> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://doc.wearepatchworks.com/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/event-connectors.md).

# Event connectors

## Introduction

Event connectors trigger process flows by listening for messages published to queues/topics on your own message broker. Rather than polling on a schedule, a flow starts the moment a message arrives.

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4We_jroZMCI>" %}

Two broker protocols are supported:

| Protocol       | Typical brokers                                                                |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **AMQP 0-9-1** | [RabbitMQ](https://www.rabbitmq.com/), CloudAMQP, and other AMQP 0-9-1 brokers |
| **IBM MQ**     | IBM MQ queue managers (on-premise or cloud-hosted)                             |

When an event connector is [added](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/event-connectors/adding-a-new-event-connector.md) to Patchworks, you step through a guided three-stage setup - **Settings**, **Authentication** and [queues/topics](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/event-connectors/message-queues-topics.md) - providing connection details for your broker, testing the connection, and choosing which queues/topics the connector should listen on. An event connector can have multiple queues/topics, and the same queue/topic can be used by multiple event connectors.

Once an event connector is saved, it's available for selection as an **event broker** in process flow [trigger shapes](/product-documentation/process-flows/building-process-flows/process-flow-shapes/standard-shapes/trigger-shape/trigger-shape-event-listener.md).

### Need to know

* Event connectors are **inbound only** - messages on your broker trigger flows in Patchworks. To publish messages to a broker from a flow, use a connector shape with the relevant prebuilt connector (for example, RabbitMQ).
* ALL messages published to a selected queue/topic are passed through to the process flow as the trigger payload.
* Event connector triggers only become active when the process flow is deployed and enabled.
* Event connectors can be exported and imported between companies from the **manage event connectors** page.

## Pages in this section

* [Accessing your event connectors](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/event-connectors/accessing-your-event-connectors.md)
* [Adding a new event connector](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/event-connectors/adding-a-new-event-connector.md)
* [Updating an existing event connector](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/event-connectors/updating-an-existing-event-connector.md)
* [Removing an existing event connector](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/event-connectors/removing-an-existing-event-connector.md)
* [Message queues/topics](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/event-connectors/message-queues-topics.md)

## Related information

* [Trigger shape (event connector)](/product-documentation/process-flows/building-process-flows/process-flow-shapes/standard-shapes/trigger-shape/trigger-shape-event-listener.md)