Overview

Database load steps allow data to be loaded from an external data source into a flow, such as from a database.

Database load steps are used to retrieve data from a data source and load this data into a flow; typically this would be from an application database such as SQL, Salesforce, and so on.

This is achieved by adding data actions to the step, to specify the source of the data and where/how the data should be stored within the flow.

For example, if the SQL is installed in your tenant, a type is automatically created for each table in the specified database. A database load step can then be used to load the data from one of these tables (such as a 'users' table) by loading the data from the relevant bound type into a list value. This could then be used in a page step to display a list of users from the database.

You can also perform database operations by using message actions on a step. See Adding Message Actions to a step.

Adding a data action to load data into a flow

To add a data action to a database load step:

1. Add a database load step to the flow canvas.

2. Name: Enter a name for the step.

3. Click New Data Action to add a new data action. The Data Action panel is displayed.

   • Name: Enter name for the data action.

   • The order in which this Data Action should be loaded: Specify the order in which the data actions should be performed. For example, a value of "0" will result in a data action being performed before a data action with a value of "1".

   • Disable this data action: Temporarily disable the data action.

   • Which Value do you want to load data into?: Define where you wish to load the data into. Click Select or create a new value to select an existing list or object value, or create a new value to load the data into.

   • Where will the data be sourced from?: Select the value type that will be used to retrieve the data. This is automatically populated with the available value types bound to the database you are using.

   • Edit Filter: Allows you to optionally filter the data returned based on a unique identifier or using a 'where' statement filter. See Data action filters.

4. Click Add Data Action to save the data action and return to the configuration panel. The new data action is shown in the Data Actions table. Add more data actions as required.

5. Click Save to save your changes and apply the data action(s) to the selected step.

A worked example - loading data and displaying it on a page

In this example, data for a table of employees is loaded into a flow using the load step. The loaded data is then displayed as a table using a page step.

1. Once the SQL has been installed into the tenant, a "Load table Data" database load step is added and configured to retrieve the data from the "employeedata Golden Record" table. The retrieved data is loaded into a new "hubEmployeeList" list value that uses the "employeedata" type from the table.

2. A page step is added and linked to the database load step. The page layout is configured to display a table of employees, using the value that the data was loaded into by the data action.

   

3. When you run and view the flow in a browser, a table of employees is displayed on the page, using the data that was loaded into the flow.

   

Adding an outcome

Outcomes can be added to a database load step.

• Adding Outcomes to a step

Adding a listener

Outcomes can be added to a database load step.

• Adding Listeners to a step

Adding comments to a step

Comments can be added to a database load step.

• Adding Comments to a step