Using Tables in Workflows

Table Actions

Blink provides powerful workflow actions that allow you to automate the management of table records. These actions enable you to add, update, retrieve, and delete records dynamically within your workflows.

All Table-related actions can be found under the ‘Tables’ collection in the action panel of the workflow editor

Please note: SQL queries are supported only in the Get Records action. SQL is not supported for other table-related actions, such as Create Record or Update Record.

Create Table from Data

Parameter	Description
Table Name	Specifies the name of the table to be created. This name will be used to identify and reference the table within the system.
Data	The structured data to populate the table, provided in valid JSON format. Each `JSON` object represents a row, and each `key-value` pair defines a column and its corresponding value.
Add Data to Table	When enabled, the provided JSON data will be populated into the newly created table. If disabled, the table will be created without any initial data.

Important Limitations & Behavior

Large Text Handling: Any text value exceeding 40KB will automatically be stored as a long-text column type.
Column Display Names: The JSON key provided in each record is used directly as the column’s display name. For example, if you pass user_name as the key, the column will be created and displayed as user_name.
Duplicate Column Names: If a column name conflicts with an existing system column (e.g., created_at), a new column will still be created with a randomly generated suffix (e.g., created_at_123) to avoid overwriting the original column.
Mixed Data Types: If the same key contains different data types across records (for example, a number in one record and text in another), the column type will automatically fall back to text to accommodate all values.

To avoid unexpected schema changes, ensure consistent key naming and data types across all records before submitting your JSON data.

Add a Record

Add new records to a table by entering field names and values or by providing data in JSON format.JSON input supports bulk creation, allowing multiple records to be added simultaneously in a single action.

You can also use the Variable Picker to easily insert dynamic variables into the ‘Add Record’ action’s input fields.

Typed-in Values
JSON Format

Add a record to a table by entering the table field name and the table field value.

Parameter	Description
Table	The name of the table.
Record	Data of record, enter the field name and field value.

Records can be added by inputting values in JSON format. Bulk creation is also supported, allowing the input of a list of JSON objects.

Parameter	Description
Table	The name of the table.
Record	Data of record, a JSON format containing `Key : Value` pairs. Can also be a list of `JSON` objects.

Create or Update Record

Ensure data consistency by either updating an existing record or creating a new one if no match is found. You can define specific conditions to determine whether a record should be updated or newly inserted. Supports both direct value input and JSON formatting for structured updates.

Entire Record
JSON Format
By Field

Create or Update an entire Record in a table by selecting the entire record option.

Note: Please note that if you leave any fields empty in the Create or Update Record action, the existing values in the table will remain unchanged.

Parameter	Description
Table	The name of the table.
Create or Update Condition	Define the criteria that determine whether a table record should be created or updated. You can also use nested conditions, groups of conditions within other conditions, to build more complex rules for your table data. Nested conditions let you apply operators like AND or OR to a specific subset of conditions independently from the main group, giving you precise control over how your table records are filtered and evaluated
Record Data Format	Entire Record
Record	The value of the record you want to create or update

Use Case Example: Ensuring Accurate Privileged User Access Tracking

Scenario: You need to track users with privileged access in a security system. If a user is added to the list of privileged users, you want to update their access record; if the user is already on the list, their record should be updated instead of adding a duplicate.Solution: Use the Create or Update Records action to ensure that any changes to a privileged user’s access rights are properly reflected in the table without creating duplicate record.In the ‘Create or Update Records’ action, a condition to check for users who already have access listed in the table.

If the user is not found (i.e., their record does not exist), create a new record with their user ID, access level, and timestamp.
If the user’s record already exists, update the record with the new access level or other relevant information.

Scenario: You are building a system to monitor user login attempts. If a user fails to log in multiple times within a short period, you want to flag their account as potentially compromised, but you don’t want to duplicate records for each failed attempt.Solution: Use the Create or Update Records action to update the record for failed login attempts instead of creating a new record for every failure.Set a condition in the Create or Update Records action to check if the user already has a record of failed login attempts.

If a failed login attempt is detected and the user has a record, update the record by incrementing the failed attempt counter and updating the timestamp.
If no record exists for the user’s failed attempt, create a new record with the user’s details and an initial failed attempt count.

Create or Update a Record in a table by entering values in JSON format.

Note: Please note that if you leave any fields empty in the Create or Update Record action, the existing values in the table will remain unchanged.

Parameter	Description
Table	The name of the table.
Create or Update Condition	Define the criteria that determine whether a table record should be created or updated. You can also use nested conditions, groups of conditions within other conditions, to build more complex rules for your table data. Nested conditions let you apply operators like AND or OR to a specific subset of conditions independently from the main group, giving you precise control over how your table records are filtered and evaluated
Record Data Format	JSON
Record	The value of the record you want to create or update in JSON format

Scenario: A security system monitors unauthorized attempts to access sensitive files. When a user repeatedly tries to access a restricted file, the system should update the record for that file access attempt with the latest timestamp and IP address, rather than creating multiple entries.Solution: Use the Create or Update Records action to track unauthorized file access attempts. The action checks if a record exists for a specific combination of user and file; if it does, it updates the record with the latest timestamp and IP address. If no matching record is found, a new record is created.

If a record exists where the Name and the FileID value matches the requested file, the system will update the record with the latest timestamp and IP address.
If no match is found, it will create a new record for that combination.

Create or update specific records in a table by selecting a particular field to determine which records should be modified.

Parameter	Description
Table	The name of the table.
Create or Update Condition	Define the criteria that determine whether a table record should be created or updated. You can also use nested conditions, groups of conditions within other conditions, to build more complex rules for your table data. Nested conditions let you apply operators like AND or OR to a specific subset of conditions independently from the main group, giving you precise control over how your table records are filtered and evaluated
Record Data Format	By Field
Record By Field	Decide which records in the fields will be updated. If a new record is created, all fields not selected will set their default value.

Use Case Example: Monitor and Timestamp Failed Logins

Scenario: A company’s security team is monitoring user login activity to detect suspicious behavior. When a user experiences a failed login attempt, the system should capture and update the timestamp of that failure. This helps in identifying patterns of unauthorized access without cluttering the database with redundant entries.Solution: Use the Create or Update Record action to ensure that only the latest failed login attempt is recorded for each user.

If a match is found: The system updates the existing record’s timestamp field to reflect the time the most recent failed login attempt.
If no match is found: The system creates a new record for that failed login event.

”Add Records” Action vs. “Create or Update Records” Action

When adding data to a table, choosing the right action ensures accuracy and prevents duplication. Use “Add Records” when you need to insert new data without verifying existing entries. If you want to update existing records or avoid duplicates, “Create or Update Records” is the better choice, as it checks for a match before adding new data. The table below outlines the key differences between these actions.

Action	Behavior	Key Difference
Add Record	When you need to insert new data without checking for existing records	Adds records without checking for duplicates
Create or Update Record	When you want to prevent duplicates or update existing records based on specific conditions	Checks for a matching record before adding; updates if found, adds if not

You can manually set certain field types (Text, Numbers, Users, Time) as unique in the table. This ensures that each entry in a specific column is distinct, preventing duplicate values. For more details, visit this guide.

Update Records (In Bulk)

This action allows you to update multiple records in a table in a single operation.

Parameter	Description
Table	The table in which you want to update multiple records.
Records	Provide a `JSON` array containing the records to update. Each object must include the record `id` and the multiple fields you want to update. All records in the array should follow the same structure and include the same set of columns.

Please Note:

All records in the array must follow the same structure and include the same set of columns.
Reference and Files field types are not allowed for updates.
The Records input is limited to 1,000 per operation

Update File Column

The ‘Update File Column’ action updates the file stored in a table’s file column.

Parameter	Description
Table Name	The name of the table from which the record will be unlinked from another record.
Record ID	The ID of the record to update
File Column	The name of the file column
File Identifier	The identifier of the file. Leave empty to clear the file column

Get a Record

Fetch table data based on specified criteria using conditions, RQL queries, or SQL queries. Choose how the data is structured in the output (Table, JSON, or CSV) and refine results by applying filters, sorting, limits, and pagination options.

Tip: When to Use Each Query Method

Each query method is designed for different use cases, depending on the complexity of your query and the level of filtering or customization required. Here are our recommendations on when to use each query method.

By Condition

Best For: Simple Queries with Basic Filtering

Use this method when you need to retrieve records based on straightforward conditions, such as checking if a user has a specific access level or finding all records created after a certain date.
Conditions are easy to configure without needing complex query syntax.

Use Case Example:

Retrieve all users with AccessLevel = "Administrator" to audit privileged accounts.

RQL Format

Best For: Flexible Queries with Advanced Filtering

Use RQL when you need more precise filtering with operators like $gte, $lte, $contains_any, or $like.
Ideal for dynamic queries where conditions may change based on user input or external events.

Use Case Example:

Fetch all users who have accessed the system in the past 24 hours:

{
  "filter": {
    "Timestamp": { "$gt": "{{ to_epoch(now() - '24h') * 1000 }}" }
  }
}

Retrieve all users with an AccessLevel of “Administrator” or “Manager”:

{
  "filter": {
    "AccessLevel": { "$contains_any": ["Administrator", "Manager"] }
  }
}

SQL Query

Best For: Complex Queries, Joins, and Aggregations

Use SQL when you need to perform multi-table joins, grouping, aggregation, or subqueries.
Ideal for reporting and analytics, such as tracking security incidents over time.

Use Case Example:

Detect Privilege Escalation Attempts by finding users who had an access level change in the last 7 days:

SELECT UserID, AccessLevel, Timestamp
FROM PrivilegedUserAccess
WHERE Timestamp >= NOW() - INTERVAL '7 days'
ORDER BY Timestamp DESC;

Cross-reference users with recent failed login attempts:

SELECT u.UserID, u.AccessLevel, f.FailedAttempts
FROM PrivilegedUserAccess u
JOIN FailedLogins f ON u.UserID = f.UserID
WHERE f.Timestamp >= NOW() - INTERVAL '1 day'

By Condition
RQL Format
SQL Query

Get a Record from a table by using a condition. All records that match the condition will be returned.

By Condition- Exception Rule

When querying a table using a condition, and you are using both the in operator, it is essential to use the arr() function when working with arrays. Failing to do so will cause the workflow action to fail.For Example:

Parameter	Description
Query Method	By Condition- The query method to get records
Table	The table you want to get records from.
Fields	Table Fields.
Condition	Condition that compares two table field values – Use this condition to compare the values of two fields in a table. You can also include nested conditions to compare multiple values or sets of fields, allowing you to build more complex rules and control exactly how your table data is evaluated.
Output Format	The format of the output the records are returned- Table, JSON or CSV.
Limit (optional)	Limit the amount of records returned by the query.
Offset (optional)	Choose the offset from the data to start querying the table from.
Order By (optional)	Choose what field to order the results by.
Sort (optional)	Sort the records by ascending or descending order.
Include Query Metadata In Output (optional)	Check the box to include Query Metadata in the Output.
All Pages (optional)	Check the box to return all data in the table(this setting invalidates the `Limit` and `Offset` fields.)

Use Case Example: Get Table Records According to a Specified Condition.

The action retrieves specific records from the “User Data” table using the “By Condition” method, selecting fields like Created At, Updated At, and more, while filtering for users with an Access Level of “Contributor.”

Get Record(s) by querying a table for records using the RQL query method.

Parameter	Description
Query Method	RQL Format- The query method to get records
Table	The table you want to get records from.
RQL Query	The RQL query to run against the table.
Condition	Condition that compares two table field values – Use this condition to compare the values of two fields in a table. You can also include nested conditions to compare multiple values or sets of fields, allowing you to build more complex rules and control exactly how your table data is evaluated.
Output Format	The format of the output the records are returned- Table, JSON or CSV.
Limit (optional)	Limit the amount of records returned by the query.
Offset (optional)	Choose the offset from the data to start querying the table from.
Include Query Metadata In Output (optional)	Check the box to include Query Metadata in the Output.
All Pages (optional)	Check the box to return all data in the table(this setting invalidates the `Limit` and `Offset` fields.)

Get a Record by using RQL format lets you query a table for record(s) using the Select, Filter, or Sort actions on the tables’ collection.
- Select - Specify which fields to return by specifying fields name using the Select option.
- Filter - Specify which records to return using the Filter option - only records where the Is Admin value is false.
- Sort - Define the sorting criteria by designating the relevant field and order. For ascending order, use + before the field name; for descending order, use - instead. For Example: "sort": [+"updated_at"]

RQL Format Example

{
	"select": [] // list of fields to select.
	"limit": 100 // limit the amount of records that will return (max is 1000).
	"offset": 0 // the offset from where to return the data.
  "sort": [+"updated_at"] // In this example we are sorting the "updated_at" value in ascending order as there is a + before the field value.
	"filter": {
		key: value // this option lets you filter a specific key with its value
		// for example "name": "Public"
		key: {
			"$gt", "$gte", "$lt", "$lte",
			"$contains_any", "$contains_all", "$like": value
			// this options lets you do more advanced filtering, for example checking
			// if a record was created in the past 25 minutes.
			// "$gt": {{ to_epoch(now() - '25m') * 1000 }}
		}
	}
}

Get Record(s) by querying a table for records using the SQL query method.

Parameter	Description
Query Method	SQL Format The query method to get records
Table	The table you want to get records from.
SQL Query	The SQL query to run against the table.
Condition	Condition that compares two table field values – Use this condition to compare the values of two fields in a table. You can also include nested conditions to compare multiple values or sets of fields, allowing you to build more complex rules and control exactly how your table data is evaluated.
Output Format	The format of the output the records are returned- Table, JSON or CSV.
Limit (optional)	Limit the amount of records returned by the query.
Offset (optional)	Choose the offset from the data to start querying the table from.
Include Query Metadata In Output (optional)	Check the box to include Query Metadata in the Output.
All Pages (optional)	Check the box to return all data in the table(this setting invalidates the `Limit` and `Offset` fields.)

SQL Format Example:

select
   table_1.number as t1_num,
   table_2.number as t2_num
from
   table_1
left outer join
   table_2
on
 table_1.name = table_2.name

Delete a Record

Remove specific records from a table by referencing their unique ID or by setting a condition to delete multiple records that meet certain criteria. This ensures precise control over data removal while preventing accidental deletions.

Record ID
Conditional Statements

Deletes a record from a table by the Record ID.

Parameter	Description
Table Name	The name of the table.
Record ID	The record unique identifier. Can be obtained via the Select action.

Deletes a record or multiple records from a table only when a certain condition is met.

Parameter	Description
Table Name	The name of the table.
Condition (Optional)	Condition that compares two table field values – Use this condition to compare the values of two fields in a table. You can also include nested conditions to compare multiple values or sets of fields, allowing you to build more complex rules and control exactly how your table data is evaluated.

Managing Tables with Workflow Actions

Blink provides powerful workflow actions that allow you to automate the management of tables. These actions enable you to create, clear, retrieve, copy and delete tables dynamically within your workflows.

Create a Table

Create a table based on a schema.

Parameter	Description
Table Name	The name of the table.
Table Schema	The schema of the table in `JSON` format. For more information, see the Copy table schema.
Skip if Exists	Skips table creation if a table with the same name already exists.

Copy Table Schema

For each table that is created, there is a table schema.

Learn how to Copy a Table's Schema

Click the 3 dots menu of the table > Copy table scheme.

Click Here to View the Whole Table Schema

Example of a Table Schema:

{
  "fields": [
    {
      "display_name": "Date",
      "description": "",
      "type": "date",
      "attributes": {
        "hidden": false,
        "include_time": false,
        "options": [],
        "required": false,
        "width": 165
      }
    },
    {
      "display_name": "Action",
      "description": "",
      "type": "text",
      "attributes": {
        "hidden": false,
        "options": [],
        "required": false,
        "width": 165
      }
    },
    {
      "display_name": "User",
      "description": "",
      "type": "user",
      "attributes": {
        "hidden": false,
        "options": [],
        "required": false,
        "width": 165
      }
    }
  ]
}

Does Table Exist

Check if a table with a given display name exists.

When using the Create Table action, and the chosen name of a table already exists, the Create Table action will fail. In order to prevent this scenario, you are recommended to use the Does Table Exist Action before the Create Table step.

Parameter	Description
Table Name	The name of the table.
Search By	Search by `name`, `display name` or both. Default is `display name`.

Use Case Example: Creating a Table Only If Table Name Doesn’t Already Exist

Before creating a new table, it is important to check whether a table with the same name already exists to avoid failures.

If the table name already exists, the workflow will fail.

If the table name does not exist, a new table will be created successfully.

Clear a Table

Clear all table records.

Parameter	Description
Table Name	The name of the table.

Delete a Table

Deletes the entire table.

Parameter	Description
Table Name	The name of the table.

Event-Based Triggers for Table Events

New Table Record

The New Table Record option is an Event-Based Trigger event that executes the workflow every time a new record is added to the selected table.

Table Record Updated

The Table Record Updated option is an Event-Based Trigger event that executes the workflow every time a record in the selected table is updated.

Make sure the “Table Name” in the trigger setup exactly matches the name of your table. Even small differences, like extra spaces or capitalization, can cause the trigger to fail.

Platform Management

Workspaces

Account Management

Tables

Dashboards

Web Forms

Interface Components

The Blink Portal

Runners

Blink Privacy & Security

Table Actions

Create Table from Data

Add a Record

Create or Update Record

”Add Records” Action vs. “Create or Update Records” Action

Update Records (In Bulk)

Update File Column

Get a Record

By Condition

RQL Format

SQL Query

Delete a Record

Managing Tables with Workflow Actions

Create a Table

Copy Table Schema

Does Table Exist

Clear a Table

Delete a Table

Event-Based Triggers for Table Events

New Table Record

Table Record Updated

Tables