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Data Source

Follow the instructions below to create a new data flow that ingests data from a Convey source in Nexla.
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Convey

Create a New Data Flow​

  1. To create a new data flow, navigate to the Integrate section, and click the New Data Flow button. Then, select the desired flow type from the list, and click the Create button.

  2. Select the Convey connector tile from the list of available connectors. Then, select the credential that will be used to connect to the Convey instance, and click Next; or, create a new Convey credential for use in this flow.

  3. In Nexla, Convey data sources can be created using pre-built endpoint templates, which expedite source setup for common Convey endpoints. Each template is designed specifically for the corresponding Convey endpoint, making source configuration easy and efficient.
    • To configure this source using a template, follow the instructions in Configure Using a Template.

    Convey sources can also be configured manually, allowing you to ingest data from Convey endpoints not included in the pre-built templates or apply further customizations to exactly suit your needs.
    • To configure this source manually, follow the instructions in Configure Manually.

Configure Using a Template​

Nexla provides pre-built templates that can be used to rapidly configure data sources to ingest data from common Convey endpoints. Each template is designed specifically for the corresponding Convey endpoint, making data source setup easy and efficient.

Endpoint Settings​

  • Select the endpoint from which this source will fetch data from the Endpoint pulldown menu. Available endpoint templates are listed in the expandable boxes below. Click on an endpoint to see more information about it and how to configure your data source for this endpoint.

    Retrieve Shipment Events

    This endpoint provides a route to retrieve shipment events. Both exceptions, tracking, and predictive events (enabled by configuration) are included. The system will return events from up to 72 hours ago in chronological order. Use this endpoint when you need to access shipment tracking events, exception events, or predictive events from your Convey account.

    • This endpoint automatically retrieves shipment events from your Convey account. No additional configuration is required beyond selecting this endpoint template.
    • The endpoint uses GET requests to https://api.getconvey.com/shipment/v1/events. The endpoint URL is automatically constructed based on the Convey API base URL.
    • The endpoint uses URL-based pagination, automatically fetching additional pages as needed using the next_url from the response. When a response includes a result.pagination.next_url value, Nexla automatically uses it as the URL for the subsequent request to fetch the next page of results.
    • The endpoint will return shipment events from up to 72 hours ago in chronological order. The response data is extracted from the result.events array in the API response ($.result.events[*]), with each event record processed individually.

    This endpoint supports pagination through the next_url mechanism. When a response includes a result.pagination.next_url value, Nexla automatically uses it as the URL for the subsequent request to fetch the next page of results. The endpoint uses URL-based pagination (iteration.type: paging.next.url) through the result.pagination.next_url mechanism. The response data path is $.result.events[*], which extracts all items from the result.events array in the API response. The system returns events from up to 72 hours ago in chronological order. Both exceptions, tracking, and predictive events (enabled by configuration) are included. For detailed information about retrieving shipment events, see the Convey API documentation.

    Export Shipment Information

    This endpoint provides a route to export shipments, including destination and origin information. The API will return all shipments created on or after the From Date-Time parameter and ending at the current date-time. Use this endpoint when you need to export shipment data, including destination and origin information, for a specific time period.

    • Enter the starting date/time value for exporting data in the From Date-Time field. This must be in ISO-8601 date time format (e.g., 2021-09-24T14:49:47Z). You can use Nexla macros like {now} for the current time or {now-1} for one day ago. The default value is {now-1} if not specified.

    • The endpoint uses GET requests to https://api.getconvey.com/data/v1/shipment/export?from={'{from_datetime}'} where {from_datetime} is the From Date-Time you provide. The endpoint URL is automatically constructed based on the Convey API base URL and the provided date-time parameter.
    • The endpoint does not use pagination and returns all shipments created on or after the From Date-Time parameter and ending at the current date-time in a single request.
    • The endpoint will return all shipments created on or after the specified From Date-Time, including destination and origin information. The response data is extracted from the result array in the API response ($.result[*]), with each shipment record processed individually.

    The From Date-Time parameter must be in ISO-8601 date time format (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ssZ), or you can use Nexla macros like {now} for the current time or {now-1} for one day ago. The endpoint uses a static URL (iteration.type: static.url) and does not require pagination. The response data path is $.result[*], which extracts all items from the result array in the API response. The API will return all shipments created on or after the From Date-Time parameter and ending at the current date-time. For detailed information about exporting shipment information, see the Convey API documentation.

Endpoint Testing​

Once the selected endpoint template has been configured, Nexla can retrieve a sample of the data that will be fetched according to the current settings. This allows users to verify that the source is configured correctly before saving.

  • To test the current endpoint configuration, click the Test button to the right of the endpoint selection menu. Sample data will be fetched & displayed in the Endpoint Test Result panel on the right.

  • If the sample data is not as expected, review the selected endpoint and associated settings, and make any necessary adjustments. Then, click the Test button again, and check the sample data to ensure that the correct information is displayed.

Configure Manually​

Convey data sources can be manually configured to ingest data from any valid Convey API endpoint. Manual configuration provides maximum flexibility for accessing endpoints not covered by pre-built templates or when you need custom API configurations.

With manual configuration, you can also create more complex Convey sources, such as sources that use chained API calls to fetch data from multiple endpoints or sources that require custom authentication headers or request parameters.

API Method​

  1. To manually configure this source, select the Advanced tab at the top of the configuration screen.

  2. Select the API method that will be used for calls to the Convey API from the Method pulldown menu. The most common methods are:

    • GET: For retrieving data from the API
    • POST: For sending data to the API or triggering actions
    • PUT: For updating existing data
    • PATCH: For partial updates to existing data
    • DELETE: For removing data

API Endpoint URL​

  1. Enter the URL of the Convey API endpoint from which this source will fetch data in the Set API URL field. This should be the complete URL including the protocol (https://) and any required path parameters. Convey API endpoints typically follow the pattern https://api.getconvey.com/{'{endpoint_path}'}.

Ensure the API endpoint URL is correct and accessible with your current credentials. You can test the endpoint using the Test button after configuring the URL. The endpoint requires Basic Authentication with your API key as the username, which is handled automatically by your credential configuration. For detailed information about Convey API endpoints and available APIs, see the Convey API documentation.

Path to Data​

  1. Enter the JSON path that identifies the location of the relevant data within the API response in the Path to Data field. JSON paths use dot notation to navigate through nested JSON structures.

    • For example, if your API response has the structure {"result": {"events": [...]}}, you would enter $.result.events[*] to extract all items from the events array.
    • Use $[*] to extract all items from a root-level array.
    • Use $ to extract the entire root-level object.

JSON paths are case-sensitive and must match the exact structure of your API response. Convey API responses typically use a result object containing arrays like events or root-level arrays depending on the endpoint. Use the Test button to verify that your JSON path correctly extracts the desired data from the API response.

Save the Data Source​

  1. Once all configuration steps have been completed, click the Save button to save your data source configuration.

  2. The data source will now be available in your data flow and will begin ingesting data according to the configured schedule and endpoint settings.