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Workflows & Connectors

Imagine you have a complex task involving data – something that needs to happen in a specific sequence, perhaps involving different steps and different systems. Instead of doing each step manually, or writing complex code for every single part, you design a "workflow."

In Zparse, a Workflow is essentially a pre-defined, automated sequence of steps or actions that Zparse will execute for you. Think of it as a smart pipeline for your data.

Here's why they are so central to Zparse:

1. Connecting with the outer world (Ingestion & distribution):​

This is where Zparse workflows truly shine. They act as the bridges between your data's origin and its destination, allowing Zparse to:

Receive data (Inputs / Sources)​

Workflows define where Zparse should get its data from, this could be:

  • Files uploaded directly by you.
  • Data pulled automatically from an external web API.
  • Documents retrieved from cloud storage services (like Google Drive, Dropbox, AWS S3).
  • Data streaming in from an API connection.

Essentially, a Zparse workflow specifies how data enters our system from "the outer world."

Send data (Outputs / Destination)​

Once Zparse has processed your data (using its powerful parsing and transformation capabilities), the workflow then dictates where that newly processed data should go. This could be:

  • Sending it to another internal business system (like a CRM or accounting software).
  • Exporting it as a neatly formatted report to an email address.
  • Saving it back to cloud storage in a new format.
  • Pushing it to another API endpoint. So, a Zparse workflow also controls how processed data leaves our system and goes back out to "the outer world."

2. Where all executions are monitored:​

Because a workflow is a defined sequence, Zparse can keep a close eye on everything that happens within it. This means:

  • Transparency: You can see if a workflow successfully ran from start to finish.
  • Status Tracking: Zparse tells you if a particular step succeeded, failed, or is still in progress.
  • Error Reporting: If something goes wrong (e.g., a file is corrupted, an external service is unavailable), the workflow monitoring will pinpoint exactly where and why the error occurred, often providing helpful messages so you can fix it.
  • Performance Metrics: You can see how long each workflow run took, how much data was processed, and other metrics vital for understanding efficiency and optimizing your processes.
  • Audit Trail: Workflows create a log of activity, providing a history of every time they've run and what the outcome was. This is essential for accountability and debugging.

In summary:

A Zparse Workflow is your automated instruction set for handling data. It defines how Zparse connects to external sources to get data, what steps Zparse should take to process that data, and where that processed data should ultimately go. Crucially, Zparse provides a comprehensive monitoring system that gives you full visibility into every single time your workflows run, ensuring reliability and helping you troubleshoot any issues.