Enhance Qlik Automation: Connectors & Insights

Hey everyone! 👋 We're diving into a cool enhancement for Qlik Cloud Automation, focusing on how we handle and display connection information. The goal? To make your experience smoother and give you more insights into how your automations are running. Let's break down what we're aiming for and why it matters.

💡 The Core Idea: Bringing in Connector Insights

So, the main thrust of this improvement is to integrate the information available at https://qlik.dev/changelog/174-automation-connectors-api/ directly into our automation run displays. Think of it as giving you a detailed view of the connectors involved in each run. This means when you're looking at a specific automation execution, you'll not only see what happened but also how it connected to different data sources and services. This is super important because understanding these connections is key to troubleshooting, optimizing, and generally getting a handle on your automation workflows.

Imagine this: You're running an automation that pulls data from a Salesforce instance, transforms it, and then loads it into a Qlik Cloud app. Currently, you might see the automation steps, but you'd have to dig around to figure out exactly how that Salesforce connection was set up. With this enhancement, that connection information will be front and center, giving you instant access to details like the connection's name, type, and any other relevant settings. This will make it much easier to identify bottlenecks, security issues, or any other problems that might arise from your connections.

This isn't just about adding more data; it's about providing context. It's about empowering you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your automations. By displaying connection details directly in the run display, we're cutting down on the time it takes to understand what's happening and enabling you to address any issues more efficiently. Ultimately, this leads to more reliable, efficient, and well-understood automation processes. So, what do you think? Pretty neat, right?

🧐 Why This Matters: The 'Why' Behind the 'What'

Why are we bothering with this? Well, there's a few key reasons, and they all boil down to making your lives easier and your automation projects more successful. Let's dig in a bit:

• Enhanced Troubleshooting: When things go wrong, the first thing you need to know is where things went wrong. By including connector information, you'll immediately see if a connection issue is the culprit. No more guessing games! You can quickly identify problems with your connections, such as authentication failures, network issues, or configuration errors. This saves you time and reduces the frustration of debugging complex automation processes.
• Improved Visibility: Understanding your connections is crucial for understanding your overall automation workflow. This update provides you with a clear, concise view of your connections, right at the point where you're looking at your automation run. This means you have greater visibility into the components that make up your automations. This enhanced visibility is essential for understanding your automation's dependency on the various data sources and services.
• Simplified Optimization: With better visibility into your connections, you can optimize your automation runs. For example, if a connection is slow, you can quickly identify it and take steps to improve performance. By understanding how your automations are interacting with different data sources, you can find opportunities to make them more efficient and scalable. This can lead to significant improvements in automation speed and resource utilization.
• App Analyzer Parity: This enhancement also aims to bring the automation run experience closer to what you see in the app analyzer. This consistency reduces the learning curve and makes it easier for you to navigate and understand your data workflows. The app analyzer is an invaluable tool for understanding your Qlik Cloud applications. By providing a similar level of detail for automations, we're giving you a consistent experience across the entire Qlik Cloud platform.

In a nutshell, this feature improves debugging, provides better insight, and helps you optimize your processes. It's all about making your automation journey smoother and more productive!

⚙️ Putting It All Together: What You'll See

So, what's this actually going to look like? The goal is to provide a clean, easy-to-understand display of your automation connectors. Here's a glimpse:

• Connection Details Displayed in Run View: The primary change will be the integration of connection information directly into the run view. When you examine an automation run, you'll find a section dedicated to the connectors used in that run. This section will list all the connections involved, along with key details about each one.
• Key Connection Attributes: Each connection entry will include essential attributes, such as: the connection name, the connection type (e.g., Salesforce, Database, REST API), and any other pertinent settings (e.g., authentication method, data source URL). This will help you quickly understand the connection’s configuration and identify any potential issues.
• Similar Experience to App Analyzer: We aim to mimic the experience of the app analyzer to provide a consistent and easy-to-navigate interface. This will allow you to quickly understand your automation workflows and how they interact with your data sources. You'll recognize the familiar layout and information structure, making it easy to adopt and utilize the new features.
• Interactive Elements: The display may include interactive elements, such as the ability to click on a connection to view more detailed information or to jump directly to the connection settings. This interactive approach makes it easy to explore the data and get the information you need. This could also include filtering or searching capabilities to help you quickly find specific connections or issues.

The final design will be user-friendly, providing you with at-a-glance information and the ability to dive deeper when needed. We're thinking clear, concise, and helpful. We're working hard to make sure you have the best possible experience when using Qlik Cloud Automation.

🤔 Additional Context: What Else to Consider

While the main focus is on the connector information, there are other aspects to keep in mind to ensure a robust and user-friendly experience:

• Security: How we handle and display sensitive information, such as passwords or API keys, is crucial. We will ensure that all sensitive data is handled securely and in accordance with best practices. Consider the security implications and implement measures to protect the connections and their credentials.
• Performance: Displaying a lot of connection details could impact performance, especially for automations with many connectors. We'll optimize the display to minimize any performance overhead. The goal is to provide comprehensive information without slowing down the user experience. Performance should be considered, particularly for automations with numerous connectors or complex configurations.
• Scalability: The design should be scalable to accommodate the increasing number of connectors and automation runs. Consider how the display will handle a large number of connections. Ensure the design is scalable and can support future growth and features.
• User Experience (UX): Make sure the interface is intuitive and easy to navigate. The goal is to make it easy for users to quickly find the information they need. User-friendly design will enhance the user experience. Continuously improve the user interface based on user feedback to ensure ease of use.

We're carefully considering all these factors to make this update a success. We want to ensure that this feature enhances your productivity and makes your time in Qlik Cloud Automation even more enjoyable.

✨ In Conclusion: More Power to You!

This update is all about giving you more power and insight into your automation processes. By integrating connection details directly into your run displays, we're making it easier for you to troubleshoot, optimize, and generally understand your automations. It's a win-win! We're super excited about the possibilities, and we hope you are too. Stay tuned for updates and be sure to let us know what you think!

Thanks for reading! Happy automating! 🎉