Connectors are how Tines 3B talks to the tools you already use. You can add one in a few ways, including: picking a prebuilt connector from the library, building a custom API key connector for any service that isn't listed, and connecting directly to a database.
Note: Creating connectors requires the "Create connectors" permission. If you don't have it, the create button and the library cards are disabled. Ask a tenant admin to grant it through a role.
Where connectors live
Open the connectors area and you'll see two tabs at the top:
Connectors. Everything you've already set up, with a count.
Browse library. The full catalog of prebuilt connectors, also with a count.
The plus button is your starting point for creating anything new. It opens a short menu with two sections: one to browse the library, and one to create a custom connector (API key, custom OAuth, remote MCP, or workflow).
Add a connector from the library
The library is the fastest path when the service you want is already supported.
Open the Browse library tab, or click the plus button and choose Browse connectors.
Narrow the list. You can search by name or keyword, or filter by category using the tabs across the top: All, AI, Engineering, Security, Identity, Observability, Productivity, Data, Communication, Documents, IT, and Custom.
Click the connector you want. This opens the connector as a draft, ready to configure.
Fill in the settings on the Settings tab. Leave the Guide toggle on for step-by-step help while you fill things in. If the connector has more than one variant, pick the one you need first.
Click Next to review who can access the connector on the Access tab, then click Save.
If the connector uses OAuth, saving prompts you to authorize it. You can authorize right away by signing in with the provider, or choose Save as draft and come back to it later. A connector stays a draft until it's fully configured (and, for OAuth, authorized).
Create a custom API key connector
When the service you need isn't in the library, the API key connector connects to almost any HTTP API. Its tagline says it plainly: connect to anything.
Click the plus button and choose API key under "Create custom connector."
Give it a name, for example the name of the service you're connecting to.
Set the URL pattern, such as api.example.com. This scopes where the credential is allowed to be sent.
Choose an authentication method. This controls how your credential travels with each request:
Bearer token sends your API key as a bearer token.
Custom headers sends one or more headers you define, with an optional scheme prefix like "Token" or "Api-Key."
Basic authentication sends a username and password.
Query parameters appends the credential to the request URL.
Enter the credential for the method you picked (an API key, a username and password, or named header and query values). For private or self-signed servers, you can upload a PEM CA certificate.
Optionally set a test URL and method. 3B calls it to confirm the connection works. Leave it blank to skip testing.
Click Next, review access, then Save.
Connect to a database
Tines 3B connects directly to databases like Postgres and MySQL (look under the Data category in the library; other databases may also be available in your build). The setup is the same shape for each.
In Browse library, open the Data category, or search for your database by name.
Click the database connector to open it as a draft.
Fill in the connection details:
Name, so you can recognize it later.
Host, for example db.example.com.
Port, prefilled with the standard default (5432 for Postgres, 3306 for MySQL).
Database, the name of the database to connect to.
Username and password for the database user.
TLS, set to Enabled for an encrypted connection. When TLS is on, you can upload a PEM CA certificate for private or self-signed servers.
Click Next, review access, then Save.
Once saved, the database connection is available to your workflows through a connection string, so you can query the database from your automations without wiring up credentials by hand.
Confirm the connection works
Every configured connector shows a status pill:
Draft means it isn't fully configured yet.
Untested means it's configured but hasn't been checked.
Active means the last test succeeded.
Error means the last test failed, and hovering shows the error message.
Click Test connection on the pill to run a check whenever you want. For database and API key connectors, this confirms 3B can actually reach the service with the credentials you entered, so you catch problems before a workflow does.
What to do next
With a connector saved and showing Active, you can use it in your workflows straight away. If you set one up as a draft, reopen it from the connectors tab to finish configuring or authorizing it.
Manage your connector
Once saved, your connector is ready for use in workflows. You can view all your active connections in the connectors tab, where you can also view usage statistics, update settings, or modify access permissions at any time.
Learn how to manage your connectors here