Overview
Currently, there are three main types of system Parallax integrates with - CRMs, Timesheets and PM Tools. While each of these serves a different function in Parallax, and there are nuances to how each Integration is connected, one thing is true of all Integrations - they all need an Owner within your organization. In this article, we'll talk about what that means.
What is an Integration "Owner"?
Simply put, the "Owner" of an Integration is the User Profile in Parallax and in the User Profile in the Integration that is used to connect the two (in Settings > Integrations). With some Integrations, this is the Profile that manually generated a permission token that's provided while connecting the Integration - but most often, it's just Profile you're logged into when you connect the Integration.
Example - Harvest Connection
Harvest is a very simple example - when you connect a Harvest Integration, you'll be asked to sign into Harvest and grant Parallax Permissions within Harvest.
Your Parallax and Harvest Profile are now the "Owner" of the Integration.
Why the Integration Owner is important
For 99% of the time, the Integration Owner doesn't matter - after all, once you connect Parallax to a CRM, Timesheet system or PM Tool, that connection persists, right?
Where this becomes very important is when a change is made to the Integration Owner's permissions or if that Profile is removed. An example would be a change in staff or a revision in that User's Role.
Example - Harvest User Removal or Permission Change!
Continuing with the Harvest example, say you switch positions and are downgraded from a Harvest Admin, or your Harvest Profile removed altogether.
This will sever some or all of Parallax's permissions in Harvest.
How to manage the Integration Owner
The best option to manage the Integration Owner is to have a dedicated Profile within your CRM, Timesheet and (if in use) PM Tool that is used to connect to Parallax - this way there's no risk of impact on Integration health based on shifting staff.
If that's not feasible with all Integrations, the best policy is to document who connected an Integration, so if that individual leaves your company/has their role changed you know that someone needs to take their place as Integration Owner. You can then have the new Owner disconnect and reconnect the Integration from Settings > Integrations.
By disconnecting/reconnecting this new person becomes the new Integration Owner.
If you're not sure if any difficulty you're seeing is related to a staffing change, feel free to submit a ticket through our Support button within the Parallax App for more help!