--- title: App connections slug: campaign/docs/app-connections docTags: createdAt: 2026-07-20T15:45:38.852Z --- ## The basics ### Overview With *App Connections* you can send data and commands from a Marketing Automation campaign to external applications. The feature is currently available as a public beta version. :::hint{type="info"} **Note** Make sure you adhere to all statutory regulations when sharing data with any third party application! ::: App connections are related to webhooks, but work a bit differently: [Webhooks](docId\:l1fmyem53PgyeFhBqlqHe) are defined via API and are triggered by a recipient's actions. App connections, on the other hand, are defined in the Optimizely Campaign graphical user interface and are triggered when a recipient reaches a specific node in a Marketing Automation campaign. An app connection contains a set of parameters defining an HTTP request. Each app connection is first configured on the page *App Connections* and can then be used in the campaign editor of Marketing Automation via the Co*nnect App* node. When a recipient reaches a *Connect App* node, the HTTP request will be sent to the external app as defined. This can be limited to specific target groups. ### Opening the page App Connections **Prerequisites:** You are logged in to Optimizely Campaign. You have permission to see app connections. 1. In the menu bar, click on *Administration*. 2. Click on *App Connections*. → The page *App Connections* is displayed. ## Properties of HTTP requests from app connections ### Authentication Currently, all app connections use authentication with name and password. If the fields *Username* and *Password* on the page *Edit App Connection* are empty, the app connection will send HTTP requests with an empty authentication string. A future version will support multiple authentication methods: - no authentication string at all. - basic authentication (already available). - key authentication. ### Content type Currently, all HTTP requests using the POST method use the content type *application/json*. GET requests do not include a content type declaration. A future version will offer more options for content types. ## Preparation of app connections ### Settings and placeholders for dynamic values App connections are configured on the page *Create App Connection*. Multiple text fields are used for defining the elements of the HTTP request that will be sent by the app connection. Most use cases for app connections require sending data from a running campaign to an external app. This is possible by using placeholders which allow you to add values from a recipient list to your HTTP request. Each placeholder references a value from a single column in a recipient list. When a recipient reaches an app connection node, the data stored in that column for the recipient is put at the position of the placeholder. Placeholders can be used in the fields for URL parameters. Replacing placeholders with dynamic values does not work in the field *URL*. When using placeholders, use the *internal name* of the recipient list field in curly brackets, do not use the *display name*! The internal name is visible on the page *Recipient Lists*. ### Creating an app connection **Prerequisites:** You see the page *App Connections*. You have permission to edit app connections. You know how to address your external application via an HTTP request (if you want to address an Optimizely Campaign API, see [API overview](docId\:XhqDfbEVueM9jA-rOwNM6)). 1. Below the list of app connections, click on *Create...*. → The page *Create App Connection* is displayed. 2. Enter a name. 3. Select the appropriate HTTP method. 4. Enter the URL for the HTTP request. Do not add "?" and parameters in the field *URL*! 5. If you are using the HTTP method *POST*, enter the message body. 6. If required: Enter a user name and a password. (see [Authentication](docId\:u1JjXABfIuf6zf6ixuTy6) above) 7. Optional: Enter a key and value that will be added as URL parameters. 8. Optional: Click ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/diPGJsKRSoXJ5tJoukKKY-20260720-145257.png) and enter additional pairs of keys and values. 9. Click *Save*. → The new app connection is now available when you add an App Connection node in the campaign editor of Marketing Automation. ### Editing an app connection **Prerequisites:** You see the page *App Connections*. You have permission to edit app connections. 1. In the list, click on the app connection you want to edit. → The selected entry is highlighted. 2. Below the list of app connections, click on *Edit...*. → The page *Edit App Connection* is displayed. 3. Adjust the parameters as desired (see [Creating an app connection](docId\:u1JjXABfIuf6zf6ixuTy6) above). 4. Click Save. → The changes are saved. ## Use of app connections in an MA campaign ### Adding a Connect App node **Prerequisites:** You have created or opened an MA campaign and see the campaign editor. 1. Drag a Connect App node from the side panel to the design area. 2. To connect the node to other nodes in your campaign, click one of the handles on the sides of the node and drag a connection to another node. → The campaign contains a Connect App node. ### Configuring a Connect App node **Prerequisites:** You have configured an app connection. You see a Marketing Automation campaign with a Connect App node in the campaign editor. 1. Hover the mouse pointer over the Connect App node. 2. Click on ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/Z-ezBny19X6GvdOPeLGU--20260720-145257.png) (Properties). → A pop-up menu is displayed. 3. In the field *App Connection*, select the app connection you want to use. 4. Optional: If you do not want to execute the app connection for every recipient who reaches the node but only for those in a specific target group, select a target group in the field *Perform Action Only For*. 5. Save the campaign.