Data tables

Data tables enable you to store data frequently used or referenced by recipes efficiently. Each data table has a spreadsheet-like user interface, which displays the stored data in columns (table structure) and rows (table data). Data tables are also used in Workato as the primary data store for your workflow apps.

Workato also provides a connector to make using data tables in your integrations simpler and more efficient.

Data tables are designed to be scalable and secure out of the box without any additional maintenance. You can create and modify data in a data table with just a few clicks.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Data tables are not designed to store sensitive PCI data, including credit card numbers.

Use cases

Example of typical data tables use cases are as follows:

• Storing data from chargeable APIs from 3rd party systems that are frequently referenced in recipes.
• Storing data from slow/non-performant APIs from 3rd party systems that are frequently referenced in recipes.
• Storing workflow apps data. This can be in a single table or multiple tables linked through link to a table columns.

INCOMPATIBLE USE CASES

Data tables are not designed for the following use cases:

• Relational database solution: Given the various limits enforced, data tables are not ideal as long-term large relational databases.
• Storing large data in a single cell: Data tables' long text column type can store only up to 10,000 characters, which is insufficient for large data storage.

Key terms

The following list describes terminology useful for managing and interacting with your data tables:

• Record

• A set of values set for each column in a data table. Each record is identifiable through a unique record ID and is represented by a single row entry in the data table UI.

• Column

• A column in a data table represents a specific record field. Each column has its own unique ID, and is displayed as individual column in the Data Table UI.

• Record ID

• Workato automatically generates a unique ID for each record in a data table. Workato requires the Record ID to perform certain Data table connector actions, including update record, and delete record actions.

• Column ID

• Workato automatically generates a unique ID for each column in a data table. Workato typically references the Column ID in recipe actions to ensure resilience against column name changes.