# Understanding Flows

## What it is

A flow is one specific type of data sync that an app performs — for example, importing orders from your store into NetSuite, or exporting updated stock levels from NetSuite back to your store. Each app you install contains a set of flows, and you configure each flow independently.

## Why it matters to you

Flows are the unit of work in IDC. Understanding how they're structured helps you find the right place to make changes — whether that's adjusting what a sync does, which fields it updates, or when it runs.

## Key things to know

**Flows have a direction.** Every flow moves data one way. Import flows bring records into NetSuite from an external system. Export flows push records out from NetSuite to an external system. The flow name tells you the direction — for example, "Shopify → NetSuite: Import Orders" vs. "NetSuite → Shopify: Export Stock".

**Each app contains multiple flows.** A single app typically includes flows for orders, stock, customers, products, fulfilments, and more. You can enable or disable each flow individually — you don't have to run all of them.

**Up to four sections control each flow.**

Most flows show all four sections, though any can be hidden on flows where it doesn't apply.

| Section        | What it controls                                                                                                                 |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Settings**   | Options specific to this flow — for example, a date filter, a checkbox to skip certain record types, or a default value to apply |
| **Mappings**   | Which fields sync between your external system and NetSuite, and how they correspond to each other                               |
| **Conditions** | Filters that limit which records this flow processes — only records matching the criteria are synced                             |
| **Triggers**   | When the flow runs — on a schedule, when a NetSuite record is created or updated, or on demand                                   |

**Flows run independently.** Enabling or changing one flow doesn't affect the others. Each flow has its own settings, mappings, triggers, and log history.

## What to do next

* [Configure App Settings](/idc/idc-core/apps/app-settings.md) — set up credentials, endpoints, and app-level options.
* [Configure a Flow](/idc/idc-core/apps/configure-flow.md) — adjust the settings, mappings, and triggers for individual flows.
* [Configure Field Mappings](/idc/idc-core/apps/field-mappings.md) — control which fields sync and how they map to each other.
* [Configure Triggers](/idc/idc-core/apps/triggers.md) — set up when a flow runs.
* [Apps & Marketplace](/idc/idc-core/apps.md) — open an app's management view to see its flows.


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