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Create lookup tables in Zaps

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Creating a lookup table using Formatter

With a lookup table, you can automatically translate information from one app into a format that another app will understand. This is useful if two apps that you are working with have different terminology when referring to the same thing. Lookup up tables can only be used in an action, not in a trigger.

Example

If your trigger app only passes on a name but your action app needs an ID. You can create a list of records your trigger can search for and then pass on the correct value.

  • Lookup key: the data you wish to search within your lookup table for.
  • Lookup table: this is made up of two columns. The first one is what will be used to match the lookup key. The second column is what you want to output if your lookup key matches.
  • Fallback value: if your lookup key doesn’t match your lookup table, you can choose to have a fallback value. That way there will always be an output available.

1. Add a formatter step

  • Choose Utilities as the Choose Action Event
  • Then select Lookup table as the Transform

How to set up your Formatter

2. Choose the Lookup key

This field would provide the data that would be used to find the value on your list.

In this example, I've mapped out *Content* field from the trigger, as my identifier for my lookup table

3. Fill out the table

Using the Lookup Table section you will want to add each of the possible items you want to search for. The box on the left is the value you will search by and the box on the right is the output. The key is case sensitive, so take that into consideration when setting up your lookup table.

In my example, I need my output to be in a numeric value. This means every time the Zap runs, the lookup table will search the value of "Content" in the left-hand column and then output what is in the right-hand column e.g. "Apple" will output "123"

If you're having trouble finding what value to pass onto your Action step, the actual step itself that you’re configuring will usually show you the key values and its corresponding values.

Example of when an App shows you the value it's expecting

Heads Up

You can only search by one value, not multiple values.

4. Map out the formatter step’s output field

You will then need to map out the output field of the Formatter step onto the Action field that requires the converted value. You do this:

  • Select the dropdown and scroll all the way to the bottom
  • Select Use a Custom Value (advanced)

In this example, we will be dynamically updating the Owner field

  • Now map out the output from your Formatter step

How to select the output from your Lookup Table

Once you’ve set up your lookup table, you’re ready to continue setting up the rest of your Zap. You can have more than one lookup table within a Zap.

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