What connectors are
A connector is a secure, authenticated link between Rival Enterprise and one of your organization’s external systems or core software platforms. Connectors are how agents and workflows safely read context and execute actions inside the business applications your team relies on every day.
For the one-paragraph definition, see What is a connector.
The security boundary of automated AI
Section titled “The security boundary of automated AI”Connectors serve as the fundamental security and permission boundary for AI execution across your enterprise architecture:
- Centralized access door — every action an agent performs across external software platforms passes directly through a connector.
- Controlled system surface — managing which connectors are enabled, how they authenticate, and which agents can access them ensures complete control over what systems AI can reach.
- Enforced data safety — no agent or workflow can read data or execute actions within your external tools without passing through an admin-approved connector.
Connector rules sit alongside the rest of your organization’s AI policy. See Guardrails and allowed models.
Access architecture and enterprise governance
Section titled “Access architecture and enterprise governance”Establishing system access uses a two-layer model: connect first, then govern.
- System connection — administrators or authorized users link an external platform once using secure enterprise authentication. Credentials are held as scoped tokens rather than shared passwords. See Secrets.
- Access governance — administrators assign specific connector access permissions to individual agents, workflows, or team roles. For what each role can do with connectors, see the Capability matrix.
In an enterprise deployment, agents can only interact with connectors that have been explicitly granted to them by an administrator. Similarly, team members are restricted to connecting personal tools permitted under company security policies.
A quick example: centralized Salesforce integration
Section titled “A quick example: centralized Salesforce integration”Consider a centralized Salesforce deployment across a revenue team:
- Admin setup — an IT administrator configures the Salesforce connector once at the organization level using enterprise OAuth credentials.
- Targeted deployment — the administrator approves access to the Salesforce connector exclusively for an account summary agent.
- Controlled usage — approved agents read opportunity data to compile executive briefings, while unauthorized agents remain completely isolated from customer CRM data.
A single system connection is established centrally and reused safely across authorized workloads without exposing credentials.
Connector governance overview
Section titled “Connector governance overview”| Governance layer | Primary function | Security benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Connection layer | Authenticates external software systems via OAuth or API tokens | Eliminates individual password sharing and secures credentials |
| Governance layer | Assigns connector access to specific agents, tools, and roles | Enforces the principle of least privilege across all AI workflows |
| Audit layer | Telemetry tracking for all connector actions and queries | Complete log transparency for compliance and monitoring |
Every connector action is recorded. See Audit logs.
Next steps
Section titled “Next steps”- Connect your first external system → Connecting your systems
- Configure security policies and permissions → Connector governance and security
- Learn how agents use connectors → What is a Rival Agent