robot code in this example are:

        • name: specifies the name of the project,

        • sourceLanguage: specifies the source language

        • targetLanguages: specifies the target language

        • service: specifies the type of workflow in the project

        • specialization: specifies the specialization of the project

        • categories: specifies the category of the project

        • notes: adds the message "Important notes" to the Notes section in the project’s Instructions tab

        • startDate: specifies the start date of the project

        • deadline: specifies the deadline of the project

  14. Click the Save button.

  15. Go to the Schedule tab. Here you can configure how often the Smart Connector should check for new files in the e-mail folder.

     

  16. Click the Save button.

  17. Go to the E-mail Notifications tab. Here you can select when the person responsible for the Smart Connector (see step 12 above) and the client should receive notifications concerning the projects and quotes created by this Smart Connector.

     

  18. Click the Save button.

After creating a project or quote, the Smart Connector will delete files from the mapped folder to avoid creating another project or quote with the same files.