External data

You can use external data variables to display data from third-party services in a Nintex Automation Cloud form by connecting the external data variable to the right data lookup. With external data variables, you can fill forms faster and ensure that the data entered is correct because data from third-party services is displayed automatically.

You can add external data variables to Label controls or populate a form control through a rule in the Rules tab. You can add and manage external data variables from the Data variables tab. For more information, see Data variables.

To complete the configuration, you must specify the data lookup that you want to use. For example, if you want to display an ID from a SharePoint list, you need to add a external data variable that is connected to a SharePoint data lookup. You can then select the newly added external data variable and insert the SharePoint ID into your form. Once added, you can also use the external data variable in form rules. For example, you can add a rule to display the ID only when a particular condition is met.

To ensure that critical data is made available, you can also control the form's ability to be submitted should external data variables time out, not resolve, or have errors. For more information on the setting for form submissions, see Forms settings.

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Supported data lookups

After you create a data lookup for a connector, you can use the external data variables in your form. Custom Xtensions added as a data lookup are also supported.

For more information on data lookups and connectors, see Data lookups and Connectors.

Create external data variables from the Data variables tab

  1. Open a form and click the Data variables tab.

  2. From the options on the left, select External data.

  3. Click Create variable.

  4. Specify a Name.

    Note: 

    Variables names must adhere to the following naming conventions to support localization:

    • Must be at least 1 non-whitespace character.

    • Cannot contain newline or paragraph characters.

    • Cannot contain HTML as it contains unsupported characters like <, >, and /.

    • Cannot begin with a number.

    • Cannot contain any of the following characters: +, -, !, *, ", /, >, >=, <, <=, =, ==, !=, &, &&, |, ||, ., , (comma), [, ], (, ), and \n

  5. Specify a data lookup.

    Fields are displayed depending on the specified data lookup and the Connector linked to the data lookup. For information on the supported Connectors, see Supported data lookups.

  6. Specify the required details related to the data lookup.  

    Note: When configuring a condition for the external data variable, you can currently use only form variables or form controls.

    For more information on data lookups and Connector fields, see Data lookups and Connectors.

  7. Click Create variable.

    The variable is added to the list of variables. You can click an object variable from the list to view the variables it contains.

    Note: 

    • To use the variables, insert the external data variables from a Label control or a form rule. For more information, see External data .

    • If you want to deny form submissions when external variables have errors, do not resolve, or time out, go to the General settings page to enable or disable the toggle for form submissions. For more information, see Forms settings.

Add external data variables to Label controls

You can add an external data variable to a Label control through the Insert variable dialog box for its Text field.

  1. In the Designer tab of the Form designer, drag the Label control onto the canvas.
  2. Click the control to open the configuration.
  3. Click or hover over the Text field, and click Insert.

  4. In the Insert variable dialog box, click External data.

  5. In the panel that appears, click Create variable.

  6. Specify a Name.

    Note: 

    Variables names must adhere to the following naming conventions to support localization:

    • Must be at least 1 non-whitespace character.

    • Cannot contain newline or paragraph characters.

    • Cannot contain HTML as it contains unsupported characters like <, >, and /.

    • Cannot begin with a number.

    • Cannot contain any of the following characters: +, -, !, *, ", /, >, >=, <, <=, =, ==, !=, &, &&, |, ||, ., , (comma), [, ], (, ), and \n

  7. Specify a data lookup.

    Fields are displayed depending on the specified data lookup and the Connector linked to the data lookup. For information on the supported Connectors, see Supported data lookups.

  8. Specify the required details related to the data lookup.  

    Note: When configuring a condition for the external data variable, currently, you can use only form variables or form controls.

    For more information on data lookups and Connector fields, see Data lookups and Connectors.

  9. Click Create variable.

  10. Navigate to the variable that you want to insert, and then click Insert.

    The variable is added to the Text field of the Label control.

Note: If you want to deny form submissions when external data variables have errors, do not resolve, or time out, go to the General settings page to enable or disable the toggle for form submissions. For more information, see Forms settings.

Add external data variables to formulas

You can add external data variables to formulas through the Variables tab of the Formula builder. You can access the Formula builder when you insert variables with applied formulas to a field. For more information on accessing the Formula builder, see Formula builder.

  1. In the field for a form control or rule, click Insert.

    The Insert variable dialog appears, displaying the Formula builder.

  2. In the External data section, find the external data variable that you want to add, and click Insert.

    The external data variable is added to the Formula area.

Add external data variables to rules

You can add external data variables to a rule through its If and Then fields. For example, you can add a rule to display a external data variable only when a particular condition is met, such as when a specific data is selected from a form control.

  1. In the Rules tab of the Form designer, click Add form rule.

  2. Specify the Name of the form rule.

  3. In the first field for If, select a form control, and select an option in the second field.

    Note: You can also add a external data variable to an If field.

  4. In the first field for Then, select a Label control, and then in the second field, select Text.

  5. In the third field that appears, click Insert.

  6. Click External data, and insert the external data variable that you want to be displayed when the condition is met.

  7. Click Create rule.

    For more information on adding rules, see Rules.