# Key concepts & terminology

## **Blueprint**

A Patchworks **blueprint** contains everything you need to perform a specific task - for example, to sync orders from TikTok Shop to Shopify; to sync customers from Shopify to HubSpot, etc. 

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information please see: [Blueprints](/product-documentation/marketplace/marketplace-blueprints.md).
{% endhint %}

## **Canvas**

See [process flow canvas](#process-flow-canvas).

## Dashboard

Having registered for a Patchworks account, use your credentials to log in to the [Patchworks dashboard](https://app.wearepatchworks.com/). This is where you can access everything you need to set up and manage data exchanges between third-party applications. 

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information please see: [Patchworks quickstart guide](/product-documentation/getting-started/patchworks-quickstart-guide.md).
{% endhint %}

## Connector

The meaning of **connector** varies, depending on whether you are using [process flows](#process-flow) or [services](#services) to sync data in Patchworks. Please expand the appropriate definition below.

<details>

<summary>Connectors in process flows</summary>

**Connectors** and [instances](#instance) are the key building blocks in [process flows](#process-flow).

A **connector** is a generic integration of a third-party business system/application - it contains everything needed 'under the hood' (for example, endpoints, authentication methods, etc.) to sync data from/to the associated application.&#x20;

You must [install a connector](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/working-with-connectors/installing-a-connector.md) for any third-party application that you wish to integrate with Patchworks. As you'd expect, Patchworks has made this easy for you, with a curated library of prebuilt connectors in the [Patchworks marketplace](/product-documentation/marketplace/the-patchworks-marketplace.md).&#x20;

Having installed a connector, you can then add as many [instances](#instance) of it as you need for use in your [process flows](#process-flow). For more information please see: [Connectors & instances](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/connectors-and-instances-introduction.md).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Connectors in services</summary>

A **connector** is the mechanism that Patchworks uses to configure a [system](#system) for use in [services](#services) - it's how we store your system credentials in a single, easy-to-manage place. For more information please see: [Working with services](/product-documentation/patchworks-services/working-with-services/accessing-services.md).

</details>

## Connector builder

If you need to integrate a third-party application that doesn't have a prebuilt connector in the [Patchworks marketplace](#patchworks-marketplace) - and if you have technical knowledge of APIs and working with data structures - you can use the [connector builder](/product-documentation/developer-hub/connector-builder.md) to integrate any application with REST or SOAP APIs.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information please see: [Connector builder](/product-documentation/developer-hub/connector-builder.md).
{% endhint %}

## Instance

An **instance** is the mechanism that Patchworks uses to configure a **connector** for use in [process flows](#process-flow) - it's how we store your system credentials for a given connector in a single, easy-to-manage place.&#x20;

You can add as many instances of a single connector as you need. For example, if you've installed the Shopify connector, you would go on to add one **instance** of this connector for every Shopify store that you need to sync using process flows.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information please see: [Connectors & instances](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/connectors-and-instances-introduction.md).
{% endhint %}

## Marketplace

With Patchworks, you can [install](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/working-with-connectors/installing-a-connector.md) and then use [instances](/product-documentation/connectors-and-instances/working-with-instances.md) of a range of curated, prebuilt connectors which are available from the [Patchworks marketplace](/product-documentation/marketplace/the-patchworks-marketplace.md).&#x20;

## **Patchworks**

Typically, when we talk about Patchworks in this documentation set, we're referring to the Patchworks Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), which is accessed via the Patchworks [dashboard](#dashboard).

## **Process flow**

Introduced in June 2023, the **process flow** feature is a completely new way to define if, when, what, and how data is synced between your third-party applications.&#x20;

**Process flows** are built by dragging and dropping automated [shapes](#process-flow-shapes) onto a [canvas](#process-flow-canvas), and then configuring them as required.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information please see: [About process flows](/product-documentation/process-flows/about-process-flows.md).
{% endhint %}

## Process flow canvas

The **canvas** includes everything you need to build a [process flow](#process-flow). Here, you drag [shapes](#process-flow-shapes) from the shapes tray, drop them onto the canvas, and then configure settings and relationships as required.

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information please see: [The process flow canvas](/product-documentation/process-flows/building-process-flows/the-process-flow-canvas.md).
{% endhint %}

## Process flow shapes

When you [add/edit](/product-documentation/process-flows/building-process-flows/adding-a-new-process-flow.md) a process flow, a set of **shapes** is available from the [canvas](#process-flow-canvas). Each **shape** performs a specific task - for example, the [trigger (schedule)](/product-documentation/process-flows/building-process-flows/process-flow-shapes/standard-shapes/trigger-shape/trigger-shape-schedule.md) shape is used to define a schedule upon which the **process flow** runs. Having dropped a shape onto the canvas, you can configure it with the required settings for that **process flow**.

{% hint style="info" %}
For more information please see: [Process flow shapes](/product-documentation/process-flows/building-process-flows/process-flow-shapes.md).
{% endhint %}

## Services

A **service** is the original Patchworks mechanism for defining if, when, what, and how data is synced via Patchworks. If you registered for a Patchworks account before July 2023, you'll be familiar with using [services](/product-documentation/patchworks-services/getting-started/what-is-a-service.md) to sync data between systems.&#x20;

**Process flows** include all the functionality of services and much more. You can continue to use services but if you'd like to try [process flows](#process-flows), please contact your Customer Success Manager, or reach out to <customersuccess@wearepatchworks.com>.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
If you registered for a Patchworks account after July 2023, you will be using [process flows](#process-flows) automatically.
{% endhint %}

## Shapes

See [process flow shapes](#process-flow-shapes).

## System

When working with [services](#services) to sync data in Patchworks, a **system** is a Patchworks integration for a third-party business system - for example, Shopify.&#x20;

For more information please see: [Working with services](/product-documentation/patchworks-services/working-with-services/accessing-services.md).

{% hint style="info" %}
The concept of 'systems' is only relevant if you use Patchworks [services](#services) to sync data - it is not used in [process flows](#process-flow).&#x20;
{% endhint %}


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