Module 3:

List Processing
Workato University
Intermediate Course
After completing this session, you’ll be able to

● Know the purpose of using List

● Know the types of List
● Know how to map list values

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Agenda for Module 3 (List Processing)

1. Basic and Nested List

2. Using datapills in List

3. Fixed and dynamic List

4. Repeat step

5. List connector

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What are Lists?
● Recipes lists are a powerful data
structure that allow you to simplify
operations and actions on multi-row
inputs or outputs.

● Basic Lists: Rows in the list are

self-contained i.e. all the information
required is explicitly expressed in each
column/field.

● Nested Lists: The details of the row in the

parent list is contained in a separate child
list. This relationship can be expressed in
a multi-level hierarchy.

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Working with Lists/Arrays in Recipes - Mapping Data Pills
● List data pills are commonly returned in step output
of search actions, batch triggers/actions, CSV data,
etc
○ Arrays can be nested within arrays
○ In the Data Tree, each array ends with a “List size”
data pill which gives a count of the number of items
in the array
○ Data pills nested in an array only point to the data
of the first item on the list

● Three ways to map list data pills:

1. Directly into an action without list processing
2. Into an action with a list input
3. Into an action with a Repeat step

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Map Data Pills Directly Without List Processing

● Change to Formula mode

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Map Data Pills in an Action with a List Input
● Actions that take lists as an input:
input field name with “source list”.
Eg. Salesforce create records in
batches.
Source list field
mapped by list ● Only accept list data pills. Formula
data pill mode is not available.
● App data changes to offer only list
data pills for subsequent input
fields.
● For the list object passed into the
input source list
○ List will be transferred from
List property source app to the target app.
fields mapped
by array ● Values transferred based on fields
property pills mapped in the recipe.
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Group Mapping

● Useful feature that enables automatic mapping of fields based on the fields on matches between field
name and data pill name
● Useful when there are large number of fields that need to be mapped. E.g. Database applications

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Group Mapping

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Group Mapping

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Input Modes: Fixed and Dynamic List

When actions offer a list as input, two input

modes are available:
● Fixed List: Each item is added one by
one
○ Use this mode if the total
number of items and contents
should be the same across recipe
jobs
○ Able to add and map each item in
the list one by one

● Dynamic List: Dynamically iterate

through all items in a list, reading
values in every row

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Map Data Pills Using Repeat Action

● Repeat action executes workflow on

each list item.

● Used to do list processing at the recipe

logic level.

● Typically, a recipe executes on a single

record i.e. each trigger event
corresponds to one record.

Action(s) to ● When working with a batch of records

be repeated or list of items (e.g. a list of invoice line
items), you may need to carry out a set
of actions for every item in the list. The
repeat step helps you do that.

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https://docs.workato.com/recipes/steps.html#repeat-step © Copyright 2019 Workato Inc. All rights reserved 12
Repeat Action - Data Mapping from “Foreach” Step

Input list field

mapped by list
data pill
● The input list field of the repeat (for
each) action is mapped by a list data
pill.

● Actions indented within a repeat

block should use data output from
the Repeat (Foreach) step's
datatree when referring to data on
Use data each record. This ensures that every
output from item in the list is processed.
“Foreach” step

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https://docs.workato.com/recipes/steps.html#repeat-step © Copyright 2019 Workato Inc. All rights reserved 13
Lists by Workato - Accumulate Items to List

● Create custom lists and store

data in the list for the duration of
a job, to be used in same job.

● Can also be used to prepare a list

to map to an action with a list
input.
Configure List
Name ● Define fields in custom list and
ensure that datapills are mapped
from Repeat step’s output
Map data pills
from Repeat
datatree.
step’s output

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Common mistakes when using Repeat step

● Using pills from list object in datatree without list handling will result in first item being
used
● Choosing datapills from the wrong step, example:
○ Choosing datapill from list object instead of Repeat step
○ Recipe will iterate only the value of the first item
○ Resulting in duplication

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Job Reports Involving Loops

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 Summary

Workato University
Summary

● Basic and Nested list

● Datapill mapping
● Lists by Workato
● Group Mapping
● Fixed and Dynamic Lists
● Repeat Action

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Next Module: Setting up Data Variables
and Lookup Tables
Workato University