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💻 Web Services

The Web Services action enables communication between your application and external SOAP-based services. It supports detailed configuration to ensure seamless integration with a wide range of SOAP APIs.

I. Operation Tab​

  • Operation

    • Select the SOAP operation or method to be invoked.
    • The list is populated from the WSDL service definition.

  • Location

    • The endpoint URL of the SOAP service.
    • Usually obtained from the WSDL, but can be overridden.

  • Use Timeout On Request

    • Enables a timeout feature for the SOAP request.
    • Prevents hanging requests by specifying a maximum wait time.

  • Timeout

    • Duration in milliseconds after which the request will be aborted if no response is received.
    • Helps maintain Pageflows responsiveness and error handling.

  • Validation Against WSDL

    • Validates SOAP requests against the WSDL schema before sending.
    • Ensures the request structure matches the service specification.

  • Proxy Configuration

    • Choose proxy settings:
      • App Settings: Uses the global proxy defined in the application.
      • Override: Specify a custom proxy for this action.
      • No Proxy: Send requests directly without proxy.

  • Client Certification

    • Allows selection of certificates for client-side authentication.
    • Choose between using the application’s default certificate or uploading a custom one.

II. HTTP Headers Tab​

  • Use HTTP Authentication

    • Enable HTTP Basic Authentication if the service requires it.

  • Username / Password

    • Credentials for HTTP Authentication.
    • Must be valid for the target SOAP service.

  • Custom HTTP Headers

    • Define additional HTTP headers that should accompany the SOAP request.
    • Useful for custom authentication tokens, tracing IDs, or content types.
    • Add multiple key-value pairs as needed.

III. SOAP Request Headers Tab​

  • SOAP headers can carry metadata or instructions to the SOAP service.
  • Use this tab to add SOAP header elements required by the service.
  • You can manually specify key-value pairs for each header element.
  • Optionally, select predefined XML structures from a dropdown to quickly populate standard headers.
  • This flexibility allows adapting to various SOAP service requirements.

IV. SOAP Request Body Tab​

  • The SOAP request body contains the main payload of the SOAP message.
  • Define the body as key-value pairs corresponding to the XML structure expected by the service.
  • Support for dynamic variables allows populating values at runtime from Pageflows data.
  • This tab ensures you can fully customize the SOAP request payload.

V. SOAP Response Tab​

  • Mapping

    • Map the SOAP response elements to internal Pageflows variables or schema fields.
    • Facilitates automatic extraction and usage of returned data.

  • If No Object Was Found

    • Defines how the system should behave if the SOAP response contains no usable object:
      • Create: Automatically create a new object in the system.
      • Ignore: Proceed without error or action.
      • Error: Raise an error to alert the Pageflows.

  • Parameter

    • Select a Pageflows variable to hold the main parameter or object returned by the service.
    • Useful for further processing or decision-making in the Pageflows.

  • Commit

    • Choose whether to commit the response data to the system:
      • Yes: Commit normally with events triggered.
      • Yes Without Events: Commit silently without triggering events.
      • No: Do not commit the data.

  • Store In Variable

    • Optionally store the entire SOAP response or specific parts in a variable.
    • Useful for logging, debugging, or additional custom processing.

Additional Notes​

  • SOAP is a protocol for exchanging structured information in web services.
  • This action supports full customization to comply with diverse SOAP service implementations.
  • Proper configuration of headers, body, and response handling is crucial for successful integration.
  • Make sure to have the WSDL and service documentation handy for correct setup.

Use Cases​

  • Integrating legacy enterprise systems via SOAP.
  • Communicating with banking, insurance, or government SOAP APIs.
  • Automating Pageflows that depend on external SOAP-based services.
  • Enabling complex service orchestrations by chaining SOAP calls within Pageflows.

This detailed setup enables robust SOAP integrations ensuring flexibility, security, and precise data handling in your Pageflows.