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Actions

The Actions tab controls what happens to records that pass the filters.

The action type is set by the flow template. Depending on the template, this tab will show one of these action types:

  • Update via API
  • Delete Via API
  • Export Data

Update via API​

Use Update via API when the flow should change data in Epos Now after the filters have been applied.

The main settings are:

  • Action Type: shows that this flow updates records through the API - set by the template
  • Once per object: applies the actions once per target object instead of repeating the same update multiple times
  • Actions: the list of fields and changes you want the flow to apply

Once Per Object​

Use Once per object when the same underlying object could appear more than once in the fetched data.

For example, if the flow fetches transactions but updates the linked customer record, the same customer may appear on several matching transactions. When Once per object is enabled, Flow applies the update once to that customer instead of repeating the same change for every matching transaction.

This can help avoid duplicate updates and reduce the number of tasks used.

Delete Via API​

Use Delete Via API when the flow should delete records after the filters have been applied.

The main settings are:

  • Action Type: shows that this flow deletes data through the API
  • Data Types To Delete: choose which data types the flow should delete

Use Add Data Type if the template allows more than one target data type.

warning

Because delete actions are high impact, review the filters and summary carefully before activating the flow. We recommend running a simulation of the Flow first to ensure the right data is being targeted.

Export Data​

Use Export Data when the flow should create a file from the filtered results instead of updating or deleting records.

CSV is the default export format unless you change it.

The main export settings are:

  • Action Type: shows that this flow exports data
  • File Format: choose the output format such as CSV, JSON, or XML
  • File Name: enter the file name without the extension
  • Append date time to file name: adds the current date and time to the file name and you can choose the date format. The appended datetime uses the timezone set on the flow
  • Separate file per object: creates a separate file for each object
  • Max objects per file: splits the export into multiple files with a set number of rows per file
  • Add header row: available for CSV exports to determine if there should be a header row
  • Do not email/upload if file is empty: skips delivery when there are no records that pass the filters
  • Zip file(s): compresses the exported file or files before delivery

If you enable Separate file per object or Max objects per file, the flow can produce multiple files instead of one combined file.

If Do not email/upload if file is empty is left off, the flow can still complete even when no rows matched the filters.

File Delivery​

Export flows also show a File Delivery section.

There are two delivery methods:

  • Send as email attachment
  • Upload to FTP

If you choose Send as email attachment, the export will be emailed to the addresses set in Settings and Notifications.

If you choose Upload to FTP, additional settings appear:

  • File Upload FTP Connection
  • File Upload FTP Folder Path
  • Overwrite files which already exist
  • Create folder with datetime
  • Datetime format for folder name

For details on setting up FTP connections, see FTP Connections.

Field Rows​

Both Update via API and Export Data let you add multiple fields.

This section shows as Actions for Update Flows. In export flows it is shown as Fields.

You can:

  • use Bulk Add to add fields from available data types more quickly
  • use Remove All to clear the current list
  • add rows one at a time with Add action or Add column
  • clone, collapse, expand, reorder, or remove individual rows
tip

Collapse all the rows to make it easier to drag and drop the fields for sorting without extra scrolling

Per-Row Settings​

Each row can show different controls depending on the selected field and action type.

Field​

Use Field to choose the field the row should work with. You can select the field to update/export by from a searchable drop down.

The data type for the field is shown as a tag so you can easily see where the data for that field comes from. Flow understands how the data types are related to each other so you will see a full list of all available fields here.

In export flows, you can also choose Custom text field to output your own fixed text as a column.

Action​

In update flows, Action defines what change should be applied to the selected field.

Examples include:

  • set
  • add or subtract
  • add percentage or subtract percentage
  • multiply by or divide by
  • text case changes
  • add prefix or add suffix
  • replace text
  • date and datetime shifts such as adding days, months, hours, or minutes

The actions shown depend on the selected field type.

In export flows, a row can still show an Action so you can adjust the output value before it is written to the export. This does not affect the data in Epos Now, it only transforms it before it is added to the export.

Value​

After choosing a field and action, Flow shows the matching value input.

This can include:

  • a text box
  • a textarea
  • a number input
  • a toggle for true or false values
  • a select or multiselect input
  • a date picker
  • a datetime picker

For some select and multiselect fields, the available options may need to be refreshed before they can be chosen.

Replace Text​

If you choose replace text, an additional Replace field appears so you can define the replacement text.

Use the Value from Another Field​

Some actions show Use the value from another field.

Enable this when you want the row to use the value from another field instead of entering a fixed value yourself.

This is useful when you want to:

  • copy a value directly from one field to another
  • use one field as the basis for a calculation
  • build output values from existing data

Numeric Rounding​

Numeric rows can also show Rounding.

Use this to control how the final numeric result should be rounded after the action has been applied.

This is especially useful for prices, totals, percentages, and other calculated values.

For price fields, we have options for charm pricing to round up/down to the nearest .99 for example.

Export-Only Row Settings​

Export rows can show some additional settings that do not appear on update rows.

  • Title: sets the column heading shown in the exported file
  • Format: appears for datetime fields so you can choose the output format
  • Custom text field: lets you create a fixed-value export column

For example, you could export a field using a different column title, format a datetime for the target system, or add a custom text column that is the same on every row.

Simulations​

We recommend running simulations to make sure the correct records are being targeted and the actions are as you would expect.

Simulation for Update and Delete Flows​

These will not apply the updates to Epos Now, but will show you what action would have been taken and you can see that in the Flow Run Logs.

Simulation for Export Flows​

Simulation is the safest way to check that:

  • the correct rows are being selected
  • the field order and titles look right
  • the output format is what you expect

For export flows, simulation is a preview to help you validate the setup before activation.

info

Only the first 10 rows will be included in the simulations for Exports so that you can review the data. The full list of rows that would have been exported can be seen in the Flow Run Logs.

Next Step​

For the full export setup, see Export Data.

For the full list of field-level actions and rounding options, see Action Reference.