Properties in Boomi:
Properties in Boomi are variables/parameters that can be used to capture or alter the state of a process/document in an integration flow. These can either be Either assigned or retrieved on the fly or they can be defined to keep the metadata.
Boomi Platform Property Types
Boomi provides us with different platform property types to help with metadata that can be used in an integration flow. Those are
- Document Property
- Dynamic Document Property
- Process Property
- Dynamic Process Property
*Set Properties shape can be used to set values to these properties. However, the property values can also be retrieved in Map Functions, Groovy scripting, Message/Notify Shape, Business Rules, etc.
Document Property:
| Document Property | Dynamic Document Property | |
| What is? | Property Type that contains connector-specific information like
Disk – Filename, Directory, etc. Trading Partner – Sender ID, Receiver ID, etc. |
Property Type that is temporarily created and assigned during execution and these are tied to each document. These are user-defined. |
| Level | These values are carried along with each document | These values are carried along with each document |
| Extension | Yes | No |
| Persistence | No | No |
Pros:
- Helps in data traceability by maintaining metadata for each document.
Cons:
- Document Properties cannot exist between paths/branches.
- Document properties / Dynamic Document Properties get affected after
- Connector call
- Split / Merge Data Processing
Process Property:
| Process Property | Dynamic Process Property | |
| What is? | Collection of key/value pairs stored in table format and can be retrieved in any process. | Dynamically created process property to maintain metadata at the process level. These are not tied to a document. In fact, one copy exists through process execution. |
| Level | Process level. Process Properties can be predefined and used in an integration flow. | Process level. It can be created and modified during process execution. |
| Extension | Yes. These properties can be predefined in an Environment and can be extended in each process based on the integration requirements. | Yes. These properties can be created and assigned in a Process. This takes effect once execution starts. |
| Persistence | These properties can be persisted, and each run will remember the last saved value. | These properties can be persisted, and each run will remember the last saved value. |
Pros:
- Helps maintain process-level information.
- Efficient auditing and exception handling for an integration flow.
- Process Properties can exist between paths/branches. A single copy of property is maintained throughout an execution.
- Property value doesn’t get affected by Connector call, Split/Combine operations, etc.
Cons:
- Document process property defined in the sub-process cannot be used in the master process before calling sub-process.
Cover Photo by Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash
