This glossary describes key Chain.io concepts, terminology, and products. It's a good place to get started learning how to use Chain.io.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Workspace
• Integration
• Flow
• Flow Execution
• Host System (Workspace Level Connectivity)
• Connection (Integration Level Connectivity)

Workspace

A workspace is the top level in the Chain.io hierarchy and contains a list of integrations.  In many cases, you'll only have one workspace for your company, but you may have multiple to help manage production & testing environment or to isolate different divisions in a large enterprise.

Within your workspace are a number of top level features including

• Integrations
• Connectivity features like:
  • Host Systems
  • SFTP Users & Launchers
  • EDI Settings
  • AS2 Profiles
  • OAuth Clients
• Mapping & custom code features like:
  • Custom Mappings
  • Global Functions & Lookup Tables
  • Portal API Keys

Integration

Integrations group together all of the different data flows that you have with a system or trading partner.  They are a logical grouping that helps you keep all of your connectivity organized.  Each integration has a type which defines the business process it supports.  

Examples include:

• Freight Operations which has all the flows you need for a freight forwarder to connect to a customer.
• Freight Visibility which has the integrations you need to connect your supply chain data with a third party visibility portal.

Because integrations have a type, Chain.io can guide you to building the right connectivity to solve each busienss problem in a consistent way based on industry best practices.

Flow

A Flow is the setup of an individual data exchange between two systems.  It has a source (like an API endpoint, email address, or upload page), a series of transformations, and a destination where it delivers data.  Within each integration you setup one or more flows to define how data should move between systems.

For example, within a freight operations integration, you may setup a flow to receive bookings from the shipper and deliver them to the forwarder and a second flow to send invoices from the forwarder back to the shipper.

Each flow has a unique flow type based on a common industry data exchange.  These types allow the Chain.io platform to make sure that you're connecting systems that we know will work together.  

Flow Execution

A Flow Execution is a single data exchange between systems.  It is the record of the data that came into Chain.io, how it was transformed, and ulitmately delivered.  Within a flow execution, you'll see all the information you need to troubleshoot issues with your connectivity including:

• Flow status - indicating if the execution succeeded, errored, or was skipped
• Logs - detailed messages about what happened when the data was processed
• Files - records of the data that was sent to Chain.io, various transformation steps, the data that was delivered, and api responses from remote servers.
• Data Tags - searchable indexes you can use to quickly find executions based on common business data like reference numbers or bills of lading

Host System (Workspace Level Connectivity)

Your host system is the main system that manages your logistics or supply chain activities.  It's often your Transportation, Freight, or Warehouse Management system (TMS, FMS, WMS).  It might also be your Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP).  Most companies have one host system configured, though you may have two or more depending on the complexity of your business.  Most Chain.io flows move between a host system from your workspace and a connection within an integration.

Host systems are managed at your workspace level so you can maintain one connection for your core system and use it across multiple integrations.

For example, if you are a freight forwarder and you process your shipments in a fictional system called CargoSuper3000, then you'd configure that as your host system.  You'd then create trading partner connections for things like your accounting software or your customers' order management systems.

Connection (Integration Level Connectivity)

Connections define connectivity for remote systems and live within a single integration.  If you're connecting with a third party then you'll setup a connection to represent their system within your integration.  

Library

The library is an area within each integration where you can save documentation about your integration.  By putting documentation, key contacts, and activities  in the library, they're all accessible to your team whenever you need to diagnose a problem.