// This module is included in the following assemblies:
// as_creating-integrations.adoc

[id='about-adding-steps_{context}']
= About adding steps between connections

Although it is not a requirement, the recommendation is to add all 
needed connections to a primary flow and then, according to the processing 
that you want the flow to execute, add additional steps between
connections. In a flow, each step operates on data obtained from the
previous connection(s) and any previous steps. The resulting data is 
available to the next step in the flow.

Often, you must map data fields that are received from a
connection to data fields that the next connection in the flow 
can operate on. After you add all connections to a flow, 
check the flow visualization.
For each connection that requires data mapping before
it can operate on the input data,
{prodname} displays
image:images/integrating-applications/DataTypeMismatchWarning.png[title="a warning"]. Click this
icon to see *Data Type Mismatch: Add a data
mapper step before this connection to resolve the difference.*

You can click the link in the message to display the *Configure Mapper*
page in which you add and specify a data mapper step. However, 
the recommendation is to add other needed steps, and then add 
data mapper steps last. 
