Data Fetcher on the AppExchange
Data Fetcher is a Lightning Web Component for Screen Flows that will query records based on a SOQL string, then provide an output of records (or single record) to be used on the same screen. What is so special about that you might ask? Well, let me tell you! With the reactive components beta for Screen Flows, you can now have components on a single screen react based on input from other components without ever leaving the screen. Data Fetcher was featured at TDX ’23 as part of a session on reactive screen components.
Let’s take an example using components from here on UnofficialSF. With Data Fetcher I can accept the selected choice value from Quick Choice* as my SOQL string and return records into a Data Table without having to click next. The records in the data table change depending on the choice I select – instantly. Before getting started ensure you have opted into the Reactive Screens Beta in Automation settings in your org instructions can be found here.
Before reactive screens, this would have been accomplished using Lightning Messaging Service and Lightning Web Components, increasing the time to develop and go to market for this type of use case along with the costly maintenance of that LWC. With Data Fetcher an admin or developer can dynamically retrieve records on one screen without much additional lift, greatly enhancing the overall user experience and freeing up time for the admin or developer to work on other features for more important tasks.
In Summer ’23 formula resources will be reactive in flows – making this component significantly more powerful. With reactive formulas, Data Fetcher’s SOQL query string can now reference multiple components on the same screen which will create a truly dynamic experience. Pre-release orgs have already been enabled if you want to start testing now. Let’s look at a couple of examples.
The first example will use two Quick Choice components to help build my query utilizing a reactive formula. I will use the Quick Choice components to have the user select the Industry and Account Type of the Accounts I want to return on the Datatable those values will be used in a formula to return my SOQL string. (I am not doing it in this example but there is a really great video walkthrough on how you could use Quick Choice as a dependent picklist on the original post that could really enhance this use case)
//You can use this example to get started on your own formula//
"SELECT BillingCity, Id, Name, Phone, Industry, Type FROM Account WHERE Industry =" + {!choice.value} +" AND Type = " + {!Type.value}
In the below video, I am using the out-of-the-box lookup component to pass an Account Id to a SOQL string to populate all of the related contacts in a data table. A couple of years ago I presented on Automation Hour about using SOQL and SOSL in flow if you watch this video I had to build a SOQL query across multiple screens and decisions in order to perform the query inside of the flow. This Summer that will no longer be needed! Soon, an admin or developer will be able to add multiple components onto a single screen and use a formula variable to build a SOQL statement that then passes back the records on the screen as the user is interacting and/or changes different parts of the query and see the results as the changes are happening.
Note: Choices are not yet reactive as part of the beta. You will need to use Quick Choice if you want to bake choices (like a Picklist) into Data Fetcher queries.
For more information and to install Data Fetcher visit the AppExchange Listing here.
Learn more about the Reactive Screen Components Beta on Trailhead!