Data connectors allow you to build no-code integrations to get live data and take actions in your external systems. Store this response data in Intercom and use it to power Fin and Inbox automations via workflows and macros.
Using Data connectors allows you to update data in Intercom and send data to external tools directly from your Inbox.
To use Data connectors for automation, you must have already set up a live Data connector. If you haven't done so, refer to our guide on Setting up a Data connector.
Using Data connectors with Fin
Enable Fin to resolve customer queries with personalized answers or complex multi-step processes that require data from external systems.
All you need to do is go to Fin AI Agent > Train > Tasks, click on Manage Data connectors, and you will be able to connect Fin with your external systems.
You can then choose to set a Data connector up from:
A template (using a 3rd party app integration),
Once you've set the Data connector live, Fin will be able to use this in conversations to retrieve data e.g. "Where is my order?"
Or, you can give Fin Tasks where the Data connector is used to perform multi-step processes automatically e.g. "I'd like a refund for my order".
Using Data connectors in Workflows
Navigate to Fin AI Agent > Workflows.
Click New workflow or edit an existing Workflow.
From the workflow builder, click the + Add step button and then Collect data. You need to ensure all the data sent in the request body are collected during or prior to the workflow.
Trigger the Data connector. After you’ve collected all the needed data, click on the + Add step button again and choose Data connector (using API) then select your Data connector.
Specify Data connector fail path. Add a fail path to give users some context in case your Data connector fails to complete.
Specify Data connector success path. You'll now be able to display data returned from the Data connector in your Workflow messages. To do that, add a new message and then click on the attribute selector {..} button and choose the appropriate attribute you want to show.
Example use case
You can use a Data connector to create a new Jira issue whenever a conversation meets certain criteria.
For example, you can set up a Workflow that triggers a Data connector to create a new Jira issue whenever a conversation is tagged with "Feature Request". The Data connector can automatically populate the issue with the conversation details and assign it to a specific Jira project.
Another example
Here's another example of a Data connector used in Fin AI Agent handover workflow to create a ticket in Zendesk for agents to respond to via email:
Using Data connectors in macros
Navigate to Settings > Inbox > Macros.
Click New macro or edit an existing macro.
In the macro configuration, click Add an action and select Data connectors (using API) from the dropdown menu.
Choose the desired Data connector from the list of available actions.
Complete the macro configuration by defining conditions and other settings.
Save the macro.
Example use case
You can use a Data connector to create a task in a project management tool, such as Asana, Trello or Jira, based on the content of the conversation or the customer's email domain. Then, you can include this Data connector in a macro to easily create tasks and keep track of important action items.
Using Data connectors with CMD + K
In the Inbox, select a Conversation where you want to apply a Data connector.
Press
CMD + K(Mac) orCtrl + K(Windows) to open the command menu.Select Trigger Data connector, type the name of the Data connector you want to use and select it from the list.
The Data connector will be executed, and any resulting data or updates will be applied.
Example use case
You can set up a Data connector to create a calendar event in Google Calendar directly from the Intercom conversation using CMD + K . With a high volume of Conversations, this can be helpful for scheduling meetings with customers and keeping track of important dates.
Using Data connectors in the Conversation Part actions
In the Inbox, open a Conversation and locate the specific Message for which you want to trigger a Data connector.
Hover over the message and click on the three-dot menu icon that appears.
Select Trigger Data connector from the list of available actions, type the name of the Data connector you want to use and select it from the list.
The Data connector will be executed, and any resulting data or updates will be applied.
Example use case
You can set up a Data connector that updates a Salesforce record based on the content of a specific Conversation Part (message). This can help keep customer information current and ensure important details are captured in your Customer Relationship Management tool.
Note: Custom Attributes updated by a Data connector using macros and CMD + K might not be reflected in the Inbox until refreshed.
Logs for your Data connector are kept for 7 days and can be found by opening the Data connector in Settings > Integrations > Data connectors and then clicking Logs in the top right corner.
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