For Each Action Configuration

Owned by Zoe Baldwin
Last updated: Aug 14, 2024
5 min read

What is a For Each Action?

The  For Each action iterates over a set of records or list of values, and generates an output record for each one. It is most commonly used to split data, such as an array, into individual records, or it can be used in conjunction with a  Calculate action to firstly convert a user-inputted list into an array for the  For Each action to process - see worked example below.   

Creating For Each Actions

  1. Click and drag the  For Each icon from the toolbar onto the canvas
  2. Enter a name in the Create For Each Action window and select Create Action
  3. In the  For Each action  Properties on the right, populate the following:
FieldDescriptionExample Value
Input Expression

This field is mandatory.

The input expression provides the source of the data to be iterated over. Typically, this will be a simple expression pointing at an Input Attribute, using the syntax, Connector.AttributeName.

If an empty record set or empty list is provided then no output will be generated.

// Receives a list of Invoice IDs, these are iterated over using

in.InvoiceID     

Input Attributes

Attributes mapped into the For Each action will appear here. 

If adding a new input attribute, a Name and Type are required. See Understanding Data Types.


Output Attributes

Attributes mapped out of the For Each action will appear here.

If adding a new output attribute, a Name, Type and Expression are required. This is a PhixScript expression. Values returned by the Input Expression are available in this expression as:

_result.value

To work in a larger popup window, click  Show field in a large editor.

See also:

Name: Invoices

Type: String 

Expression: _result.value

Worked Example

Here's a worked example using the Company Data (available from the Learning Centre).

In this example, we are using:  

  • A Company For Each Example screen containing:
    • an multi-line string field and Save button that will be used by the user to enter a list 
    • a string field that will be used to create a filter
    • a grid backed by the ForEachExample table - this screen was created using the Multi-Tile  template

If you are completing this chapter as part of the Actionflow course and using a training instance, the data and screens have already been pre-loaded into the Actionflow Advanced Application. For this example, we'll be working on the Company For Each Example screen.

Split a List Into Individual Records

In this example, we need a quick way to input a stock delivery into our application that can be processed later. We'll take a list of values inputted by a user and convert these into individual records.

Actionflow Setup

  1. Open the Company For Each Example screen
  2. Add an  Actionflow to the Save button
    1. Name: SplitIntoRecords
  3. Configure the Input as the CompanyForEachExample form
  4. Map the attribute Text into the Actionflow

Calculate Action - Convert List to Array

Use the split function in a  Calculate action to split the Text attribute by the comma separator. This will convert the list entered by the user into an array.

 How?
  1. Create a  Calculate action
  2. Connect the  input to the Calculate action
    1. Map across the Text attribute
  3. In the Calculate action, create an Output Attribute:
    1. Name: Split
    2. Type: Structured Data
    3. Expression: split(in.Text,",")
 Checkpoint

Calculate Action - Create Session ID (Optional)

Create a SessionID attribute in a  Calculate action to allow identification of records created at the same time by the same user, which we will use for filtering.

 How?
  1. In the Calculate action, create another Output Attribute:
    1. Name: SessionID
    2. Type: String
    3. Expression: now() + _user.username
  2.  Apply and Close
 Checkpoint

For Each Action - Convert Array to Records

Use a  For Each action to convert the array into individual records.

  1. Create a  For Each action 
    1. Name: Convert to Records
  2. Connect it to the Calculate action and map across the Split attribute
  3. On the For Each action, enter the following:
    1. Input Expression: in.Split
    2. Input Attributes: Split
    3. Create two Output Attributes: 
      1. Name: Name
        1. Type: String
        2. Expression: trim(_result.value)
          1. The trim function is used here to remove the whitespace after the comma separator in the list
          2. If this was not used and the list "one, two, three" was entered, the records "two" and "three" would be saved with prefixed whitespace
      2. Name: LastUpdated
        1. Type: Datetime
        2. Expression: now()
  4.  Apply and Close
 Checkpoint

Create a Sequence Number for UID (Optional)

Create a Sequence in your application to give each record a unique value. Alternatively, the UID attribute can be left unmapped and PhixFlow will automatically create a unique identifier.

  1. Open the  Repository for your application
  2. Expand the  Sequences option, then click 
    1. Name: Unique_ID
    2. Start Value: 1
    3. Block Size: 1
  3.  Apply and Close

Add the Sequence Number to the UID Attribute (Optional)

Create an Output Attribute, UID, on the  For Each action using the Sequence you created above. 

 How?
  1. On the For Each action, create an Output Attribute: 
    1. Name: UID
      1. Type: Integer
      2. Expression: nextValue('Unique_ID')
  2.  Apply and Close


 Checkpoint

Save Action 

Use a  Save to save the data to the ForEachExample table.

 How?
  1. Create a  Save action for the ForEachExample table
  2. Connect it to the For Each action
  3. Map across all attributes from the For Each action
  4. Map across the SessionID attribute from the Calculate action, if created
  5. In the Save action  Properties, change the Type to Insert

Output - Map SessionID Onto Screen For Filtering (Optional) 

If you have created a SessionID attribute, an output will need to be created to map this value onto the SessionID String Field on the screen, so that it can be used for filtering.

 How?
  1. Under Connections, create an output connection point to the CompanyForEachExample form
  2. Hover over the Save action and click, out, then select the  output node
  3. Map across the SessionID attribute from the table (not the Calculate action) to the output
  4. Click on the output connector under Connections and map the SessionID attribute from the output to the screen


 Checkpoint

Filter Setup (Optional)

  1. On the Company For Each Example screen, open the view configuration for the grid

  2. Create a Default Filter that filters the view by the values in the SessionID field

     How?

Testing

  1. On the Company For Each Example screen,  Lock the screen
  2. Enter a list into the Text field, e.g. Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, etc. and click Save
    1. Your list will be converted into individual records in the grid
  3. Enter another list and you will see that the previous list disappears as the grid is being filtered by the SessionID 
  4. Once you have confirmed your default filter is working, the SessionID area and its header can be hidden