Connection Sharing via Link — User Guide

What is Connection Sharing via Link?​

Connection Sharing via Link lets you securely connect third-party apps (like Google Docs, Gmail, WordPress, etc.) to your Pabbly Connect workflows — without needing the other person's login credentials.

Instead of asking your client for their password or API key, you simply generate a shareable link. Your client opens the link, authenticates their own account, and the connection is automatically created in your Pabbly Connect workspace.

No passwords shared. No accounts needed. Just a link.

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Why Use This Feature?​

Benefit	Description
No credential sharing	Your client never needs to share their password or API key with you
No Pabbly account needed	The client doesn't need to create a Pabbly Connect account to approve the connection
Secure	Credentials are encrypted and stored securely. The link expires automatically after 48 hours
Easy for clients	One click to approve — works with Google Sign-in, API keys, and all other auth types
Zero workflow downtime	When refreshing credentials, your existing workflows keep running until new credentials are submitted

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Who Is This For?​

• Agencies managing client accounts — ask clients to approve connections without accessing their accounts
• Teams where one person sets up workflows but another person owns the app credentials
• Freelancers building automations for clients who don't use Pabbly Connect

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How It Works — Step by Step​

Step 1: Generate a Connection Link​

1. Go to Settings > Connections
2. Click Add Connection
3. Select the app you want to connect (e.g., Google Docs)
4. Choose Request Connection via Link
5. Enter a name for the connection (e.g., "Client's Google Docs")
6. Click Generate link

The link is automatically copied to your clipboard. You can also copy it manually from the Connection Link field.

Note: The connection name you enter will be visible to the person receiving the link.

Step 2: Share the Link with Your Client​

Send the generated link to your client via email, WhatsApp, Slack, or any messaging tool. The link looks like:

connect.pabbly.com/v2/app/requested-co...

The link is valid for 48 hours. After that, it expires and you'll need to generate a new one.

Step 3: Client Opens the Link​

When your client opens the link, they'll see an invitation page:

• App name and icon — so they know which app is being connected
• Your name and email — so they know who sent the request
• Security note — reminding them that once connected, you'll be able to use the credentials in your workflows
• Connection name — the name you chose when generating the link

They have two options:

• Accept & Connect — proceeds to the authentication step
• Reject — declines the request (you'll see "Rejected" status in your connections table)

Step 4: Client Authenticates​

After clicking Accept & Connect, the client sees the authentication form:

• For OAuth apps (Google, Facebook, etc.): Click "Sign in with Google" (or the relevant provider) and authorize access
• For API key apps (WordPress, ClickUp, etc.): Enter their API key/token and click "Grant Access"

The client does not need a Pabbly Connect account to do this.

Step 5: Connection Created!​

Once the client submits their credentials:

• A success message is shown: "Connection created successfully"
• The connection appears in your Connections table with a "Via Link" badge
• You can immediately use this connection in your workflows

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Managing Connection Links​

Connection Status Badges​

Your Connections table shows these badges to help you track link-based connections:

Badge	Meaning
Pending (yellow, hourglass icon)	Link generated, waiting for client to submit credentials
Via Link (blue, link icon)	Connection was successfully created via a shared link
Pending (yellow, refresh icon)	Credential refresh is in progress — existing credentials still work
Rejected (red, close icon)	Client declined the connection request

Refreshing Credentials​

If your client's credentials expire or need updating:

1. Go to your Connections table
2. Click the Update menu on the connection
3. Check Update Connection via Link
4. The existing link is shown (if still valid), or click Refresh credentials to generate a new link
5. Share the new link with your client

Important: While waiting for new credentials, your existing workflows continue running with the old credentials. There's zero downtime.

What Happens When a Link Expires?​

• Links expire after 48 hours
• An expired link shows a warning: "This connection link expired on [date]. Click Refresh credentials to generate a new link."
• Click Refresh credentials to generate a new link and share it again
• The client will see an error message if they try to open an expired link: "This connection link is invalid, has already been used, or has expired. Please contact your requester to get a new link."

Canceling or Deleting a Pending Connection​

• Use the 3-dot menu on the connection row to Delete a pending connection
• You can also generate a new link (which invalidates the old one) using Refresh credentials

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Using Via Link Connections in Workflows​

• Via Link connections work exactly like normal connections in the workflow builder
• Select them from the Choose a Connection dropdown when configuring a workflow step
• Pending connections (not yet approved) appear disabled in the dropdown with a "Pending" badge — they cannot be used until the client submits credentials
• Rejected connections also appear disabled with a "Rejected" badge

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Frequently Asked Questions​

Can the client see my workflows or account?​

No. The client only sees the connection invitation page. They cannot access your workflows, connections, dashboard, or any other part of your Pabbly Connect account.

What if the link expires before the client uses it?​

Generate a new link by clicking Refresh credentials on the connection in your Connections table, then share the new link. The old link automatically becomes invalid.

Can I revoke access after the client connects?​

Yes. You can:

• Delete the connection from your Connections table (removes it permanently)
• Update the credentials by generating a new link or using "Update Connection Data" directly

The client can also revoke access from their side by removing the app authorization in their account settings (e.g., Google Account > Security > Third-party apps).

What if the client rejects the request?​

You'll see a "Rejected" badge on the connection in your Connections table. You can:

• Generate a new link and try again
• Delete the rejected connection
• Contact the client to discuss

Can multiple people use the same link?​

No. Each link can only be used once. Once someone submits credentials through the link, it becomes invalid. If you need to share with a different person, generate a new link.

Does the client need a Pabbly Connect account?​

No. The connection page is fully public — no login required. The client just needs to authenticate with the third-party app (Google, WordPress, etc.).

What if the client submits wrong credentials?​

The system validates credentials before saving. If the credentials are invalid (wrong API key, expired token, etc.), an error message is shown and the client can try again. Invalid credentials are never stored.

Is it secure?​

Yes. Here's how:

• Links use a 192-bit cryptographic token — impossible to guess
• Links expire after 48 hours — can't be used indefinitely
• Links are single-use — once used, they can't be reused
• Credentials are encrypted before storage
• Credentials are validated before being saved
• The client's data is never exposed to other users

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Use Cases​

Agency Managing Client Accounts​

You're an agency building automation workflows for multiple clients. Each client has their own Google Sheets, CRM, and email accounts. Instead of asking each client for their login credentials:

1. Set up the workflow with placeholder connections
2. Generate connection links for each app
3. Send the links to your client
4. Client approves each connection
5. Workflow is ready to run

Team Collaboration​

Your marketing team wants to connect their social media accounts to an automation workflow managed by the IT team:

1. IT generates connection links for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
2. Marketing team members click the links and authorize their accounts
3. IT configures the workflow — no credential sharing needed

Freelancer Working with Clients​

You're a freelancer setting up a workflow for a client who uses WordPress and Mailchimp:

1. Generate connection links for WordPress and Mailchimp
2. Send both links to your client via email
3. Client clicks each link and enters their credentials
4. You configure the workflow and deliver it to the client

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Quick Reference​

Action	Where
Generate a new connection link	Settings > Connections > Add Connection > Request Connection via Link
Refresh an existing link	Connections table > Update > Update Connection via Link > Refresh credentials
Check connection status	Connections table > Status/Date column (badges)
Delete a pending connection	Connections table > 3-dot menu > Delete
Use connection in workflow	Workflow Builder > Choose a Connection dropdown