Use this article to understand how Yarken connects to external systems and uses Workato-supported integrations in data ingestion, automation, and operating workflows.
Connecting Yarken to source systems
Integrations connect Yarken to the systems where technology finance data already lives.
Yarken can bring in data from cloud platforms, storage locations, APIs, databases, license systems, usage systems, ERPs, ITSM tools, HR systems, collaboration tools, reporting platforms, and other enterprise applications. Yarken can also send data and trigger actions back to connected systems where supported.
This allows teams to analyze spend, cloud usage, license usage, product usage, vendor data, workforce data, and reporting data in one place, then use that data across Analytics, Planning, FinOps, TBM allocation, Insights, Recommendations, License Intelligence, and operating workflows.
What you can do
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Connect Yarken to external systems using supported connectors.
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Bring in spend, cloud, usage, license, vendor, HR, finance, and reporting data.
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Use connections to manage credentials and source system configuration.
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Use connectors to interact with named applications, APIs, protocols, databases, and file locations.
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Trigger workflows when events happen in source systems.
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Perform actions in connected systems, such as creating records, posting messages, updating data, or writing rows where supported.
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Build pipelines for scheduled or event-driven data ingestion and processing.
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Use recipes for smaller automations built from triggers and actions.
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Map external fields into Yarken fields using reusable data mapping templates.
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Use connected data across dashboards, Analytics, TBM allocation, FinOps, Planning, License Intelligence, Insights, Recommendations, and reporting.
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Support file-based exchange when an application does not expose a useful API.
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Extend integrations through custom actions or custom connectors where needed.
How Workato fits with Yarken
Yarken uses Workato to ingest information and data from third-party tools and applications into Yarken.
Workato supports much of the orchestration behind those integrations, including connecting to source systems, handling supported triggers and actions, and moving data into the right Yarken workflow.
In practice, administrators work with Yarken connections, pipelines, mappings, and related setup inside the product, while Workato helps power the underlying integration flow where supported.
This is what allows Yarken to turn third-party operational, financial, workforce, cloud, and license data into governed data that can be used inside the Yarken model.
Connections
A connection is the saved credential and configuration Yarken needs to communicate with an external system.
Connections may use OAuth tokens, service principals, API keys, database logins, file share credentials, or other supported authentication methods.
Once a connection is authorized, it can be used by pipelines, recipes, reports, or other integration workflows where supported.
In Workato-supported flows, the connection provides the trusted source access the integration uses when it runs.
Connections help administrators manage source access in a controlled way instead of relying on repeated manual exports or individual user credentials.
Connectors
A connector is the integration package that knows how to communicate with a specific application, API, database, file location, or protocol.
Yarken supports several connector patterns.
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Pre-built connectors for officially supported applications and systems.
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Universal connectors for systems that expose standard APIs or protocols.
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Database connectors for direct access to structured data stores.
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Custom connectors for proprietary, internal, or unsupported applications.
Workato provides the connector framework Yarken uses for many third-party application and API integrations.
Connectors allow Yarken to retrieve data, listen for events, perform actions, and automate workflows across connected systems.
Triggers and actions
Triggers watch for events in a source system and start a workflow.
Examples include a new file being dropped into storage, a ticket changing status, a new invoice being created, a license record being updated, or a new vendor being added.
Actions perform a specific operation in a target system.
Examples include creating a record, posting a message, updating a license, writing a row, opening a ticket, or sending data to another system.
Pipelines and recipes can chain triggers and actions together, so data and activity move automatically without manual intervention.
Pipelines, recipes, and data mapping
Pipelines orchestrate scheduled or event-driven data ingestion and processing.
They are used when data needs to move repeatedly from a source system into Yarken or from Yarken into another system where supported.
Recipes are smaller automations built from one trigger and one or more actions.
They are useful when a specific event should trigger a focused workflow, such as notifying a team, creating a ticket, updating a record, or moving a file.
Data mapping templates translate external fields into Yarken fields the same way every time. This keeps reporting, allocation, analytics, and planning stable even when data comes from different systems.
Together, pipelines, recipes, and data mapping reduce manual data handling and make connected data usable inside the Yarken financial model.
Pre-built connectors
Yarken supports pre-built connectors for common systems used by Finance, IT, FinOps, HR, SaaS operations, cloud, support, collaboration, and reporting teams.
A pre-built connector may include:
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Documented authentication.
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Supported triggers.
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Supported actions.
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Source system permission guidance.
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Handling for common integration behavior such as pagination, rate limits, retries, and errors.
Pre-built connectors are the preferred option when the target system is already supported because the integration pattern is already packaged.
Connector categories
Yarken integrations can support systems across multiple enterprise categories.
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Category |
Examples of supported systems |
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Cloud platforms and cost |
AWS, Azure, Google Cloud |
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Identity and productivity |
Microsoft Graph, Google Workspace, Okta, Active Directory |
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Collaboration |
Microsoft Teams, Slack, Outlook, Gmail, SharePoint, Confluence |
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Storage and files |
AWS S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, SFTP, FTPS |
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ITSM and DevOps |
ServiceNow, Jira, Jira Service Desk, GitHub, PagerDuty |
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CRM and sales |
Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Pipedrive |
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ERP and finance |
NetSuite, SAP, Oracle Fusion Cloud, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks Online, Xero, Coupa, SAP Concur |
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HR and people |
Workday, BambooHR, ADP, SAP SuccessFactors, Greenhouse |
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Data and analytics |
Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, Redshift, Power BI, dbt Cloud |
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Messaging and events |
Apache Kafka, Confluent Cloud, Amazon SNS, Amazon SQS, JMS |
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Support and marketing |
Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom, Marketo, Mailchimp, Eloqua |
The connector library can expand over time. If a system is not available as a pre-built connector, it may still be reachable through a universal connector, database connector, file exchange, custom action, or custom connector.
Universal connectors
Universal connectors are used when a system has an API or standard interface but no pre-built connector.
They are useful for internal applications, niche SaaS tools, partner APIs, proprietary systems, and other cases where teams need integration coverage without waiting for a native connector.
HTTP connector
The HTTP connector works with APIs that support HTTP.
It can support common authentication models such as basic authentication, bearer tokens, API keys, and OAuth-based patterns where configured.
It can also support common content types and request methods used by modern APIs.
Use the HTTP connector when you have an API specification, endpoint details, or sample request and need to connect to the system directly.
OpenAPI connector
The OpenAPI connector uses an OpenAPI specification to understand available endpoints, parameters, and response schemas.
Use it when the application publishes a well-formed OpenAPI document and the integration can be generated from the specification.
This can reduce setup effort because the connector can understand the structure of the API from the published schema.
GraphQL connector
The GraphQL connector is used for applications that expose a GraphQL API.
Teams can define the query or mutation, map inputs and outputs, and use the connector in pipelines or recipes.
Use it when the source system is built around GraphQL and the workflow needs precise control over requested fields.
SOAP connector
The SOAP connector is used for older enterprise systems that expose SOAP web services.
It can use a WSDL definition to expose available operations as actions.
Use it when integrating with legacy systems that rely on SOAP rather than modern REST or GraphQL APIs.
Database connectors
Database connectors are used when an application has useful data in a database and API access is limited, unavailable, or not the best option.
Yarken can connect to supported relational databases, document databases, analytical databases, and cloud data warehouses where configured.
Examples may include MySQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, IBM Db2, MongoDB Atlas, Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, and Databricks.
Database connectors are useful for proprietary applications, self-hosted systems, and analytics workloads that need structured data access at scale.
File-based exchange
File-based exchange is used when a system does not expose a practical API or direct database access.
The source system can place CSV or other supported files in SFTP or cloud storage on a schedule. Yarken can retrieve those files, apply a data mapping template, and process them through a pipeline.
The same pattern may also work in reverse where Yarken writes files to a location for another system to pick up, where supported.
This keeps integration possible even when the source system is older, restricted, or not API-friendly.
Custom actions
Custom actions extend an existing connector with an operation that is not available out of the box.
Because the custom action sits on top of an existing connector, it can reuse the connector's authentication and standard handling.
Use custom actions when the system is already connected but a specific endpoint or operation is needed for a workflow.
Custom connectors and SDK
Custom connectors are used when a pre-built connector, universal connector, database connector, file exchange pattern, or custom action is not enough.
A custom connector packages authentication, triggers, actions, object schemas, and workflow behavior into a reusable integration.
Use a custom connector when:
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The application is proprietary or developed in-house.
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The integration needs reusable triggers and actions.
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Multiple teams need to use the same integration.
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The integration should be packaged, versioned, and governed.
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The workflow is important enough to avoid rebuilding it for each pipeline or recipe.
Custom connectors are useful for one-off internal systems and for reusable integrations that several teams or environments may adopt.
Choosing the right integration approach
Use this order when planning a new integration.
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Use a pre-built connector if one exists.
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Use a universal connector if the system has an API but no pre-built connector.
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Use OpenAPI when the system publishes a usable specification.
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Use HTTP, GraphQL, or SOAP based on the interface the system exposes.
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Use a database connector when direct database access is stronger than API access.
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Use a custom action when an existing connector needs one additional operation.
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Use a custom connector when the integration needs to be reusable, governed, packaged, or shared.
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Use file-based exchange when no API or database access is available.
This gives teams flexibility without forcing every system into the same pattern.
How teams use integrations
Administrators connect Yarken to trusted source systems and govern who can author, run, and maintain integration workflows.
Finance teams use integrations to bring in spend, budget, vendor, invoice, contract, and ERP data.
IT teams use integrations to connect operational systems, service management tools, asset data, and reporting sources.
FinOps teams use integrations to bring in cloud billing, usage, tagging, commitment, and optimization data.
SaaS and license teams use integrations to bring in product usage, license usage, and identity data.
HR and workforce teams use integrations to support headcount and workforce planning data where configured.
Teams can also use integrations to send data and actions back to source systems, such as posting anomalies to collaboration channels, opening tickets when thresholds are exceeded, writing approved data to another system, or triggering downstream workflows.
How integrations fit with Yarken
Integrations connect external systems into the Yarken technology finance model.
Once data enters Yarken, it can be mapped, allocated, reported, analyzed, governed, and used in planning and optimization workflows.
This means connected data does not sit in isolation. It can flow into TBM allocation, FinOps analysis, Planning, Analytics, License Intelligence, Insights, Recommendations, Cost Explorer, dashboards, and executive reporting.
The value is not only that Yarken can connect to many systems. The value is that Yarken can make connected data useful inside a governed technology finance operating model.
When to use Connected Data Sources
Use Connected Data Sources when Yarken needs to retrieve or send data across cloud platforms, cloud storage, APIs, license systems, usage systems, ERPs, ITSM tools, HR systems, reporting platforms, databases, collaboration tools, or proprietary applications.
Use integrations when recurring data movement should be handled through governed pipelines and recipes instead of manual uploads.
Use integrations when data from external systems needs to support reporting, allocation, planning, anomaly detection, optimization, license analysis, chargeback, or decision workflows.
Use this page when you need the high-level model of how Yarken and Workato work together to connect third-party systems to Yarken.
For detailed step by step instructions on creating connections, configuring connectors, building pipelines, creating recipes, mapping data, using universal connectors, configuring database connectors, and developing custom connectors, refer to the Integration Connectors and Automation Guide.
Next step
Integration Connectors and Automation Guide
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