Connecting your systems
Connecting an external system makes it available for Rival agents and workflows to interact with under strict, centralized governance. Most system integrations follow a unified setup flow: authorize Rival to access the platform, confirm the permitted data and action scope, and deploy the connector to your workspace.
Standard connection setup flow
Section titled “Standard connection setup flow”Setting up an enterprise connector follows four straightforward steps:
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Select system integration — open Connectors from your administration menu and select the platform you want to link.
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Authenticate securely — complete standard OAuth or SSO authentication by signing in to the target system and approving Rival’s access request.
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Define permission scopes — confirm the specific functional boundaries, data permissions, and read/write access levels Rival is permitted to exercise. Scope limits work alongside your organization’s guardrails.
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Deploy and govern — save the configuration. The live connector can now be explicitly assigned to authorized agents, workflows, and user roles.
Authentication and credential security
Section titled “Authentication and credential security”Connectors authenticate using each system’s native, industry-standard sign-in protocols:
- No password storage — Rival receives securely scoped API tokens rather than storing raw user passwords or admin credentials. See Secrets.
- Centralized enterprise setup — workspace administrators should connect shared, business-critical platforms at the organization level. This ensures system connections are managed centrally rather than tied to an individual employee’s personal account.
Who may set up a connector, and who may only use one, is set by role. See the Capability matrix.
A quick example: support workspace integration
Section titled “A quick example: support workspace integration”Consider a central Slack workspace connection configured for customer support:
- Admin setup — an IT administrator connects the company Slack workspace at the organization level.
- Targeted authorization — the administrator assigns the Slack connector exclusively to the Support team’s ticket-triage agent.
- Controlled execution — the support agent posts automated ticket summaries to a designated #support-alerts channel. Other workspace agents remain restricted from accessing Slack channels unless explicitly granted access.
Connector setup summary
Section titled “Connector setup summary”| Setup stage | Primary action | Security outcome |
|---|---|---|
| System selection | Choose platform from directory | Ensures standardized connector architecture |
| Authentication | Sign in via native OAuth/SSO | Eliminates shared credentials and plain-text passwords |
| Scope definition | Set read/write permission limits | Restricts AI access strictly to necessary system boundaries |
| Access assignment | Grant connector to specific agents or roles | Enforces least-privilege governance across the organization |
Connector queries and write events are recorded for review. See Audit logs.
Next steps
Section titled “Next steps”- Learn about security policies and permission limits → Connector governance and security
- Explore foundational connector concepts → What is a connector
- Attach connectors to specialized AI workers → What is a Rival Agent