Configuring Pre-built Connectors
Configuring pre-built connectors defines the settings and properties required to establish a seamless connection between the client and Sentinel EMS through Sentinel Connect. The connector-specific configuration ensures proper integration by linking Sentinel EMS and the selected connector. Sentinel Connect enables a seamless connection between the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and Sentinel EMS, enabling efficient entitlement management and licensing work-flows.
Supported Pre-built Connectors
Sentinel Connect provides connectors for the following:
| Connector | Supported Version |
|---|---|
| Salesforce (SFDC) |
Salesforce Connected Apps: 1.7 Salesforce CPQ: 234.4 or above API Version: 57 or above |
| SAP |
SAP R3, S/4 HANA, BPT |
|
Zuora |
2023.09.R1 or above |
|
MS Dynamics |
365 |
| Cleverbridge | Cleverbridge e-commerce platform |
Configuring Salesforce
Salesforce is a cloud-based ERP system that helps businesses manage customer relationships, sales, and marketing through its various applications.
Prerequisites
A Salesforce instance URL is required for authentication to Salesforce. The URL directs to the specific Salesforce instance required to write back responses from Sentinel EMS to Salesforce through Sentinel Connect. This URL is provided by the Salesforce team to enable the Salesforce configuration.
Steps
The following are the steps to configure the Salesforce Connector by entering the required URL in Sentinel Connect:
1.Click Client Management in the left pane of Sentinel Connectto open the Client Management page.
2.Click Add Client to open the Add Client page.
3.Click the Salesforce Configuration tab to open the Salesforce Configuration page.
4.Enter the URL in the Organization URL field.
5.Click Save.
Configuring Zuora
Zuora is a cloud-based ERP system designed for subscription billing, revenue recognition, and financial management.
Prerequisites
>The Zuora client credentials are required to retrieve data for mapping screens.
>A Zuora instance URL is required for configuring the Zuora Connector. This URL corresponds to the Zuora instance used by the client.
Steps
The following are the steps to configure the Zuora connector by entering the required details in Sentinel Connect:
1.Click Client Management in the left pane of Sentinel Connect to open the Client Management page.
2.Click Add Client and select Connector as Zuora.
3.Click the Zuora Configuration tab and enter the fields in Zuora Details (see List of Zuora Details).
4.Click the Usage Synchronization tab and enter the fields in Auto Sync Settings.
5.Click the Order Configuration tab for mapping the Zuora order fields to Sentinel EMS.
NOTE If you do not see the Order Configuration tab while adding a new client for the Zuora connector, you need to first save the Zuora Configuration and then edit the same client from the Client Management page.
6.Click Save.
List of Zuora Details
Zuora details are required to configure the Zuora Connector for retrieving metadata for mapping screens and writing back responses to Zuora.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Client ID | A unique identifier for the Zuora application used to authenticate and authorize Zuora API calls. |
| Client Secret | A secure key paired with the Client ID used together to verify and allow access to Zuora's APIs. |
| URL | A Zuora instance URL used to connect to a specific Zuora instance. |
Usage Synchronization
Usage synchronization in Zuora is a functionality designed to automate and simplify the tracking, updating, and billing procedures of usage-based services. Businesses ensure that their clients receive accurate bills for the services they use by enabling this function, which is based on planned or real-time data synchronization. Businesses that provide subscription models with usage-based pricing, such as cloud services, utilities, or telephones, can benefit from this functionality. Sentinel Connect enables businesses to send usage data from the SCL database to the Zuora system. Usage syncs manually from the SCL database to Zuora using the Client Action button. Usage synchronization occurs only once a day, week, or month, based on the selected frequency.
You can automate the handling of usage synchronizations by configuring the relevant settings in the Auto Sync Settings section:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Allow Auto Sync |
Specifies whether auto sync is enabled. Possible Values: Yes or No Default Value: Yes |
| Start Date | Start date of usage data synchronization from the SCL database to the Zuora system. |
| End Date | End date of usage data synchronization from the SCL database to the Zuora system. |
| Occurrences |
Specifies the usage auto synchronization frequency. Possible Values: >Daily: Synchronization occurs daily from the start date to the end date. >Weekly: Synchronization occurs on selected days of the week (Monday to Sunday). >Monthly: Synchronization occurs on a specific date within each month. Default Value: Daily |
| Never Expires check box | Indefinitely extends the end date. |
Order Configurations (for SAP, Zuora, and Cleverbridge)
The Order Configuration tab manages the mapping configurations for the SAP, Zuora, and Cleverbridge connectors from within Sentinel Connect. The following are the Sentinel EMS entities that SAP, Zuora, and Cleverbridge provide mapping for:
>Entitlement
>Entitlement Line Item
>Customer
>Users
>Channel Partner
>Activation
You can map a SAP/Zuora/Cleverbridge Field or a Fixed Value. A fixed (or constant) value can be a string, integer, or Boolean data type. It can be assigned to any attribute (standard and custom attributes) in Sentinel EMS while mapping orders (and quotes in case of SAP in Quote Configuration tab). By using fixed values in the data-mapping process, users can ensure consistent value mapping across all orders and prevent invalid data entry.
The following sections explain the key functionalities involved in order mapping.
Mapping an Order Field
1.Go to the Order Configuration tab.
2.Click the entity tab corresponding to the field you want to map.
3.Click the plus sign (+) next to the field in the entity you want to map.
For example, if you want to map a fixed value to the sendNotification field, click the plus sign (+) next to this field. This opens the screen where you can select the field to map.
4.Based on the connector, select one of the available options as the value source:
•SAP/Zuora/Cleverbridge Field: Select from the available fields in the list.
•Fixed Value: Enter a value in the input field. For the sendNotification field, which is Boolean, select true or false. See Supported data types for fixed values.
•Cleverbridge X-Parameter: Enter the key of the Cleverbridge X-Parameter to retrieve its value from the order. This option is available only for the Cleverbridge connector. Learn more about Cleverbridge X-Parameter.
5. Click Save.
Supported data types for fixed values
The following data types are supported for fixed values:
>String
>Integer
>Boolean (true/false)
For each attribute, the input is validated based on the selected data type before being mapped to Sentinel EMS.
NOTE Fixed values are not supported for date-type Sentinel EMS attributes. If you attempt to assign a fixed value to these date fields, the interface blocks the mapping and shows a restriction message.
Fixed values have the following data type considerations:
Standard Attributes: For standard Sentinel EMS entity fields such as entitlement attributes, the system respects the predefined attribute data type when mapping a fixed value. For instance, if refid1 is a string-type attribute, only string values are allowed to be assigned as fixed values.
Custom Attributes: For custom Sentinel EMS attributes, there is no data type validation when mapping fixed values. Unlike standard entities, all fixed values are treated as strings during mapping. Therefore, while you can enter any data type (string, integer, or Boolean), ensure that the fixed values align with the attribute’s actual data type as defined in Sentinel EMS.
NOTE For the Cleverbridge connector, configure Cleverbridge X-Parameter in Order Configurations to map custom order values to Sentinel EMS attributes.
The Zuora, SAP, and Cleverbridge connectors include the new userId field, which has been added to the Users entity tab. This field is visible on the Users page under User Attributes in the Sentinel EMS UI.
Cleverbridge custom order values can be mapped to Sentinel EMS by using Cleverbridge X-Parameter. When a required value is not available as a standard Cleverbridge order field, pass it as a query parameter in the Cleverbridge checkout URL using the required X- prefix. For example, &X-Order Type=Initial Order or &X-Previous Entitlement Id=<ID>. The name following X- must correspond to the relevant Sentinel EMS custom attribute name and can include spaces.
In Sentinel Connect, select Cleverbridge X-Parameter as the mapping source and enter the X-parameter key. Sentinel Connect retrieves the parameter value from the Cleverbridge order request and maps it to the configured Sentinel EMS entity attribute. The X-parameter must be included in the checkout URL and configured in the order field mapper; otherwise, it will not be written to Sentinel EMS.
Configuring SAP
SAP (Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing) is an ERP system that supports business operations and customer management.
Prerequisites
An SAP IDoc file is required to set up the SAP Connector. An IDoc (Intermediate Document) is a standardized data format used for exchanging information between SAP applications and external systems. The SAP team of the vendor provides this format. Sentinel Connect uses the IDoc file to create entitlements.
Steps
The following are the steps to configure the SAP Connector by uploading the required IDoc file in Sentinel Connect:
1.Click Client Management in the left pane of Sentinel Connect to open the Client Management page.
2.Click Add Client to open the Add Client page.
3.Click the SAP IDOC tab to open the SAP IDOC page.
4.Select or drag and drop the IDOC file generated in the Select IDOC File field. You can refer to the Sample Template for your reference.
5.Click the Quote Configuration tab for mapping the SAP quote fields to Sentinel EMS.
6.Click the Order Configuration tab for mapping the SAP order fields to Sentinel EMS.
NOTE If you do not see Quote Configuration or Order Configuration tab while adding a new client for SAP connector, you need to first save the SAP Idoc configuration and then edit the same client from Client Management page.
7.Click Save.
Quote Configuration (for SAP)
Similar to the Order Configuration tab, the Quote Configuration tab manages attribute mapping configurations for SAP quotes.
Configuring MS Dynamics
There is no specific configuration required for MS Dynamics in Sentinel Connect.
Configuring Cleverbridge
Cleverbridge is a merchant of record (MoR) and e-commerce platform for software and SaaS companies.
Prerequisites
Before you configure the Cleverbridge connector in Sentinel Connect, make sure you have the following:
>A Cleverbridge account with API access enabled: Sentinel Connect communicates with Cleverbridge through its REST APIs. Your Cleverbridge account must have API access enabled for the integration.
>Cleverbridge API credentials: These credentials authorize Sentinel Connect to call the Cleverbridge APIs. Sentinel Connect authenticates to the Cleverbridge REST API using HTTP Basic Authentication, which allows you to configure the Cleverbridge connector for retrieving metadata for mapping screens and writing back responses to Cleverbridge. Obtain the following details from your Cleverbridge account manager or your Cleverbridge back-office administrator:
•Username: The username of the API-enabled Cleverbridge user.
•Password: The password of the API-enabled Cleverbridge user.
•REST API URL: The base URL of the Cleverbridge REST API for your environment (production or sandbox), for example, https://rest.cleverbridge.com.
Steps
To configure the Cleverbridge connector in Sentinel Connect:
1.Click Client Management in the left pane of Sentinel Connect to open the Client Management page.
2.Click Add Client to open the Add Client page.
3.From the Connector drop-down list, select Cleverbridge.
4.Enter the required details in the Client, Object Rules, and Lookup Parameters tabs.
5.Click the Cleverbridge Configuration tab and enter the required connection parameters in the Cleverbridge Details section:
•Username: Enter the authorized Cleverbridge API username.
•Password: Enter the password associated with the Cleverbridge API user.
•URL: Enter your Cleverbridge instance REST API endpoint.
6.Click Verify to test the connection.
•If the credentials and URL are valid, Sentinel Connect displays a Verification Successful status.
•If the connection fails, Sentinel Connect displays a Verification Failed error message.
7.After verifying the connection, click Save to store the client configuration in Sentinel Connect.
8.To map order fields, edit the newly saved client from the Client Management page and click the Order Configuration tab. For more information, see Order Configurations (for SAP, Zuora, and Cleverbridge).
NOTE The Order Configuration tab is available only after you save the initial client configuration. If the tab is not visible when adding a new client, save the configuration, then reopen the client for editing.