Overview
Message Profiles define how request and response payloads are processed when communicating with downstream systems.
They provide a configurable processing pipeline that enables encryption, signing, transformation, and data extraction without requiring code changes.
Message Profiles are applied at the Service Account level and are executed automatically during outbound and inbound message processing.
Why Message Profiles
External systems rarely accept or return payloads in a uniform format.
Integrations may require:
- Encrypted communication
- Digitally signed requests
- Field-level restructuring
- Extraction of specific values from complex JSON bodies
- Validation of downstream responses
Embedding this logic in application code increases complexity and reduces reusability.
Message Profiles allow these integration requirements to be defined declaratively and managed centrally within Connect.
Processing Pipeline
A Message Profile defines an ordered sequence of processing steps executed automatically during request and response handling.
Each step performs a specific function such as:
- Applying cryptographic operations (encryption or signing)
- Transforming payload structure
- Extracting values using JSONPath (JPath)
- Validating or decrypting downstream responses
Steps are executed sequentially, forming a deterministic integration pipeline.
This ensures consistent, repeatable behavior across environments and service accounts.
Execution Flow
Message Profiles are executed in two phases:
Outbound Request Processing
Before the request is sent to the downstream provider:
- Payload transformation may occur
- Required fields may be extracted
- Request may be encrypted
- Request may be signed
Inbound Response Processing
After the response is received from the downstream provider:
- Response may be decrypted
- Signature validation may occur
- Required values may be extracted
- Payload may be transformed before returning to the caller
Configuration Model
Message Profiles are:
- Configuration-driven
- Managed entirely through the Connect UI
- Reusable across multiple Service Accounts
- Independent of application code
This enables rapid onboarding of new integrations without deployment cycles or code modifications.
Relationship with Providers
Message Profiles are linked to:
Service Provider → Service Account → Message Profile
This ensures:
- Separation of provider identity and message logic
- Environment-specific processing
- Reusable integration workflows
When to Use Message Profiles
Use Message Profiles when:
- Downstream systems require encrypted communication
- Digital signing is mandated
- Payload restructuring is required
- Multiple environments require consistent integration logic
Summary
Message Profiles provide a powerful, no-code integration layer within Connect.
By defining structured processing pipelines for requests and responses, administrators can implement secure, repeatable, and maintainable downstream integrations without modifying application code.