Route shape

Introduction

The route shape is used when a process flow needs to split into multiple paths, based on a given set of conditions. Conditions are defined based on any fields found in the schema associated with your source data, so the scope for using routes is huge.

To define multiple routes for your process flow, you must:

1. Add a route shape.

2. Configure the route shape to add required routes and conditions.

3. Build the flow for each configured route by adding shapes in the usual way.

A single incoming payload for any process flow shape should not exceed 500MB.

We recommend processing multiple, smaller payloads rather than one single payload (1000 x 0.5MB payloads are more efficient than 1 x 500MB payload!).

For payloads up to 500MB, consider adding a flow control shape to batch data into multiple, smaller payloads. Payloads exceeding 500MB should be batched at source.

Need to know

• By default, multiple routes are processed in parallel when a process flow runs - one does not wait for another to complete before starting.

• If a route shape is added without route conditions, incoming data flows down ALL defined routes.

• There is no limit on the number of routes that can be added for a route shape.

Accessing route shape settings

When you add a route shape to a process flow, the shape is added to your canvas with two placeholder route stems - for example:

To configure these routes (and add more if needed) click the 'cog' icon associated with this shape to access route settings.

Configuring route data for a new route shape

1

Add source integration details

Optionally, select a source integration and endpoint to determine where the incoming payload for the route shape is coming from - for example:

If you leave these fields blank, the route shape will receive whatever data is passed from the previous step in the flow.

2

Choose a routing method

Select a routing method to determine what should happen if a payload record matches conditions defined for more than one route:

These options are summarised below:

Option	Summary
Follow all matching routes	If a record matches defined conditions for multiple routes, send it for onward processing down all matched routes.
Follow first matching route only	If a record matches defined conditions for multiple routes, send it for onward processing down the first matched route, but no more.

Example

To help understand how these options are used, consider an example where two routes are defined:

• Route 1 is to send all orders where the product_type ordered is shoes to Warehouse 1

• Route 2 is to keep all orders where the product_type ordered is boots to Warehouse 2

But what should happen with an order that includes both shoes and boots?

• If we choose to follow all matching routes, then this order will flow down both routes - ending up in the payload for Warehouse 1 and Warehouse 2.

• If we choose to follow first matching route only, this order will only flow down route 1 - ending up in the payload for Warehouse 1.

3

Set date format

If any of your routes are filtering by date, you can select a date format here:

By default, dates are expected in the form Y-m-d H:i:s . If yours are different, select the format from this list (a wide range of standard date formats is available).

4

Set payload format (optional)

Use the payload format selector to set the expected format for incoming payloads:

Available formats are: Auto (the route shape determines the format received), JSON, XML, Plain.

5

Edit the first route

Click the 'edit' icon associated with the first route:

Then enter your required name for this route - it's a good idea to ensure this indicates the route's purpose. For example:

6

Set the filter operator for this route

If you intend to define multiple rules/filters for this route, select the required operator from the filter logic dropdown field:

• Select AND so all defined filters must apply for a match

• Select OR so any one of the defined filters will result in a match

If you only need to define one filter, just leave the default setting in place (it has no effect).

7

Configure rules (filters) for this route

Then click the add new filter button:

Filter settings are displayed:

From here, you can select a field (from the data schema associated with the source endpoint selected in step 1) - for example:

Alternatively, you can toggle the manual input option to ON and add syntax for dynamic variables:

The manual data path field supports metadata variables.

Now, use the remaining operator, type and value options to define the required filter.

Presentation of the value field is dependent upon your selected type. When defining a value, you can include payload, flow, and metadata variables.

When a string filter type is selected, you have the option to select the regex operator and then define a regex value. This provides greater flexibility if you can't achieve the desired results using standard operators. preg_match is used for pattern matching.

The following data types are available when defining filters:

Variable type	Variable is defined and passed as...
String	A string value.
Number	A numeric value.
Specific date	A selected date - choose the required date/time from a date picker.
Dynamic date	A +/- number of seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years to be matched relative to the current date.
Boolean	A true/false value.

Use the keep matching? toggle option to choose how matched records should be treated:

Here:

• If the keep matching? option is toggled off, matched records are removed from the payload before it moves on down the flow for further processing.

• If the keep matching? option is toggled on, matched records remain in the onward payload, and all non-matching records will be removed.

8

Confirm rule settings

Click the save button (at the bottom of the panel) to confirm these settings. The new rule is added for your first route - for example:

9

Confirm route settings

Repeat steps 7 and 8 to add any additional rules for this route. When you've added all required rules, click the save/update button at the bottom of the panel.

10

Configure the second route

Repeat steps 5 to 9 to configure the second route.

11

Add more routes (optional)

Add any additional routes required using the add route button. Each time you add a new route, the canvas updates with an additional route stem from your route shape.

What next?

Having defined all required routes and associated conditions, the route shape on the canvas will have the corresponding number of route stems, ready for you to add shapes. For example: