Read from Grid

The "Read from Grid" Step allows you to import data from an existing AirOps Grid directly into your workflow. This powerful functionality enables you to process data that has already been collected, organized, or generated in your AirOps Grid environment.

What is the Read from Grid Step?

The Read from Grid step connects your workflow to data stored in an AirOps Grid, making it possible to perform operations on existing datasets without having to re-import the data. This is particularly useful when you want to:

• Run additional processing on data that's already in a Grid

• Use data from one Grid as input for a new workflow

• Create multi-stage processing pipelines that operate on Grid data

How to Configure the Read from Grid Step

Configuring the step requires setting the parameters shown below:

[SCREENSHOT OF READ FROM GRID CONFIGURATION PANEL]

Select a Grid

Choose the specific Grid you want to import data from. The dropdown will show all available Grids in your workspace.

Filtering Options

You can optionally filter the rows you want to import from the selected Grid:

• All Rows: Import all rows from the selected Grid

• Selected Rows: Import only specific rows based on your criteria

Column Selection

Choose which columns from the Grid you want to import:

• All Columns: Import all columns from the selected Grid

• Selected Columns: Specify only certain columns to import

When selecting specific columns, you'll see a list of available columns from your Grid. Check the boxes next to the columns you want to include.

[SCREENSHOT OF COLUMN SELECTION INTERFACE]

Limit Rows (Optional)

You can set a maximum number of rows to import. This is useful when working with large Grids and you only need a subset of the data.

Output Format

The Read from Grid step outputs data in a structured format that can be easily used in subsequent steps of your workflow. The output will be an array of objects, with each object representing a row from the Grid.

Example output:

[
  {
    "column1": "value1",
    "column2": "value2",
    "column3": "value3"
  },
  {
    "column1": "value4",
    "column2": "value5",
    "column3": "value6"
  }
]

How to Reference the Output

You can reference the output of the Read from Grid step in subsequent steps using Liquid syntax:

• To reference the entire array: {{ step_x.output }}

• To reference a specific row: {{ step_x.output[0] }} (for the first row)

• To reference a specific value: {{ step_x.output[0].column1 }}

[ADD SCREENSHOT OF REFERENCING OUTPUT IN ANOTHER STEP]

Common Use Cases

Data Pipeline Construction

Use the Read from Grid step to create multi-stage data processing pipelines, where data moves through different workflows for progressive refinement or analysis.

Content Enrichment

Import existing content from a Grid to enhance it with additional information, such as adding SEO metadata to blog posts or enriching product descriptions.

Batch Processing

Process accumulated data in batches by first collecting it in a Grid, then using the Read from Grid step to process it in manageable chunks.

Content Updates

Use Read from Grid to pull in existing content that needs to be updated or refreshed based on new information or requirements.

Best Practices

1. Limit Your Data: Only import the columns and rows you need to keep your workflow efficient.

2. Consider Performance: When working with very large Grids, use filtering and row limits to optimize performance.

3. Plan Your Pipeline: Think about how your Grid data will flow through the entire workflow to ensure all necessary data is available at each step.

4. Test Thoroughly: Always test your workflow with a small subset of data before running it on your full dataset.

5. Use with Write to Grid: Combine the Read from Grid step with the Write to Grid step to create workflows that read, process, and then update Grid data.