One of the great things about M-Files is how flexible it is when it comes to importing data. Whether you're using third-party tools like CDATA or building custom vault apps, there’s usually a way to get your data where it needs to go.
After having successfully developed a HubSpot Connector for M-Files, we ran into an interesting challenge. A client wanted to bring in HubSpot data—but only in one direction. They didn’t need to sync anything back to HubSpot. The full connector we built was way more than they needed, so we looked for a simpler solution.
That’s when we decided to use the HOT (Hybrid Object Type) Connector.
The HOT Connector lets M-Files read data from a REST API or even from a file stored in the vault. It works with formats like JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, and fixed-width text. For this client, it gave us exactly what we needed: a way to pull in Clients and Companies from HubSpot and keep them up to date in M-Files, without over-complicating things.
Later on, another client needed to sync ArcGIS feature layers into M-Files. We decided to use the HOT Connector again. It let us bring in their GIS data quickly and cleanly, without building a full-blown integration or dealing with licensing for extra tools.
If you're just looking to get data into M-Files, and you don’t need anything fancy, the HOT Connector is a fantastic option. It's lightweight, efficient, and much more cost-effective than going the CDATA or vault app route.
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