What IntegrationHub Actually Is
IntegrationHub is the layer Flow Designer uses to call outside systems. At its simplest, an action wraps a REST/SOAP call with typed inputs, typed outputs, and credential handling. Spokes are packages of related actions (Microsoft Teams Spoke, Slack Spoke, Salesforce Spoke, etc.).
You can build your own spoke or compose one-off actions inline in Flow Designer. Both approaches are valid.
Credentials First
The first thing to set up for any integration is the credential alias. OAuth 2.0, basic auth, JWT bearer, AWS signing — all supported. Centralize credentials so rotating a secret is one place, not 20 hardcoded spots.
Always test credentials with a simple GET before building out the flow.
Use Transform Steps Sparingly
IntegrationHub has data transform steps that map one shape to another. Useful, but you can also transform in the flow itself with Assign or Set Field Values. Too many transform steps create a maze. Prefer inline assignment for simple reshaping.
Rate Limits Are Real
External APIs rate-limit you. Most spokes don’t handle 429 gracefully by default. Build a retry-with-backoff pattern once, put it in a subflow, and call it everywhere you hit a third party.
Versioning a Custom Spoke
Custom spokes are applications. Treat them with app-lifecycle discipline: version control via update sets or scoped app repos, semver the spoke, and keep a changelog. Breaking changes to an action signature cascade to every flow that uses it.