Integration & Automation: Processes, Shapes, and Runtime Behavior
What to Know
Boomi's integration engine is a document-flow runtime. A process starts with a start shape, moves documents through shapes, and each shape transforms, routes, or acts on the document. Candidates must be fluent in the distinction between process-level concerns (process properties, dynamic process properties, document flow, error handling via the Try/Catch shape and process-level error paths) and shape-level concerns (connector operations, map inputs/outputs, decision logic).
Understand the difference between a map (data transformation, one input document to one output) and a flow control shape (branch, route, decision, combine, split). Know that branch fans out a single document to multiple paths, while route sends a document down exactly one path based on conditions. Know that combine merges documents by position or by key, and split produces multiple documents from one. Understand process properties (configured, static) versus dynamic process properties (set at runtime, scoped to the process execution) versus document cache and dynamic document properties (metadata carried on the document).
Traps
Questions often confuse branch with route, or claim dynamic process properties persist across executions (they do not). Another trap: assuming a Try/Catch shape catches errors from asynchronous subprocesses - it does not; the asynchronous process runs separately. Watch for questions about process call versus subprocess: a process call is synchronous and returns to the caller; a subprocess can be asynchronous and does not return control. Also watch for the claim that a map can have multiple inputs without a combine - it cannot; multi-input maps require documents combined first.
Rule of Thumb
If a requirement says "the same document must go to two destinations," use branch. If it says "only one destination based on a condition," use route. If it says "merge two streams," combine first, then map.
Worked Example
A process receives an order and must send it to both a warehouse connector and a CRM connector. Use a branch shape after the start, with each branch path ending in its own connector operation. Do not use route - route would send the order to only one system.