Integration Certification Pipeline Template
Run a repeatable integration certification program visually
Partner integrations often get stuck in email threads, spreadsheets, and half-finished tickets. This template turns your integration certification program into a single pipeline where every partner integration, test run, security review, and launch task stays visible. Start by duplicating the Integration Work Item micro-template for each request, then move cards left to right from Intake & Prioritization through Certified & Monitoring as work progresses. Labels like Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Customer requested, Security sensitive, and Partner-led make it easy to slice the board during weekly reviews. Attach design docs, test plans, and agreements directly to cards so the board becomes the shared source of truth for certification status.
- Track every partner integration from intake request through certification and monitoring in one board
- Standardize requirements, test plans, and security reviews using duplicate-ready micro-template cards
- Make ownership, due dates, and certification tier obvious for each integration work item
- Attach design docs, test evidence, and agreements so audit-ready context lives on the card
- Filter by labels like Tier 1, Customer requested, or Security sensitive during program reviews
Start in Intake & Prioritization — log each integration
In the Integration Certification Flow section, start in the Intake & Prioritization column. Duplicate the Integration Work Item micro-template and drag the new card into this list. Fill in Partner / Product, Integration surface, Primary use cases, Certification tier, Internal owner, and Partner owner so everyone understands what is being requested and who is involved. Assign the internal owner and set a due date at the top of the card to define a clear next checkpoint. Apply labels such as Tier 1, Tier 2, Customer requested, or Partner-led so you can filter the board during weekly program reviews.
Pro tip: Treat each card as a single integration or major version, not a vague partnership idea.
Capture requirements and design decisions in one place
When you begin scoping an integration, move its card into Requirements & Design. Type a concise summary of data flows, auth models, and non-functional expectations directly into the card description so the card becomes the source of truth, not just a pointer to another document. Attach architecture diagrams, API specs, and shared documents as links or files on the card so engineers and security reviewers can open them without hunting in other tools. If you uncover risks or open questions, add them as short bullet points and update labels like Security sensitive when appropriate. Keep one card per integration so that design changes stay attached to its history instead of scattered across threads.
Build in sandbox and get ready for certification runs
As engineers begin implementing the integration, drag the card into Build & Sandbox. Turn large items into task cards when you want a checkbox to track implementation completion, and use indentation for supporting subtasks such as configuring webhooks or setting up test tenants. Attach pull requests, sandbox configuration notes, and log dashboards directly to the card so reviewers know where to look during certification. Update due dates when timelines shift, and keep labels current if risk or tier changes. When the build meets your entry criteria for formal testing, move the card into Certification Test Runs.
Run certification test suite and security review
In Certification Test Runs, duplicate the Certification Test Plan micro-template to spell out scope, test scenarios, edge cases, and exit criteria for this integration. Record links to test runs, screenshots, and any defects you discover so the plan and evidence stay together on the card. Once functional testing passes, move the card into Security & Compliance Review and duplicate the Security Review Notes template. Capture data classification, auth scopes, PII exposure, and any open risks, then attach completed questionnaires or review packs as files. Tag the security or compliance owner on the card so they can sign off directly in the board instead of in a separate tracker.
Pro tip: Keep one test plan and one security review notes card per integration so auditors can follow the trail from requirements through sign-off.
Publish docs, launch, and monitor certified integrations
When approval is close, drag the card into Docs & GTM Prep and duplicate the Docs & Listing Checklist card. List the docs to update, screenshots to capture, and messaging you need for release notes or partner announcements, then check off items as you complete them. Attach final help articles, marketplace listings, and announcement drafts as links or files on the card, then @ mention reviewers in card comments so feedback stays tied to the integration instead of scattered across email. After launch, move the card into Certified & Monitoring and note go-live date, monitoring focus, and review cadence in the card fields. Use labels and filters in this column to see which certified integrations are most critical and which are coming up for recertification.
Pro tip: During audits, filter the board to Certified & Monitoring and open attached evidence instead of digging through folders.
What’s inside
Seven-stage integration certification flow
Intake & Prioritization, Requirements & Design, Build & Sandbox, Certification Test Runs, Security & Compliance Review, Docs & GTM Prep, and Certified & Monitoring — move cards left-to-right so program leads, engineers, and security reviewers can see exactly where each integration sits.
Integration Work Item and test plan templates
Micro-templates for Integration Work Item, Certification Test Plan, Security Review Notes, and Docs & Listing Checklist give every integration a consistent structure for requirements, testing, risk, and launch tasks you can duplicate instead of rewriting from scratch.
Labels tuned for risk and demand
Labels like Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Customer requested, Security sensitive, Partner-led, and Blocked make it easy to prioritize high-impact or risky integrations and quickly filter the board during status reviews.
Demo integrations for CRM and finance partners
Filled example cards show a CloudSync CRM integration and a LedgerPro finance export with realistic owners, labels, test plans, and attached review documents so you can see how to use the board before adding your own integrations.
Security and compliance review lane
The Security & Compliance Review stage includes demo cards that capture data classification, auth scopes, applicable regimes, and decisions with attached review packs, helping you model your own security and compliance sign-off process.
Why this works
- Gives partner, engineering, and security teams a single view of integration certification status
- Standardizes requirements, testing, and security review so every integration meets the same bar
- Keeps evidence, owners, labels, and timestamps attached to each integration for audits and program reviews
- Makes it easy to prioritize high-impact or security-sensitive integrations using stages and labels
- Provides a repeatable certification flow you can reuse for new partners and integration waves
FAQ
Who is this template for?
This template is designed for partner engineering leads, integration engineers, and program managers running a formal integration certification program with external or internal partners.
Can we connect cards to tickets in Jira or another tool?
Yes. Keep work items and evidence on Instaboard cards, then attach links to Jira issues, GitHub pull requests, or other systems so the board becomes the single view of status while your existing tools handle execution details.
Does this only work for external partners?
No. You can also use it to certify integrations between internal services or platforms by treating each internal system as the partner product and following the same stages and checklists.
How should we handle recertification cycles?
For yearly or risk-based recertification, keep cards in Certified & Monitoring, set a due date for the next review, and either reuse the same card with updated evidence or duplicate it to track a new certification cycle.