We’re thrilled to introduce the In-line Formula feature in Pathfix Automation, designed to make API automation even more powerful and user-friendly. Pathfix Automation allows you to chain multiple APIs and perform data transformation seamlessly. Now, with In-line Formula, you can perform calculations on the go, directly in the text editor, without needing extra API calls.

How It Works

Using the In-line Formula feature in your automation workflow is simple and intuitive. Here’s how you can start:

1. Add a Task: In your existing automation setup, add a new node or task and select the "In-line Formula" action.
2. Title Your Task: Give the task an appropriate title for better organization.
3. Begin with an "=": In the text editor, simply type the equal sign (=) to initiate the formula section.
4. Choose a Formula: Once you type the =, you'll see a comprehensive list of supported formulas, along with helpful tips to guide you through their usage. If you already know what formula you need, start typing it directly.
5. Leverage Previous Task Data: You can effortlessly select and apply formulas to the data generated from any previous task in your automation. The calculated results can then be used in subsequent tasks, allowing for a more dynamic and interconnected workflow.

Beyond Numbers: Versatile Formula Functions

The In-line Formula feature in Pathfix Automation isn't just for handling numbers. You can also use it to perform a variety of operations on text data. Whether you're working with strings, manipulating text, or converting formats, In-line Formula empowers you to handle a broad range of data transformations directly within your automation.

Text-Based Functions You Can Use:

• Concatenation: Easily combine multiple text strings into one.
• Text Modifications: Modify, trim, or adjust text values as needed for your integration.
• Base64 Conversion: Convert text to and from Base64 encoding, ideal for handling data securely.

These text-based formulas expand the utility of your automation, making it more flexible and adaptable for various use cases. Whether you're processing strings or numbers, the In-line Formula feature is built to handle it all.

Why You’ll Love It

• Efficient Workflow: Perform real-time calculations in the editor without needing additional API calls.
• Easy Integration: The in-line formula fits seamlessly into your current automation setup—no extra tools or switching required.
• Data Reusability: Apply formulas to data from previous tasks and use the results in future steps, improving both flexibility and speed in your automation processes.

The In-line Formula feature adds a new layer of efficiency and control to Pathfix Automation, making it the perfect tool for developers and teams focused on building faster, more responsive user-facing integrations.

Get started with In-line Formula today and elevate your Automation workflows!

OAuth (Open Authorization) is a widely used authentication protocol that allows third-party applications to access user data from various web services without exposing the user's login credentials. OAuth has become the go-to authentication mechanism for many SaaS applications because it provides a secure and seamless integration experience for users. In this blog post, we'll explore what OAuth is, how it works, and how it enables SaaS API integrations. We'll also discuss how Pathfix provides a solution that simplifies the entire OAuth process and allows you to SaaS integrations quickly.

What is OAuth?

OAuth is a secure and standardized way for web applications to access user data from other web applications without the need for the user to share their login credentials. OAuth enables SaaS applications to securely and seamlessly integrate with other web applications, allowing users to access data across multiple platforms without the need for separate logins. OAuth has become the de facto standard for SaaS API integrations because it provides a secure and seamless user experience while maintaining data privacy.

How does OAuth work?

OAuth works by enabling a user to grant access to their data on one web application to another web application. The process involves three parties: the user, the web application requesting access (known as the client), and the web application providing access to the user's data (known as the resource server).

Here are the key steps involved in the OAuth process:

1. User authorization: The user initiates the OAuth process by granting permission to the client to access their data on the resource server.

2. Authorization code: The resource server provides the client with an authorization code that the client can use to request an access token.

3. Access token: The client requests an access token from the authorization server using the authorization code. The access token is a secure and temporary token that the client can use to access the user's data on the resource server.

4. Access resource server: The client can now use the access token to access the user's data on the resource server.

How does OAuth enable SaaS API integrations?

OAuth is critical for SaaS API integrations because it provides a secure and seamless way for SaaS applications to access user data from other web applications. OAuth enables SaaS applications to integrate with other web applications without the need for users to share their login credentials. This means that users can access data across multiple platforms without the need for separate logins, which improves the user experience and increases productivity.

Here are some key benefits of OAuth for SaaS API integrations:

1. Secure: OAuth provides a secure way for SaaS applications to access user data from other web applications without the need for users to share their login credentials.

2. Seamless: OAuth enables SaaS applications to seamlessly integrate with other web applications, improving the user experience and increasing productivity.

3. Standardized: OAuth is a widely adopted authentication protocol, which means that SaaS applications can easily integrate with other web applications that support OAuth.

4. Scalable: OAuth can handle millions of requests per second, making it a reliable choice for large-scale integrations.

Pathfix as a solution for OAuth and SaaS integrations

Pathfix is a cloud-based middleware that provides a secure and scalable solution for OAuth and SaaS integrations.

Pathfix enables SaaS applications to integrate with other web applications using OAuth, without the need for users to share their login credentials or for SaaS makers to build and manage a complex oauth system. Here are some key features of Pathfix:

1. Secure: Pathfix provides a secure way for SaaS applications to access user data from other web applications using OAuth.

2. Scalable: Pathfix can handle large volumes of requests, making it a reliable choice for large-scale integrations.

3. Seamless: Pathfix enables SaaS applications to seamlessly integrate with other web applications using OAuth, improving the user experience and increasing productivity.

4. Flexible: Pathfix supports a wide range of web applications, making it a versatile solution for SaaS integrations.

5. Easy to use: Pathfix provides an easy-to-use interface and developer tools, enabling SaaS developers to quickly and easily integrate with other web applications using OAuth.

Conclusion

OAuth is a critical authentication protocol for SaaS API integrations, enabling secure and seamless access to user data across multiple platforms. Pathfix provides a reliable and scalable solution for OAuth and SaaS integrations, enabling SaaS applications to seamlessly integrate with other web applications without compromising data privacy. Whether you're building a new SaaS application or looking to integrate with other web applications, Pathfix offers a versatile and easy-to-use solution for OAuth integrations.

As more SaaS applications are being developed and integrated with one another, it's important to understand the different types of authentication protocols available. Two popular authentication protocols for SaaS applications are OAuth and OpenID Connect (OIDC). In this blog post, we'll explore the differences between OAuth and OpenID Connect, and how each protocol can be used for SaaS integrations.

What is OAuth?

OAuth (Open Authorization) is an authentication protocol that allows users to grant third-party access to their resources without sharing their credentials. OAuth is widely used in SaaS applications, social media platforms, and other web-based services. The OAuth protocol works by granting access tokens to third-party applications, which can then access specific resources on behalf of the user.

OAuth consists of several components, including the client application, the resource server, and the authorization server. The client application is the third-party application that is requesting access to the user's resources. The resource server is the server that hosts the user's resources. The authorization server is responsible for verifying the user's identity and granting access tokens to the client application.

What is OpenID Connect?

OpenID Connect (OIDC) is an authentication protocol that is built on top of OAuth 2.0. OIDC is designed to provide user authentication and authorization for web-based applications. OIDC adds an identity layer to the OAuth protocol, allowing applications to authenticate users based on their identity providers.

OIDC works by exchanging ID tokens between the user's identity provider and the client application. The ID token contains information about the user's identity, such as their name, email address, and other attributes. The client application can then use this information to authenticate the user and grant access to resources.

Key Differences between OAuth and OpenID Connect

While both OAuth and OpenID Connect are widely used in SaaS applications, they have some key differences:

Authentication vs Authorization

OAuth is primarily an authorization protocol, while OpenID Connect is primarily an authentication protocol. OAuth is designed to grant third-party applications access to specific resources on behalf of the user. OpenID Connect, on the other hand, is designed to authenticate users based on their identity providers.

User Consent

OAuth requires user consent for the client application to access their resources. The user must explicitly grant permission for the client application to access their resources. OpenID Connect also requires user consent, but it is used for authentication purposes.

Token Types

OAuth grants access tokens to the client application, while OpenID Connect grants ID tokens to the client application. Access tokens are used to access specific resources, while ID tokens are used to authenticate users.

Scopes

OAuth uses scopes to define the level of access granted to the client application. Scopes define what resources the client application can access on behalf of the user. OpenID Connect also uses scopes, but they are used to define the level of access granted to the client application for authentication purposes.

When to Use OAuth vs OpenID Connect

OAuth and OpenID Connect have different use cases in SaaS applications. Here are some guidelines for when to use each protocol:

Use OAuth When:

• You need to grant third-party access to specific resources on behalf of the user.
• You need to provide limited access to specific resources, such as read-only access.
• You need to authenticate users based on their OAuth providers.

Use OpenID Connect When:

• You need to authenticate users based on their identity providers.
• You need to grant access to specific resources based on the user's identity.

Conclusion

OAuth is an important authentication protocol for SaaS applications. When choosing to implement OAuth, it's important to consider the specific use case of your integration project. However, implementing OAuth can be complex and time-consuming. That's where Pathfix comes in.

Pathfix provides a simple, easy-to-use OAuth integration solution for SaaS developers. With Pathfix, you can quickly and securely implement OAuth authentication in your SaaS application, without the need for extensive development resources. Whether you need to grant third-party access to specific resources on behalf of the user, provide limited access to specific resources, or authenticate users based on their OAuth providers, Pathfix can help you achieve a seamless authentication experience for your users.

Pathfix OAuth platform is a 100% managed auth solution for your user-facing integration needs. A no-code developer tool, it allows you complete control and transparency to what you offer to your users.

Setting up an integration is done in less than 5 minutes and is broken into 2 steps:

1. Authorization from your user
2. Making the API call to the provider

The authorization process is where the user clicks to connect your app with their provider. Once authorized, you can make the API call through Pathfix to the provider, where Pathfix handles the tokens and makes sure your app is authorized to make that API call.

To help you keep better track of your API calls, we have enabled Error Email Notifications that are sent everytime there is an error with your calls. This is enabled by default for all our customers.

This document details what are the possible errors you may see, what each of them could mean and how you could go about fixing this.

Error Breakdown

API calls may fail for a varied number of reasons, these could be from an incorrect oauth configuration to invalid call structured. These are the errors that you may get when making the API call:

INVALID-OAUTHID

For every API call made to a provider, you need to pass the connected users unique ID associated in your app database. This could be an alphanumeric ID, email ID etc. – any unique ID that helps identify your user in your database.

If you get notified of an invalid-oauthid error, check the ID that is being passed over for the user and make sure that the user has authorized your app to make the API call. Most often, we see that the API call is being made for a user that has not authenticated your app. Check your API call structure to make sure you are only making API calls to the provider ONLY once the user has connected.

API_ERROR

If you get notified of an API-error, that means your API has not been processed by the provider due to an error. This type of error would require you to diagnose the error to understand the reason.

To get more details into the error, log in to your Pathfix OAuth account:

• Select your Application and click on Activity from the left navigation
• Search for the API call and click to view more detailed Response received from the provider

You will be able to see the exact response sent over by the provider which would give you insights on why the API call was rejected.

API_error would happen for a number of reasons, these could be:

• Incorrectly formed json request where the json has not been configured according to what the provider needs. We recommend re-checking your json call structure and trying again
• Missing information. The provider may need additional information to proces the API that has not been included in the call.
• Missing Scopes. Check what are the scopes that the provider needs in order to process the call. If the scope is not listed in your provider configuration in Pathfix, click on Edit under the configuration, add the required scope, re-connect an account and try the call again

The above list is not exhaustive as each provider may have different reasons for failure. We recommend reading through the providers API documentation to understand this better. Additionally, we recommend running the API call in the Pathfix API Playground before configuring this in your app. You can access the API Playground by clicking on Test Connection under the provider configuration in your Pathfix OAuth account.

Action Required

If you receive any of these error notifications, you must take action immediately.

Provider apps: If there are multiple errors being received against your application, some providers may choose to put your account on hold or deactivate your developer app. Log in to your app and action them on priority.

Pathfix account: If the error count against your account goes over 80 per hour, our system will temporarily block your app until the errors have been resolved. This allows you to take action internally first without it effecting your provider’s developer apps.

If you need any assistance with understanding the API error you are seeing, you can reach out to our support team by sending an email to support@pathfix.com or chat with us directly from your dashboard. We’d be happy to look into it!

Looking to add Google Calendar integration in your Bubble.io app? Here is a detailed step by guide on how you can activate oauth for Google Calendar and make the relevant API call using the Bubble API Connector.

Integration page sample:

Enable OAuth

As the first step to adding Google Calendar, you need to get your users to connect their Google Calendar account to your app. This is the OAuth process through which your users will give your app authorization to access their Google Calendar account and access their data.

The OAuth process is the most secure way for you to get access to your users data. The largest part of the build involves a token system that allows for tokens to be shared between your app and the provider (Google Calendar in this case) to check the validity of the access as well as permission levels that were granted by the user. Once the relevant tokens have been validated, you will be able to access the user data and pull this into your app.

Building a token system alone is a large framework to build if you are building this yourself. However, the entire OAuth process is handled by the Pathfix OAuth platform for all your connected users.

Enable OAuth in Google

You will need a Google Console account in order to build out your developer app. Access your Project on GCP.

Note: If you already have a GCP account with an app built out, edit the app and add the Pathfix Redirect URI https://labs.pathfix.com/integrate/command to the app and save the setting. Copy the ClientID and Secret for use in Pathfix (skip to next section)

• Select your Project and click on the menu options
• Click on APIs & Services and select OAuth consent screen
• Select the type of User as External and click on Create
• The app will be available in test mode and will need to be submitted to Google for review (this can be done later as well)

• Add the name of your app (this is what your users will see once you app is approved by Google, make sure you add your app name that will be recognized by your users)
• Fill in the rest of the App domain info
• Save and continue

• In the following page, search for scopes of Google Calendar that you wish to access
• Click on Credentials from the left nav bar, click on Create Credentials and select OAuth client ID
• Add the name of your OAuth 2.0 client
• Under Authorized redirect URIs, add the Pathfix URI: https://labs.pathfix.com/integrate/command

• Once saved, you will receive your Google Client ID and Client Secret
• Copy this info for use in Pathfix

Enable Google Calendar API

You will need to enable the Google Calendar API in Google Console in order to start using the API. To do this:

• Click on the hamburger menu on the top left and choose API & Services and select Enable API and Services

• In the search bar, search for Google Calendar API and select the API
• If not Enabled, click on Enable to activate the API

Setup in Pathfix

• Login to your Pathfix account and click on Add Application
• Add the name of your SaaS and hit Save
• From the list, select Google Calendar from the list of providers to integrate with
• Enter the Client ID and Client Secret copied over from Google Console. You can edit the scopes to include scopes you want to access
• You can change the Display Name and Description from the General tab of this window and hit Save
• Click on Test Connection and Connect an account to test the setup

Add Integration in Your Bubble App

Now that we have setup the Google Console window and completed the configuration of your OAuth process, lets go ahead and setup your Bubble app.

We have released a Google Calendar plugin thats available for free to install from the Bubble plugin store. The plugin has a few Actions and Data calls pre-configured making it easier for you to add the functionality to your app.

There are 2 plugins you will need to install in order to get the Connect button and have access to the Data/Action calls.

1. Pathfix OAuth Connector
2. Google Calendar (OAuth)

Once you install both plugins, you will need your Pathfix Keys from your account to link Pathfix to your Bubble app:

• In Pathfix, click on Keys on the left nav bar
• Copy the Public Key and paste it in the Pathfix OAuth Connector plugin
• Copy the x-partner-key and paste it in the Google Calendar (OAuth) plugin

• In your Bubble Design page, add the Pathfix Connector element to an Integration page (or any page you would like to have your users click-to-connect their Google Calendar accounts)
• On the properties window, you can click on ‘All providers configured in my Pathfix app’
• Or, if you have multiple integrations in the same app in Pathfix and only want to show Google Calendar, enter the internal provider name googlecalendar under the ‘List of providers’

• Click on Preview
• You will be able to view the Google Calendar Connect button now available for your users to be able to use
• Below are some of the pre-configured Actions and Data calls available for you to use
• You can add workflows or repeating group to List events and calendars of the connected users

Call Additional APIs using the Bubble API Connector

If you are trying to call an API that is not available in the Google Calendar (OAuth) plugin, you can use the Bubble API Connector and configure the API directly.

Here is the best way to do this:

• We recommend testing out any APIs in Pathfix Test Connection page first before confguring this in your Bubble API Connector
• Click on Test Connection and make sure you have connected an account by clicking on Connect
• You can choose to pick one of the sample APIs listed in the dropdown menu on the left

• Once your call is successful, you can easily replicate this in your Bubble API Connector
• Below is a sample setup using the Bubble API Connector with further detailed instructions:

1. Key Value and Development Key Value is the Pathfix private_key
2. Add the POST URL as https://labs.pathfix.com/oauth/method/googlecalendar/call
3. Key name should be public_key the value of key can be found at
   – Check Private
   – Check Queryst.
4. Key name should be user_id. Enter your Pathfix account login email ID over here (Note: Ensure that you have tested the connection after configuring your integration in Pathfix)
   – Uncheck Private
   – Check Queryst.

You can click on Initialize Call and on successful response, save the API for use in your app.

When using the API, you will be asked to enter the user_id, always add this as the Current User’s Unique Id in order to make sure the data is shown for the user that is currently logged in and connected:

This will complete your Google Calendar integration in your Bubble app.

We have detailed Bubble setup documentation available in our dedicated space for Bubble developers that can be access here: https://docs.pathfix.com/bubble

Do reach out to our team is you have any questions on your setup or need assistance with an integration.

Integrations allows data to be shared between systems and enables users to access information from a single source. Integration is key for businesses that are looking to streamline their processes and increase efficiency.

Integrations can be accomplished through APIs or webhooks. APIs allow you to send requests to an external system in order to retrieve data or make changes.

Webhooks, on the other hand, allow you to receive a notification from the provider if something has changed in the user's account. This is the best approach to SaaS integrations if you are looking to keep your software in sync with your users' data almost instantly.

Let’s take a look at how you can enable Quickbooks webhooks in your SaaS for your connected users.

TL;DR: Want to look at the step by step guide and enable Quickbooks webhook in your app rightaway? Find it here.

The Required Elements + Build vs. Buy Argument

In order to enable webhooks in your application, you will need the build and setup the following framework/elements:

1. OAuth Process: This is the authentication layer that handles the auth between your application and your users account
2. Webhook Process: Each provider has their own requirement for webhooks and how they expect the request to come through. The webhook process will need to handle the authentication, app credentials and most importantly, a callback URL that listens for incoming events
3. Data Processing/Injestion: After the provider sends the notification to the callback URL, you need to capture the data sent and process it to either fit your requirement or like in some cases, make an API call to the provider to get additional information.

So, can this be built? Absolutely!

But building a solution like this would take time and resources. More importantly, for every provider you wish to add webhook integrations for, the process would need to be repeated since all providers do not follow the same format. Which means – longer time to go live.

This is where Pathfix’s integration products would help save you time and get your webhook integrations go-live faster.

The OAuth Process

Before proceeding with setting up your webhooks, you need to get your authentication in place. This is done using Pathfix’s OAuth platform.

Once you have created your app in Quickbooks developer, the only step you will need to do is add your ClientID and ClientSecret in Pathfix OAuth to enable your platforms authentication to Quickbooks. This entire oauth setup process is done in less than 2 minutes.

Your SaaS integration page will look like this, allowing your users to click-to-connect their Quickbooks account:

The Quickbooks Setup

The webhooks setup in Quickbooks developer is pretty straightforward.

Once you have setup your Quickbooks developer app and have enabled your OAuth process, you will need to go to the Webhooks section and add the Endpoint URL. This URL is where Quickbooks will send a notification if there is any change or update to the connected Quickbooks account.

An Endpoint URL is generated using the Webhooks module in Pathfix Automation.

The Webhooks Process

Pathfix Automation’s webhook module, along with it’s workflow based API integration module, handles the entire webhooks process as well as data collection and processing.

The webhook setup requires no coding, the entire configuration is done in less than a few minutes:

A workflow created will handle incoming data from the webhook and process it as per your apps needs for each connected user:

Now, every user that clicks-to-connect their Quickbooks account will automatically be subscribed to the webhook. Any new data point triggered by Quickbooks webhook, will now be processed and sent back to you – almost instantly.

Allowing you to call any API, including the API for your app:

Step by Step Guide

Ready to build out your Quickbooks webhook integration in your app? Here is the link to our step-by-step guide on how you can add the OAuth, configure the Quickbooks webhook and enable webhook listening – Get Started

If at any point you need any assistance, reach out to us at support@pathfix.com or ping us on our live chat through your Pathfix dashboard.