Repeat (Loop) Action#

The Repeat action iterates over a list of items—such as child table rows (Items) or records returned by a Query Records block—running a set of actions for each item before continuing through the rest of the rule.

1. What is it?#

The Repeat block lets you automate actions on lists of records. It loops through a collection item by item, making the current row available to downstream actions through a item alias (like @vars.item or @vars.row).

                ┌── Loop Body ──→ Action (Set Value / Check)
                │                      │
Repeat ─────────┼←─────────────────────┘
 (Collection)   │
                └── Exit ───────→ Downstream Action

2. When to Use#

Use the Repeat action when you need to:

• Process every row in a child table (e.g., check stock or update prices on every item line in an invoice).
• Iterate over retrieved records returned by a Query Records block.
• Perform calculations or validations across collections row by row.
• Send notifications or create records for each item in a list.

3. How to Configure#

1. Add the Action: Add a Repeat block to your visual canvas.
2. Select Collection Source:
   • Click the Collection field.
   • Use the Smart Value Selector to select a child table (e.g., Items or doc.items) or a query result (e.g., vars.open_invoices).
3. Set Item Alias:
   • Enter a variable name to represent the active row during iteration (default is item, accessed as @vars.item or @vars.row).
4. Connect Outbound Branches:
   • Loop Branch (Loop Body): Connect to the first action you want to run for each row.
   • Loop Back Connection: Connect the final action inside the loop back to the Repeat block so it can advance to the next item.
   • Exit Branch (Completed): Connect to the action that should run after all rows have been processed.

4. UI Configuration Options#

5. Practical Example#

Scenario: Calculate Line Item Discounts#

To calculate a 10% discount on every row in a Sales Order:

1. Repeat Block Configuration:
   • Collection: Select Items (doc.items) using Smart Value Selector.
   • Item Alias: Enter row.
2. Inside Loop Body (Set Value Block):
   • Target: vars.row.discount_amount
   • Value: Open Smart Value Selector → Choose Formula → vars.row.rate * 0.10
   • Outbound Edge: Connect back to the Repeat block.
3. Exit Branch:
   • Connect the Exit branch of Repeat to a Set Value block (doc.discount_calculated = true).

6. Common Mistakes#

• Forgetting the Loop-Back Edge: Omitting the return arrow from the last action in the loop body back to the Repeat block. Without it, the loop only processes the first row.
• Nested Item Alias Collisions: Reusing the same Item Alias name (e.g. item) in nested loops, which overwrites the outer loop’s active item.
• Running Unnecessary Queries Inside Loops: Placing single database queries inside a loop body instead of running a single Query Records action before entering the loop.

7. Related Features#

• Query Records: Fetch collections of database records to process in a Repeat loop.
• Check: Check conditions on individual items within a loop.

8. Developer & Technical Details#

For information on loop state storage, context pointers, and iteration safety ceilings:

• Loop Architecture Reference