Glossary
This glossary explains the main concepts of the SyncMyOrders in plain language.
Core Concepts
Scenario
A workflow or automation that defines a sequence of actions to accomplish a task. Think of it as a recipe: it describes what steps to follow, in what order, and what to do with the results. For example, a scenario might download files from a server, process them, and upload the results somewhere else.
Step
A single action within a scenario. Each step performs one specific task, such as making an HTTP request, filtering data, or checking a condition. Steps are connected together to form the complete workflow.
Agent
A category of actions that your scenarios can use. Each agent provides a set of related capabilities. For example:
- The Transform agent provides capabilities for filtering and modifying data
- The HTTP agent provides capabilities for making web requests
- The SFTP agent provides capabilities for working with files on remote servers
- The AI agent provides capabilities for using artificial intelligence platforms and perform research, text/image generation and unstructured data processing.
Each agent has it’s own capabilities and may require a connection. Capability is a specific action provided by an agent. For example, the Transform agent includes capabilities like “filter” (to select certain items from a list) and “group-by” (to organize items into groups).
Connections are saved credentials and settings for accessing external services. When your scenario needs to connect to a third-party service (like an SFTP server or an e-commerce platform), it uses a connection that stores the login details securely.
Scenario Structure
Execution Graph
The complete definition of how a scenario works, including all its steps and how they connect to each other. It describes the flow of data from start to finish.
Entry Point
The first step that runs when a scenario starts executing.
Execution Plan
The map of how steps connect to each other. It defines which step runs after which, including branches where the workflow might go different directions based on conditions.
Step Types
Agent Step
The most common step type. It runs an capability from an agent to perform an action, like making an HTTP request or transforming data.
Common Agents
Transform Agents
Provides capabilities for working with data:
- Filter: Select items from a list that match certain criteria
- Map: Transform each item in a list
- Group-by: Organize items into groups based on a property
- Flat-map: Flatten nested lists into a single list
HTTP Agent
Makes web requests to external APIs and services. Can send and receive data in various formats.
SFTP Agent
Works with files on remote servers:
- List files in a directory
- Download files
- Upload files
- Delete files
CSV Agent
Converts between CSV files and structured data that your scenario can work with.
Object Model Agent
Stores and retrieves data in the platform’s database:
- Create new records
- Query existing records
- Check if records exist
Conditional Step
A decision point in your workflow. It checks a condition (like “is this list empty?”) and sends the workflow down different paths based on whether the answer is true or false.
Conditions are used in Conditional steps to make decisions. Common condition types include:
| Condition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| IS_EMPTY | Check if something has no value or is an empty list |
| IS_NOT_EMPTY | Check if something has a value |
| EQ | Check if two values are equal |
| GT / LT | Check if a number is greater than / less than another |
| CONTAINS | Check if a list contains a specific item |
| AND / OR | Combine multiple conditions together |
Split Step
Processes a list of items in parallel. If you have 100 items to process, a split step can work on multiple items at the same time, making the workflow faster.
Switch Step
Similar to a conditional step, but with multiple possible paths. Instead of just true/false, it can route the workflow to many different paths based on matching values.
Finish Step
Marks the end of a scenario (or part of a scenario) and defines what results to return.
StartScenario Step
Runs another scenario from within your current scenario. This allows you to reuse common workflows without duplicating them.
Data Handling
Input Mapping
Tells a step where to get its data from. You can pull data from:
- The original input to the scenario
- Results from previous steps
- Variables stored during execution
Input Schema
A description of what data a scenario expects to receive when it starts. It documents the required and optional inputs.
Output Schema
A description of what data a scenario will produce when it finishes. It documents the structure of the results.
Variables
Temporary storage for data during scenario execution. Variables can be set and read by different steps throughout the workflow.
Running scenarios
Execution Instance
A single run of a scenario. Each time a scenario runs, it creates a new execution instance that tracks what happened during that particular run.
Async Execution
A way to run scenarios where the system tracks progress and can resume if interrupted. Useful for long-running workflows or when you need a record of what happened.
Sync Execution
A fast way to run scenarios that returns results immediately. Best for quick operations where you need an instant response. A standard example is exposing your scenarios as API.
Compilation
The process of converting a scenario definition into an optimized program that can run quickly. This happens automatically when you save or update a scenario.
💡 Scenarios on our platform are running on dedicated hardware and/or virtual machines to achieve the best performance and security in class.
Versioning
Version
Each time you update a scenario, a new version is created. This allows you to:
- Keep a history of changes
- Roll back to previous versions if needed
- Test new versions before making them active
Active Version
The version of a scenario that runs when you execute it. You can change which version is active without deleting other versions.
Latest Version
The most recently created version of a scenario. This may or may not be the same as the active version.
Object Model
Schema (Object Model)
A template that defines a type of data you want to store and track. For example, you might create a schema for “Customer” or “Order” with specific fields like name, email, or total amount.
Instance (Object Model)
An actual record created from a schema. If “Customer” is your schema, then “John Smith” would be an instance of that schema.