Glossary of Terms
A
API Key: A token for programmatic access to the Carfluence API. Scoped with specific permissions and rate limits.
Audit Log: A record of all security-related events — logins, permission changes, key creation/revocation.
C
Carfluence: The shared infrastructure platform for automotive technology.
Condition (Rules): A filter that determines when a transformation rule should fire. E.g., "make equals Toyota".
D
Dealer Alias: A mapping between a CRM name (e.g., "Bobs Toyota Dallas") and an internal dealer record. Used to reconcile dealer names across different data sources.
Dealer Group: A collection of dealerships managed by a single organization. Maps to a database schema in Carfluence.
F
Field Mapping: The configuration that maps source data columns to Carfluence's normalized schema. E.g., vAuto's "List Price" maps to Carfluence's "price".
FusionAuth: The identity provider used by Carfluence for authentication, SSO, and user management.
I
Integration: A connection to an external data source (vAuto, HomeNet, Elead, custom CSV) via SFTP.
J
JWT (JSON Web Token): The authentication token format used for user sessions. Contains encrypted claims about the user's identity and permissions.
M
Merge Config: A configuration that combines vehicle data from multiple integrations with field-level priority. Vehicles are matched by VIN.
Multi-Tenant: Architecture where each organization's data is isolated in its own database schema, ensuring complete separation.
R
Rule: An automated transformation that modifies inventory data based on conditions. Rules run on every sync.
S
Schema Isolation: Each dealer group's data is stored in a separate PostgreSQL schema, preventing any cross-tenant data access.
SFTP: Secure File Transfer Protocol. The method by which external data sources push files to Carfluence.
Sync Strategy: How Carfluence processes incoming data — overwrite (replace all), merge (add/update/keep), or update-only (only update existing records).
Sold Grace Period: The time window after a vehicle disappears from a feed before Carfluence marks it as sold. Prevents premature removal due to feed timing issues.
V
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): A 17-character unique identifier for every vehicle. Used as the primary key for inventory records.