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Mainbranch

Connectors

Connectors link Mainbranch to your organization’s data sources, enabling the AI Assistant to search across your documents, emails, calendars, and other content.

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

Mainbranch connectors:

  • Sync data from external services
  • Maintain access permissions from the source
  • Enable unified search across all connected sources
  • Update automatically as content changes

Available Connectors

Section titled “Available Connectors”
Google Workspace
Microsoft 365
Zendesk

Connector Overview

Section titled “Connector Overview”
ConnectorServicesData Types
Google WorkspaceDrive, Gmail, CalendarDocuments, emails, events
Microsoft 365OneDrive, Outlook, CalendarDocuments, emails, events
ZendeskSupport TicketsSupport tickets, customer data

How Connectors Work

Section titled “How Connectors Work”

Data Synchronization

Section titled “Data Synchronization”

When you connect a data source:

  1. Initial Sync — Mainbranch indexes existing content
  2. Ongoing Updates — New and modified content is synced automatically
  3. Permission Sync — Access permissions are maintained from the source

Permission-Aware Access

Section titled “Permission-Aware Access”

Connectors respect source permissions:

  • Users only see content they have access to in the source system
  • Permission changes in the source reflect in Mainbranch
  • Shared content follows sharing rules from the source

Managing Connectors

Section titled “Managing Connectors”

Viewing Connector Status

Section titled “Viewing Connector Status”
  1. Go to Workspace settings > Setup > Apps
  2. View the list of available connectors
  3. Check the status of each connector:
    • Connected/Synced — Active and syncing
    • In Progress — Currently syncing
    • Disabled — Not connected
    • Error — Issue requiring attention

Connector Metrics

Section titled “Connector Metrics”

For each connected source, you can see:

  • Number of documents indexed
  • Sync status
  • Last sync time
  • Error information (if any)

Setting Up Connectors

Section titled “Setting Up Connectors”

Prerequisites

Section titled “Prerequisites”

Before connecting a data source:

  • Admin access to Mainbranch
  • Admin access to the source service (for organization-wide connection)
  • Understanding of your organization’s data policies

General Setup Process

Section titled “General Setup Process”

  1. Navigate to Apps

    Go to Workspace settings > Setup > Apps.

  2. Select a Connector

    Click on the connector you want to set up.

  3. Authorize Access

    Follow the authorization flow to grant Mainbranch access to the data source.

  4. Configure Options

    Set any connector-specific options (scope, folders, etc.).

  5. Start Sync

    Begin the initial synchronization.

  6. Monitor Progress

    Watch the sync progress and verify completion.

For detailed setup instructions, see the specific connector guide:

Sync Behavior

Section titled “Sync Behavior”

What Gets Synced

Section titled “What Gets Synced”

Connectors typically sync:

  • Documents and files
  • Emails and messages
  • Calendar events
  • Metadata and permissions

What Does Not Get Synced

Section titled “What Does Not Get Synced”

Some content may not be synced:

  • Very large files (above size limits)
  • Unsupported file formats
  • Content explicitly excluded
  • Content the authorizing user cannot access

Sync Frequency

Section titled “Sync Frequency”
  • Initial Sync — Can take hours to days depending on data volume
  • Ongoing Sync — Near real-time for most changes
  • Full Resync — Periodic complete refresh

Best Practices

Section titled “Best Practices”

Planning Your Connections

Section titled “Planning Your Connections”
  • Start with your most-used data sources
  • Consider data sensitivity when deciding what to connect
  • Plan for initial sync time (which can be lengthy)

Security Considerations

Section titled “Security Considerations”
  • Only connect services containing appropriate data
  • Review what permissions you are granting
  • Ensure compliance with data policies

Monitoring

Section titled “Monitoring”
  • Check connector status regularly
  • Review sync metrics periodically
  • Address errors promptly

Troubleshooting

Section titled “Troubleshooting”

Connector Not Syncing

Section titled “Connector Not Syncing”
  • Verify authorization is still valid
  • Check for permission changes in the source
  • Review error messages in connector status
  • Try re-authorizing the connection

Missing Content

Section titled “Missing Content”
  • Verify the content exists in the source
  • Check permissions on the content
  • Ensure the content type is supported
  • Allow time for sync to complete

Sync Errors

Section titled “Sync Errors”
  • Review specific error messages
  • Check source service status
  • Verify network connectivity
  • Contact support for persistent issues

Data Security

Section titled “Data Security”

Encryption

Section titled “Encryption”
  • Data is encrypted in transit
  • Data is encrypted at rest
  • Connections use secure protocols

Access Control

Section titled “Access Control”
  • API credentials are stored securely
  • Access tokens are refreshed automatically
  • Connections can be revoked at any time

Compliance

Section titled “Compliance”
  • Connectors follow data handling policies
  • Audit logs track connector activity
  • Data retention follows your configuration

Next Steps

Section titled “Next Steps”

Set up your first connector: