---
schema_version: "1"
id: 6ba65ea35cb17829dc95e09dc1094b873b777caadfb43465372303c3e9bef6f3
title: Add a Remote Connector to a CRM Analytics Template
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/analytics/bi_dev_guide_wave_templates/guides/concept/bi-templatesdev-add-connector.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/analytics/bi-dev-guide-wave-templates/guide/bi-templatesdev-add-connector.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 4aaff3a857e1eb265fb88bc70c604b038a41886ef506879482eda0c10c83889b
products:
  - Analytics Templates Developer Guide
  - analytics
---

# Add a Remote Connector to a CRM Analytics Template

Add remote connectors to the digest node of a template dataflow by referencing connectors in `variables.json` and editing `ui.json` and `rules.json`.

## Using the ConnectorType Variable in variables.json

If your app includes a connection to a remote data source, add the connection to the template using a `ConnectorType` variable to `variables.json`. `ConnectorType` is a variation of the `StringType` variable with an added `connectorType` attribute. The attribute lets you specify types of connectors to add to the template dataflow, as follows:

```nolang
"ExternalConnector" : {
  "label" : "my connector",
  "description" : "This will be the connector.",
  "variableType" : {
      "type" : "ConnectorType",
       "connectorType" : "SalesforceExternal”
  },
  "required" : true
}

```

The `connectorType` attribute must be a string. It corresponds to values in `WaveDataConnectorTypeEnum`. The value is a “starts with” instead of an “equals,” so using Salesforce includes any connector beginning with that string, such as `SalesforceExternal`, `SalesforceMarketingCloud`, and `SalesforceMarketingCloudOAuth2`. Leave the `connectorType` value blank to include all defined connectors in the org. You can also use a `ConnectorType` variable as the `itemType` in an `ArrayType` variable.

After using the `ConnectorType` variable in `variables.json`, add the variable to `ui.json` so a user creating an app can choose connectors in the template wizard. The user’s org must have at least one connector of the specified type already authenticated, but that connector doesn’t need existing replicated objects. The wizard displays all remote connectors that match the `connectorType` attribute’s criteria, as shown here.

![An app creation wizard page showing connector selections](https://developer.salesforce.com/media/bi_dev_guide_wave_templates/bi_templatesdev_connector_types_in_wizard.png)

## Add a Rule to Replace the connectionName in the Dataflow

Use the `ConnectorType` variable in a rule to update the dataflow's digest node `connectionName` at app creation time. Here’s an example rule:

```nolang
{
"rules" : [
  {
     "name" : "UpdateConnectors",
     "appliesTo" : [ {
         "type" : "workflow",
         "name" : "*"
     }],
     "actions" : [
     {
         "action" : "set",
         "description" : "Use connector for digest node",
         "path" : "$..workflowDefinition.digest_Account.parameters.connectionName",
         "value" : "${Variables.ExternalConnector}"
     }]
  }]
}

```

Avoid using `${Variables.ExternalConnector}` directly in the template workflow JSON. Every time the template is updated from the source app, this variable token is overwritten and removed.