> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.markifact.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Connections > Learn how to connect external platforms to Markifact and manage your existing connections. A **connection** is the secure link between Markifact and an external platform like Google Ads, Meta Ads, Slack, or BigQuery. Once connected, you can pull data, send reports, and automate actions across these platforms. *** ## How to Create New Connections You can create connections in two ways: directly from the **Connections page** or when configuring nodes in your workflows. ### From the Connections Page: 1. **Go to the Connections page** from the sidebar 2. **Click "Add Connection"** or the **"+"** button 3. **Select the platform** you want to connect (Google Ads, Meta Ads, Slack, etc.) 4. **Follow the authentication process** - Log in and grant permissions Connections Page ### From a Workflow Node: 1. **Go to the workflow editor** 2. **Click on an app node** in your workflow (like Google Ads or Slack) 3. **Follow the connection process** - A sidebar will open and guide you through authentication Node Connection Process The connection process typically involves: * Logging into your account (e.g., Google, Meta, Slack) * Granting Markifact permission to access your data * Selecting which accounts or properties to connect *** ## Managing Multiple Connections You can add an unlimited number of connections for the same platform. For example, you might have separate Google Ads connections for different clients or business units. To refresh an existing connection, connect the same account again. Markifact will refresh the existing connection instead of creating a duplicate. *** ## The Connections Page The Connections page is your central hub for managing all your connections. Here you can: * **Create new connections** using the **"Add Connection"** or **"+"** button * **View all connected platforms** and accounts * **See connection details** like when they were created * **Delete connections** you no longer need * **Organize connections** by platform *** ## Sharing and Visibility Every connection belongs to your team and has an **owner** — the person who created it. A connection is either: * **Shared** (default) — available to your whole team. Team members can use it in workflows, shared Agents, and MCP tools. * **Private** — only visible and usable by the owner. It won't appear in anyone else's connection lists. ### Changing Sharing On the **Connections page**, each connection shows its owner and a sharing indicator: a team icon for shared connections and a lock icon for private ones. Click the indicator to toggle between shared and private. **Only the owner can change a connection's sharing** — and only the owner can delete it. Other team members can see and use shared connections, but not manage them. ### Before Making a Connection Private When you make a shared connection private: * Existing workflows that other team members built with it will break until they're reconfigured with a different connection * Team members can no longer use it in Agents or MCP tools * You can share it with your team again at any time *** ## Bring Your Own AI API Keys You can connect your own API keys from **OpenAI**, **Google Gemini**, or **Anthropic** to use with AI nodes. This significantly reduces your Markifact credit costs—AI nodes become free, and agent nodes cost just 1 credit flat. See how to add your API keys, where to get them, and how credits work. *** ## Deleting Connections When you delete a connection: > ⚠️ **Warning:** Any active workflows using this connection will be deactivated until you reconfigure them with a new connection. ### Before deleting: * Check which workflows use this connection * Make sure you have alternative connections set up if needed * Consider if any scheduled workflows will be affected ### To delete a connection: 1. Go to the **Connections page** 2. Find the connection you want to remove 3. Click **Delete** 4. Confirm the deletion in the dialog *** ## Common Connection Issues Some platforms require periodic re-authentication. Go to the node using that connection and follow the authentication flow again. Your existing workflows will continue working once re-authenticated. Check that your connection has the right permissions and that you've selected the correct account in the node settings. Some platforms have multiple levels of access that affect what data you can pull. Yes. Connections are shared with your team by default, so team members can use them in workflows, Agents, and MCP tools. If you want to keep a connection to yourself, make it private from the Connections page — only you (the owner) can change a connection's sharing or delete it. See [Sharing and Visibility](#sharing-and-visibility) above. Workflows using the deleted connection will be deactivated and show errors. You'll need to reconfigure those nodes with a different connection before the workflows can run again.