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Load data

How-to7 minPractitioner

Before you start

Load data finds records in a module and keeps them in a list with a name you choose. Use it to fetch the vendors whose contracts end this month, or the one vendor profile an email needs.

When should I use Load data?

Section titled “When should I use Load data?”

Use it when a step needs records other than the one that started the workflow. A Loop goes through the list. A Record manager with a batch action saves it. A Send email can read the first record.

Add a Load data step

Section titled “Add a Load data step”
  1. Click + and choose Load data. It sits in the Records group.
  2. Under Load from, choose the module in Which module?.
  3. In Name it, type a name for the list, for example vendorProfile.
  4. Under Which records?, stay on Match these rules and click Add a rule. Choose a field, a check and a value.
  5. Optional: under Sort, choose a field and a direction.
A Load data step selected, with Load from set to Vendors, the list named vendorProfile and one rule in the Which records section.
    Which module? and Name it set where the records come from and what the list is called.
    Which records? has two tabs: Match these rules and Smart Script.
    Sort decides which record is row 1.

What do the settings do?

Section titled “What do the settings do?”
SettingWhat it does
Which module?The module to read. Changing it starts the rules and sort again
Name itThe list’s name, used by later steps
Match these rulesRules joined by AND or OR. Click the joiner to switch it
Smart ScriptA WHERE condition written by hand, for a condition you want to write by hand
SortA field and a direction. Without it, records come oldest first

AND binds tighter than OR: “A AND B OR C” means (A and B) or C. The sentence above the rules shows the brackets.

How do I read the list later?

Section titled “How do I read the list later?”

A later step reads the first record as the list name, then ›, then the field, for example vendorProfile › Primary Contact Email in Insert data. To go through every record, use a Loop. Running the step again replaces the list.

Worked example: email the vendor’s contact

Section titled “Worked example: email the vendor’s contact”

Karim’s contract workflow loads Vendors where Vendor ID is the contract’s vendor, into vendorProfile. A Send email step then uses vendorProfile › Primary Contact Email in To.

What should I watch for?

Section titled “What should I watch for?”

Add a rule to say which records to load. To load every record, switch to Smart Script and write WHERE 1 = 1.

  • For a long list, add a Loop with Process in pages.
  • It sees every record in the module, whoever started the workflow. Record permissions do not apply.
  • If no record matches, the list is empty and later steps that read it get nothing. A Decision with has no records catches that.

Check yourself

Sara wants Load data to load every record of a module. What does she write on the Smart Script tab?
Show the answer

WHERE 1 = 1. To load every record, switch to the Smart Script tab and write WHERE 1 = 1.

A Load data step matches 800 records and Sara wants to go through all of them. What does she add?
Show the answer

A Loop with Process in pages. A Loop with Process in pages goes through a long list one page at a time.

What's next

LoopRepeat the steps inside a loop for each record of a list, each item inside a field, or a set number of times.Record managerCreate, update or delete records from a workflow, one at a time or in a batch from a list.

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