Data Workflow Operator Reference

Operators are the building blocks of a Data Workflow pipeline. Each operator performs a specific transformation on the data stream: filtering rows, reshaping objects, evaluating conditions, and so on. Creators connect operators on the Data Workflow canvas using input and output ports to define the sequence of operations.

All available operators are organized by group below. Many operators appear in more than one group in the operator tray; each operator is documented once under its primary group.

Data Types

Operators accept and produce data in the following types:

• array: An array of objects (table-style data).
• Object: A single object.
• Value: A single primitive: a string, number, or Boolean.
• Boolean: A Boolean value: true or false.
• HTML: An HTML string.
• All: Accepts any data type.

Argument Port

Most operators include an argument port (the top port on the operator). Use _arg in a configuration field to reference the value entering the argument port. Using _arg lets Creators pass dynamic values into operator settings at runtime instead of hard-coding them.

For example, to filter a table by a Creator-selected status, connect a module field containing the status value to the argument port of a Filter operator and enter status=_arg in the Expression field. When the pipeline executes, _arg resolves to the current value of the connected field, so the same pipeline filters by different statuses depending on what the Creator selects.

Common Settings

The following settings are available on most operators:

Frequently Used

The operator tray surfaces the following operators in the Frequently Used category: Console, Create Value, Filter, Create Field, Formula, and Get. These operators are documented in their respective groups below.

Input/Output (I/O) Operators

Input/Output (I/O) operators define how data enters and exits the Data Workflow. Every pipeline begins with at least one input operator and ends with at least one output operator.

Input

Pulls data from a single module field into the pipeline. Use the Input operator to read a form field value, such as a drop-down selection, a date, or a calculated total, and pass it into the pipeline for processing.

Output

Marks the end of a pipeline path and applies an action to a module field. Use the Output operator to write a calculated result back to a Hidden component, or to trigger a downstream component like a Plug-In.

Tip: Some actions require a specific trigger value. For example, the Reset action requires a value of yes. Connect a Create Value operator to the input port to supply this value, or use a Set Outputs operator which lets you define the trigger value directly in the settings panel.

Group Input

Creates a single object from multiple module fields. Use the Group Input operator when a pipeline needs data from more than one source. For example, combining a Creator's name, selected plan, and account ID into a single object for an API call.

Set Outputs

Applies the same action and value to up to five module fields simultaneously. Use the Set Outputs operator to reset multiple fields at once. For example, clearing an entire form section after a Creator submits a step.

Note: The same action and value applies to every component selected in the operator. To apply different actions or values to different components, use individual Output operators instead.

Create Table

Creates an empty array of objects. Use the Create Table operator to initialize a table with a fixed number of rows before populating it with a Create Field or Formula operator. For example, building an empty results grid before filling it with calculated values.

Input: None → Output: Array

Create Value

Creates a single value and passes it into the pipeline. The Create Value operator can create a number, string, or Boolean value. Use it to generate a static trigger value, such as yes, to activate a Reset output action, or to define a constant that other operators reference through the argument port. Commonly used with an Output operator to set values for post triggers.

Input: None → Output: Value

Console

Outputs the current data stream to the browser console. Use the Console operator to inspect what data looks like at a specific point in the pipeline while building or troubleshooting. Remove Console operators when configuration is complete.

Input: All → Output: None

No configuration required.

Gateway Operators

Gateway operators control the flow of data through the pipeline: splitting paths, merging them, or blocking execution based on conditions.

Branch Split

Splits a single input into two possible paths based on a condition. When the condition is true, data proceeds through the upper output port. When the condition is false, data proceeds through the lower output port. The path not taken is blocked. Pairs with the Branch merge operator. Use the Branch Split operator to send premium users down one processing path and standard users down another before rejoining the results.

Input: All → Output: All (two paths)

Branch Merge

Merges two paths created by Branch Split back into a single path. Only the path that was taken by Branch Split passes through; the blocked path remains blocked. Use the Branch Merge operator to rejoin diverging paths before passing data to a shared output operator.

Input: All (two inputs) → Output: All

No configuration required.

Decision

Routes data to one of two output paths based on a condition. Data meeting the condition proceeds through the upper output port; data that does not proceeds through the lower output port. Use the Decision operator to route high-value applications to a manual review path and standard applications to an automated approval path.

Input: All → Output: All (two paths)

Gate

Evaluates a condition and either passes data through or stops execution. When the condition is true, data proceeds through the output port. When the condition is false, the pipeline path stops. Use the Gate operator to halt execution when a required field is empty, preventing downstream operators from running on incomplete data.

Input: All → Output: All

Input Switch

Selects between two inputs based on a condition. When the condition is true, data from the upper input port passes through. When the condition is false, data from the lower input port passes through. Use the Input Switch operator to choose between a Creator-entered value and a system default depending on whether the Creator provided input.

Input: All (two inputs) → Output: All

Table Operators

Table operators transform array-of-objects (table-style) data: reshaping, filtering, combining, and restructuring rows and columns.

Aggregate

Performs a statistical aggregation on a column in a table. Use the Aggregate operator to total sales figures by region, count the number of applications submitted per month, or find the maximum value in a dataset.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Append

Appends two values or arrays together. When appending strings, acts as concatenation. When appending arrays, joins both arrays into a single array. The data connected to the lower input port appends to the data connected to the upper input port. The Append operator does not append objects. Use the Extend operator instead. Use the Append operator to combine two separate query results into a single list before filtering or sorting.

Input: Array (two inputs) → Output: Array

No configuration required.

Cartesian

Takes two arrays and outputs an array containing every possible combination of their values, equivalent to a SQL cross join. When Type is Array, input must be a single array containing two objects, each holding one of the arrays to cross join. Use the Cartesian operator to generate all size-color combinations for a product catalog by pairing every size option with every color option.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Col2Array

Converts a single column from a table into an array of values. Use the Col2Array operator to extract all email addresses from a results table into a simple array before passing them to a notification trigger.

Input: All → Output: Array

Clean Keys

Fills missing keys or empty values in each row of a table. Use the Clean Keys operator to ensure every row in a dataset has a Status field, filling in Pending for any row where the field is absent.

Input: All → Output: Array

Convert Field

Converts values in one or more columns from one data type to another. Use the Convert Field operator to cast an ID column from string to number before performing arithmetic, or to convert numeric codes to strings for display.

Input: All → Output: Array

Note: Passing an object into this operator returns [object object] as the output value.

Create Index

Adds an index number to each row of a table. Use the Create Index operator to add a sequential row number to each record before displaying results in a table, or to generate unique row identifiers before further processing.

Input: All → Output: Array

Tip: The Create Index operator can also add new rows of data to a table, beginning from either the top or bottom of the table.

Create Field

Creates or updates key/value pairs (fields) in a table. Use the structure key=value or key="value" for strings. Supports conditional expressions using IF(condition, valueIfTrue, valueIfFalse). Fields are created in order from Field 1 to Field 5, so later fields can reference values created by earlier ones. Use the Create Field operator to calculate a Total column by multiplying Quantity by Price, or to flag records with a Status of Complete when a date field is populated.

Input: All → Output: Array

Filter

Filters table data using an expression. Rows matching the expression pass through the upper output port. Rows that do not match pass through the lower output port. Use the Filter operator to separate approved applications from pending ones, passing each group down its own processing path.

Input: Array → Output: Array (two paths)

HTML Table

Converts an array of objects to a formatted HTML table string. Use the HTML Table operator to convert into a formatted table for inclusion in an email template or a Content component.

Input: All → Output: HTML

Map Keys

Updates the names of multiple keys in a table using a mapping table. Connect the source table to the upper input port and the mapping table to the lower input port. The mapping table must contain a column with original key names and a column with the new key names. Use the Map Keys operator to rename API response fields to match the property IDs in a module. For example, renaming user_id to userId across an entire dataset.

Input: Array (two inputs) → Output: Array

Tip: Use a Data Table component to create and manage the mapping table.

Map Values

Updates multiple values in a table using a mapping table. Connect the source table to the upper input port and the mapping table to the lower input port. The mapping table must contain a column with original values and a column with the replacement values. Use the Map Values operator to translate status codes from an external system into readable labels. For example, mapping A to Active and I to Inactive.

Input: Array (two inputs) → Output: Array

Tip: Use a Data Table component to create and manage the mapping table.

Merge

Combines data from two tables. Use the Merge operator to join a list of applications with a lookup table of applicant details, combining both on a shared ID column.

Input: Array (two inputs) → Output: Array

Multi-row

Duplicates a column while shifting the duplicated rows up or down by a set number of positions. A positive value shifts rows up; a negative value shifts rows down. Use the Multi-row operator to calculate a running difference: duplicating a daily sales column shifted one row up so each row can compare against the previous day's total.

Note: Rows left empty after adjacent rows shift have an undefined value.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Nest By

Groups rows in a table by a common key and nests the remaining fields under a child key. Rows sharing the same parent key value are grouped into a single row; their other fields nest as individual rows in the child array. Use the Nest By operator to group line items by order ID, consolidating multiple rows per order into a single nested structure for display or output.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Important: Keys that are not consistent across all rows are dropped during nesting, which can result in data loss.

Nested Array

Adds or updates fields in a nested table (an array of objects in an array). Input must be a table containing a nested array. Use the Nested Array operator to add a calculated subtotal field to each item in a nested line-items array without unwinding and re-nesting the data.

Input: All → Output: Array

Omit

Removes one or more columns from a table. Use the Omit operator to strip internal fields like _id from an API response before outputting the data to a form or passing it downstream.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Pick

Retrieves one or more columns from a table, discarding all others. Use the Pick operator to extract only the fields a template needs from a larger submission object, keeping the data passed downstream minimal.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Rename Field

Renames a key in key/value pairs. Use the Rename Field operator to standardize column names across two datasets before merging them, or to match the field names an API endpoint expects.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Sort

Sorts table data in ascending or descending order. Use the Sort operator to order a list of applications by submission date before displaying them in a review queue, or to rank results by score before picking the top record.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Split Field

Splits values in a column of a table into nested arrays of values. The separator is excluded from the output. Use the Split Field operator to break a full name column into separate first and last name values, or to expand a comma-separated tags column into an array per row.

Input: All → Output: Array

Tip: The Split Field operator can also split a single string input into an array of values, the same way the Split String operator works.

Table2HTML

Takes an empty table and a value as inputs and outputs a string containing the value repeated for each row in the table, with each instance separated by an HTML break. Use the Table2HTML operator to build a multi-line address block by repeating a formatted address line for each row in an address table.

Input: All (two inputs) → Output: HTML

Table2Object

Converts table data into an object. Each row becomes a key/value pair. Use the Table2Object operator to convert a two-column lookup table into a key-value object for faster field access downstream, or to reshape configuration data returned by an API.

Input: All → Output: Object

Transpose

Rotates data from columns to rows in a table. Use the Transpose operator to convert a wide table of monthly columns into a tall table of month-value rows, making it easier to filter, aggregate, or chart the data.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Unique

Filters out duplicate objects in an array, keeping only the first occurrence of each unique value. Use the Unique operator to deduplicate a list of email addresses collected from multiple form submissions before sending notifications.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Unwind

Brings values in a nested array up one level in the data structure. Each value in the nested array becomes its own row in the output. Use the Unwind operator to flatten a nested array of line items so the Filter, Sort, and Aggregate operators can process each item individually.

Input: Array → Output: Array

Array Operators

Array operators transform arrays of primitive values.

Array2Col

Converts an array of values into an array of key/value pair objects, effectively a single-column table. Each value in the source array becomes one object with the specified key. Use the Array2Col operator to convert a flat list of IDs into a single-column table before joining it with another dataset using the Merge operator.

Input: All → Output: Array

Join

Joins an array of values into a single string, with each value separated by the specified character. Use the Join operator to concatenate a list of selected tags into a comma-separated string for storage in a Hidden component or display in a Content component.

Input: Array → Output: Value

Tip: Use the Col2Array operator to quickly create an array of values from a single column in a table before joining.

Size

Returns the size of the input. For strings, returns the character count. For arrays, returns the number of elements. Use the Size operator to count the number of rows returned by a query, then pass that count to a Create Value operator to display a results total.

Input: All → Output: Value

No configuration required.

Object Operators

Object operators read, merge, transform, or inspect object data structures.

Clean Object

Removes or converts unwanted values in an object, including null values. Clean Actions apply to all nested fields. Use the Clean Object operator to strip null values from an API response before mapping fields to a form, preventing unexpected behavior when null overwrites an existing field value.

Input: All → Output: Object

Diff

Performs a deep diff analysis between two inputs and outputs an array of change records describing structural differences. Use the Diff operator to detect which fields changed between the original version of a submission and an updated version before logging or displaying the differences.

Input: Object (two inputs) → Output: Array

No configuration required.

Extend

Merges two objects into a single object. Both inputs must be objects. To merge arrays, use the Append operator instead. Use the Extend operator to combine the outputs of two Group Input operators into a single object when a pipeline needs more than six input fields.

Input: Object (two inputs) → Output: Object

No configuration required.

Get

Retrieves data from a data structure using a path expression. Use to pull individual values, nested fields, or entire rows from an array. Use the Get operator to extract a specific value from a deeply nested API response. For example, pulling a token from a nested auth object, or to reference a Global Variable by path.

Input: All → Output: Object

Has

Determines whether a key exists at a given path in an object. Outputs true if the key exists; outputs false if it does not. Input must be an object, even though the port accepts any type. Use the Has operator to check whether an API response includes an error key before branching to an error-handling path.

Input: All → Output: Boolean

Object2Table

Converts a single object into a table. Each key/value pair in the object becomes a row in the output. Use the Object2Table operator to convert a configuration object into a two-column table before displaying it in a Data Grid or passing it to a Table2HTML operator.

Input: All → Output: Array

Note: Input must be a single object. arrays and tables are not supported.

Set

Adds a key/value pair to an existing data structure. Connect the target structure to the upper input port. Leave Value blank and connect a value or structure to the lower input port to add it dynamically. Use the Set operator to attach a calculated timestamp or status field to an existing object before passing it to an Output operator.

Input: All (two inputs) → Output: Object

Tip: Use _arg in the Path or Value settings to add values dynamically based on input entering the argument port.

Transform

Executes a Nunjucks template transform on the input data. Use the Transform operator to reshape an API response into the structure a module field expects: remapping keys, formatting values, and producing JSON, XML, or plain text output in a single step.

Input: All → Output: All

Value Operators

Value operators work on single primitive values: strings, numbers, Booleans, and so on.

Convert Value

Converts a single primitive value from one data type to another. To convert to Number or Integer, the input must be numeric. When converting to Integer, decimal values are truncated, not rounded. Use the Convert Value operator to cast a string ID to a number before using it in a comparison or arithmetic expression.

Input: All → Output: Value

Excel to JSON

Converts the base64 encoding of an Excel file to JSON. Output contains a headings array (column headers) and a json array (file contents). Use the Excel to JSON operator to parse an uploaded Excel file from a File component into structured data for further processing in the pipeline.

Tip: Use an Excel file that contains headers. This ensures the json array contains key/value pairs where the key corresponds to the header.

Input: Value → Output: Object

Formula

Evaluates a formula or expression on the input value. Use A as an alias for data entering the input port. Supports _arg for values entering the argument port. Use the Formula operator to multiply a loan amount by an interest rate, calculate days remaining before a deadline, or apply any arithmetic or logical expression to a single value.

Input: All → Output: Value

Includes

Determines whether a specified value exists in the input. Input must be a value or an array of values. Outputs true if the value is found; outputs false if it is not. Use the Includes operator to check whether a Creator-selected option displays in an approved list before allowing the pipeline to continue.

Input: All → Output: Boolean

JSON Parse

Parses a properly formatted JSON string and outputs the defined data structure as a JSON object. Use the JSON Parse operator to convert a stringified JSON value stored in a Hidden component into a usable object for downstream operators.

Input: Value → Output: Object

No configuration required.

Tip: To work with static JSON, store it in the Default Value field of a Hidden component and connect that component to the JSON Parse operator's input.

NLP

Compares text input against a keyword-mood mapping table and outputs an array of matching keyword/mood pairs. Connect the text input to the upper input port and the mapping table to the lower input port. The mapping table must have columns named Keyword and Mood. Use the NLP operator to scan a free-text comment field for sentiment keywords and classify the entry before routing it to the appropriate review queue.

Input: Value (two inputs) → Output: Array

Split String

Splits a string into an array of values using a separator. The separator is excluded from the output. Default separator is a comma. Use the Split String operator to break a comma-separated list of selected values into an array for filtering, iteration, or display.

Input: All → Output: Array

Choosing Between Similar Operators

Several operators overlap in purpose. The sections below identify when to use each one when more than one seems like it could work.

Combining data: Append, Merge, or Extend?

All three operators combine two inputs into one, but for different data structures:

• Append: use when joining two arrays end-to-end into a single longer array. Neither array needs a shared key.
• Merge: use when joining two tables on a shared key column, like a SQL join. The output keeps only rows that match (or all rows, depending on Merge Type).
• Extend: use when merging two objects into one. Both inputs must be objects. Use the Extend operator instead of the Append operator when the data is object-shaped, not array-shaped.

Restricting data flow: Filter or Gate?

Both operators can block data from proceeding, but they behave differently:

• Filter: use when you want to separate rows into two groups and process both. Matching rows pass through the upper port; non-matching rows pass through the lower port. Both paths continue.
• Gate: use when you want to halt execution entirely when a condition is not met. When the condition is false, the pipeline stops. There is no second output path.

Splitting into two paths: Decision or Branch Split?

Both operators route data down one of two paths:

• Decision: use for a permanent fork where the two paths diverge and stay separate. There is no corresponding merge counterpart.
• Branch Split: use for temporary divergence that reconverges. The Branch Split operator pairs with the Branch Merge operator to rejoin the two paths after separate processing.

Working on a single value: Formula or Create Field?

Both evaluate expressions, but against different input shapes:

• Formula: use when the input is a single value. Outputs a single transformed value.
• Create Field: use when the input is a table. Adds or updates one or more columns across every row.

If the data entering the operator is an array of objects, use the Create Field operator. If it is a single string, number, or Boolean, use the Formula operator.

Splitting a string: Split String or Split Field?

Both split a string on a separator, but for different input shapes:

• Split String: use when the input is a single string value. Outputs a flat array of values.
• Split Field: use when the input is a table. Splits values in a specified column and adds a nested array to each row.

Renaming keys: Rename Field or Map Keys?

Both rename keys, but at different scales:

• Rename Field: use when renaming a single key. Faster to configure for one-off renames.
• Map Keys: use when renaming many keys at once. Requires a separate mapping table with source and target column names, but handles bulk renaming in a single operator.

Removing columns: Pick or Omit?

Both reduce a table to fewer columns:

• Pick: use when the list of columns to keep is shorter than the list to discard. Specify what to keep; everything else is removed.
• Omit: use when the list of columns to remove is shorter than the list to keep. Specify what to discard; everything else is kept.

Converting a data type: Convert Field or Convert Value?

Both cast values from one data type to another:

• Convert Field: use when the input is a table. Converts values in one or more columns across every row.
• Convert Value: use when the input is a single primitive value. Converts one value.

Flattening and nesting: Unwind or Nest By?

These operators are inverses of each other:

• Unwind: use to flatten a nested array into rows. Each item in the nested array becomes its own top-level row.
• Nest By: use to group flat rows back into a nested structure. Rows sharing a common key value are consolidated into one row with a nested child array.