Choosing connectors for XML and other response formats
Document information
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical URL | /docs/04_connecting-systems/06_choosing-connectors-for-xml-and-data-formats |
| Version (published date) | 2026-07-02 |
| Tags | connectors, integrations, xml, soap, rest, reference |
Use this page when you need an integration connector (configured in the tenant console and called from ProcessFlow with tf.connector.execute) for an external system whose API returns XML, SOAP, or mixed formats. It is a format-based chooser — not a vendor list.
Quick decision guide
| Your endpoint / payload | Start with this connector | Connector ID |
|---|---|---|
| SOAP or WSDL web service (XML request and response) | SOAP API | soap-1.0.0 |
| Generic HTTP/REST endpoint with no dedicated connector | Generic REST API | restapi-generic-1.1.0 |
| XML files in tenant file storage (read, write, XPath) | XML File | xml-file-1.0.0 |
| OGC WFS with optional raw XML body | FMI WFS | fmi-wfs-2.0.0 |
| Infor ION / LN / M3 (BOD or ION APIs) | Infor LN / M3 | infor-ln-m3-1.0.0 |
| Known vendor with a dedicated connector page | That vendor's connector guide in the connector catalog | varies |
Do not pick a vendor-specific ERP connector (for example SAP S/4HANA or Infor LN/M3) only because an arbitrary endpoint returns XML. Use the vendor connector when you are integrating with that vendor's platform.
SOAP and XML web services
For WSDL-defined SOAP services, use the SOAP API connector (soap-1.0.0). It sends text/xml requests and returns structured results. When the response body is not JSON, the connector exposes the raw XML in xml_response for parsing in step code.
Generic HTTP endpoints that return XML
When no dedicated connector exists and the target is a plain HTTP API (not SOAP), use the Generic REST API connector (restapi-generic-1.1.0). Version 1.0.0 remains for legacy integrations without XML header configuration.
- Configure
accept(for exampleapplication/xml, text/xml, */*). The defaultapplication/jsoncauses HTTP 415 on XML-only APIs such as ENTSO-E Transparency Platform. - GET requests omit
Content-Type. Mutating requests usecontent_type(for exampleapplication/xml). - Use
api_key_query_param: securityTokenfor ENTSO-E GET, orauth_header_name: SECURITY_TOKENfor ENTSO-E POST. - If the upstream response is not valid JSON, the connector returns the raw response body as a string in
response. - Parse XML in the next ProcessFlow step using patterns from JSON, XML, and CSV parsing.
See Generic REST API connector guide for the ENTSO-E configuration table.
This is the usual answer to “which integration connector for an endpoint that returns XML?” when you are not calling a named vendor platform or SOAP service.
File-based XML
When XML lives in tenant storage (exports, partner feeds, archives), use the XML File connector for write, xpath, and validate operations instead of an HTTP connector.
Vendor connectors with XML passthrough
Some vendor connectors document XML fallback fields when the upstream body is not JSON:
| Connector | XML passthrough field | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Infor LN / M3 | result.xml_response | ION response is XML/BOD instead of JSON |
| SAP S/4HANA | xml_response | Response body contains <?xml and JSON parsing fails |
| FMI WFS | raw_xml (with response_format: raw_xml) | WFS GetFeature / stored-query responses |
Use these connectors only when you are integrating with that vendor. They are not general-purpose XML HTTP bridges.
Parse XML in step code
After any connector returns raw XML (xml_response, raw_xml, or a string response), normalize and parse in ProcessFlow step code. See JSON, XML, and CSV parsing and Integration connector usage.