Group routes
Lesson 18 of 25 6 min read
How routes on a module group differ from a type's routes, and a full worked example that shares one Send module across several SFTP integration types.
A group is only useful once it has a route. This lesson shows how group routes differ from the routes on a type's Modules tab, then walks through setting up a group from scratch so that several SFTP integration types share one Send module.
Config-driven integration types
This lesson doesn't apply to config-driven integration types. Published maps and profiles choose the work for these types.
How group routes work
The routes card at the bottom of the group page works the same way as the type's Modules tab: the same columns, the same Applies values, the same Set module dialog, the same delete dialog. These are the differences:
| On a type's Modules tab | On a group page | |
|---|---|---|
| Source of each route | This type | This group |
| Message type in Set module | Any supported message type | Fixed: the group's message type |
| Module list in Set module | Modules available to the type | Only the group's modules |
| Precedence | A type route wins over a group route for the same message, document type and organisations | A group route loses to a member type's own route for the same combination |
On each member type's Modules tab, the group route appears with Source: Group: and the group name. You can see it there, but you change it on the group page.
Worked example: share one Send module across SFTP types
One FTP send module for three SFTP partners
Hilltop Coffee and two other organisations trade with three different SFTP partners. Each partner has its own coded integration type: Acme SFTP (acme-sftp) and two others. All three send files the same way, using one Send module, ftp-send (a fictional key). Rather than set the same route three times, you use a group.
1. Add the group. Open Administration → Routing → Module Groups and select Add. Id ftp-send, name FTP send, message type Send. Select Create. The group page opens.
2. Add the module. In Module to add, type ftp, select ftp-send and select Add. The list only offers Send modules, because that's the group's message type.
3. Add the member types. In Integration type to add, add each of the three SFTP types. One of them was already in an older Send group, so the Move it from group name? dialog appears. You check what that old group gave it, then select Move.
4. Set the group route. In the routes card, select Set module. Message type is fixed to Send. Keep Any document and leave Organisation empty for All organisations. Select ftp-send and select Set module.
5. Check routing on each member. Open each member type's Routing tab and make sure Send is Live. The group route does nothing if a member's Send row is Not routed or Off.
6. Check for overrides. On each member's Modules tab, look at the Send table. On Acme SFTP, the group route shows Overridden, because Acme SFTP still has an old Send route of its own. You decide whether Acme SFTP should share the group module. If so, delete its own route: the delete dialog names the group route as the one that takes over.
7. Confirm. On each member's Modules tab, run Preview for Send and Any document. Each shows ftp-send runs.
Overrides still work
A group route is the shared default. If one organisation on one member type needs something different, add an Override on that type's Modules tab. The precedence rules still apply: one organisation beats all organisations, and the type beats the group.
Recap
- Group routes use the same table and dialogs as a type's Modules tab.
- On a group, Source is This group, the message type is fixed, and only the group's modules can be chosen.
- A member type's own route for the same combination wins over the group route.
- To share a module: add the group, add the module, add member types, set the group route, then check each member's routing is Live and use Preview.
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