---
title: "Cache Steps"
slug: "cache-steps"
tags: ["cache", "key", "cache definition"]
updated: 2026-09-14T21:55:31Z
published: 2026-09-14T21:55:31Z
canonical: "documentation.decisions.com/cache-steps"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.decisions.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cache Steps

## Overview

Cache Steps enable users to store and retrieve data values in memory for a defined time. In Decisions, there is the ability to define different types of cache. While trying to store some value in the cache, define an Instance of the cache, the cache type, and a key to access the current value**.** Because of the custom nature of this set-up, this is referred to as "**Bespoke Caching**".

Before using cache steps within a Project, make sure to set cache Instances and [Cache Definitions](https://documentation.decisions.com/version-10/docs/cache-definitions).

---

## Put in Cache

To learn more about the different Cache Definitions, see [Cache Definitions](/version-10/docs/cache-definitions).

1. In a Project, navigate to **Manage** **> Configuration > Cache** and click **Add Project Cache Definition**. Select **MemoryCacheDefinition**.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Memory%20Cache%20Definition.png)
2. From the MemoryCacheDefinition window, provide the desired **Configuration** **Name** and **Description**. Click **SAVE**.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Memory%20Cache%20Definition%20Window.png)
3. Next, click **ADD CACHE INSTANCE**. Write a cache **Name** and select a cache definition in the dropdown list under **Configuration**. A cache instance is required for the cache steps to work correctly.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Add%20Cache%20Modal.png)
4. From a Designer Folder, select **CREATE FLOW** from the **Global** **Action** **Bar**. Select **Flow**, name the Flow, and click CREATE.
5. On the **Toolbox** panel, navigate to **All >** **SYSTEM > CACHING** and attach a **Put In Cache** between to the **Start** and **End** steps.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Put%20In%20Cache%20Step(1).png)
6. In the **Cache** **Name** dropdown list, select "MemoryCacheInstance Example".
7. Enter "1" in the **Key** field and "admin@decisions" in the **Value** field. Additional Info on KeyThe Key Input is used as an identifier for the Value being placed in the cache. It is used to both organize the Value in the cache and can be used to later locate and pull the cache via additional steps.
8. Click **Save** to save changes to the Flow. Click **Debug** from the top action bar. Click **START DEBUGGING**.
9. After the Flow runs, select the **Put In Cache** step. In the **Step Inspection** modal, you can verify that the value was stored in the cache.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Step%20Inspection%20-%20Debug.png)

---

## Get From Cache

The following example demonstrates how to pull an email address from an email Cache via a Flow.

1. In a Designer Project, click CREATE FLOW. Select Flow, name the Flow, and click CREATE.
2. In the Flow Designer, attach a **Get From Cach****e** step from the Toolbox panel under **All >** **SYSTEM > CACHING** between the **Start** and **End** steps.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Get%20From%20Cache.png)
3. In the **Cache** **Name** dropdown list, select "MemoryCacheInstance Example".
4. Enter "1" in the **Key** field.
5. Click **Save** to save changes to the Flow.
6. Click the **Debug** on the top action bar, then click **START DEBUGGING**.
7. After the Flow runs, click the **Get From Cache** step. In the **Step Inspection** modal, you can verify that the retrieved email matches the one that was added previously to the cache.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Step%20Inspection%20-%20Get%20From%20Cache.png)

---

## Adding Multiple Items to Cache

The following example demonstrates how to add multiple items to a cache compiling Admin Emails via a Flow.

1. In a Project, click CREATE FLOW. Select Flow, name the Flow, and click CREATE.
2. From the Toolbox panel, attach a **Create** **Data** step from the **Favorite** category to the **Start** step.
3. From the **Data** tab, click **+**.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Create%20Data%20-%20Data%20to%20Create.png)
4. From the **Data** **to** **Create** window:
  1. Enter a name.
  2. Select the **String [Text] type** from the dropdown menu.
  3. Select the **IS LIST**.
  4. In the **Value If Null**, set INPUT to **Constant**, then map the desired Emails.
  5. Click **DONE**, then save and close the window.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Data%20to%20Create%20-%20Create%20Data%20Step.png)
5. From **Favorite**, attach a **Run Sub Flow** step to the **Create Data** step. On the Properties panel, select **PICK OR CREATE FLOW** and create a new Flow.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1749743029633.png)
6. From the Flow Designer of the new Sub Flow, click **SETUP INPUT DATA** and then define under **Input** **Data**.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Input%20Data%20-%20SubFlow.png)
  1. In **Name**, enter "ListofItems"
  2. In the **Type** dropdown, select "String [Text]".
  3. Enable **Is List.**
  4. Click **Save**, and close the window.
7. In the Toolbox panel, navigate to **All >** **FLOW MANAGEMENT > ITERATION**, attach a **ForEach** **Step** step to the **Done** path of the Start step.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/For%20Each%20Step%20-%20Flow%20Data(1).png)
  1. On the Properties panel next to the Collection field, select **Flow Data.**
  2. Click the **Pencil** icon to map it to **ListofItems**.
8. In the Toolbox panel, navigate **All >** **SYSTEM > CACHING** category, attach a **[List] Add Item** step to the **Next** path of the ForEach Step.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/List%20Add%20Item-%20Cache.png)
  1. On the Properties panel in the **CACHE** setup, select a **Cache** **Name**.
  2. In the **INPUTS** settings, set a constant in the **Key setting**.
  3. In **Value**, enter **Item** . Utilizing the same Key should allow the ability to recover all the added Values at once.
9. Connect the Done path of the [List] Add Item step to the ForEach Step, then connect the ForEach Step's Done path to the **End** step. The ForEach Step is used to split the input List of Emails into individual items, then send each item to the [List] Add Item step to be added to the cache.
10. Save the changes to the Sub Flow and close the Sub Flow.
11. From the Parent Flow, select the Sub Flow step to navigate to its Properties tab and map the **Output** of the Create Data step, to the Email List Input of the Sub Flow.  
![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Data%20of%20List%20of%20Items.png)
12. Connect the Done path of the Sub Flow to the End step. Then, save the Flow.
13. Click **Debug** from the top action bar. Then, click **Start Debugging**.
14. Select the Sub Flow.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Step%20Inspection%20-%20Sub%20Flow.png)

## --- Additional Cache Steps

| Cache Step | Description |
| --- | --- |
| [[List] Add Item](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/list-add-item) | Adds a specified list of items to the cache. |
| [[List] Clear From Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/list-clear-from-cache) | The Clear From Cache (List) step clears a list of objects from a specified cache. |
| [[List] Get From Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/list-get-from-cache) | Use the [List] Get From Cache step to get a list of values from cache. |
| [Clear Cache By Name](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/clear-cache) | Clears a desired Instance in the cache. Can be selected by [Name](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/clear-cache) or [Type](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/clear-cache-by-type). |
| [Clear Flow Step Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/clear-flow-step-cache) | This clears the step cache for individual steps in a Flow. This does not clear any Cache instances. |
| [Clear Flow Step Cache [All Flows]](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/clear-flow-step-cache-all-flows) | Clears the cache of all the steps within all Flows. This action does not clear any Cache instances. |
| [Clear ORMEntityCache By Id](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/clear-orm-entitycache-by-id) | Clears the cache for a specific entity by its ID. |
| [Clear ORMEntityCache By Type](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/clear-cache-by-type) | The Clear Cache By Type step is used to clear out Data entries from Caches in a Project based on the selected Type of Data -String, Int, etc. |
| [Delete From Cache By Filter](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/delete-from-cache-by-filter) | Delete certain items from a cache by using a filter to set the properties of what is to be deleted. |
| [Filter Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/filter-cache) | Applies a filter to the cache. |
| [Get From Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/get-from-cache) | Pulls a cache value based on a specific Key. |
| [Key Exists In Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/key-exists-in-cache) | Check if the Instance of the cache contains the Key. |
| [Key Matches Substring In Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/key-matches-substring-in-cache) | This Step will search the cache for keys that have any characters in their key input. Then it will return True or False depending on the result. |
| [Put In Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/put-in-cache) | Use the Put In Cache step to place some value in memory for a defined time. Cache Instance Name can be any name you want to associate with this cache. |
| [Put In Cache using Generated Key](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/put-in-cache-using-generated-key) | Allows Users to put a value in the cache to generate a key to access the value. |
| [Put Items In Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/put-items-in-cache) | Adds a String list of items to the selected cache. This looks for an existing list, whereas [List] Add Item actually creates a list of items. |
| [Remove Key From Cache](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/remove-key-from-cache) | Removes the key value from a cache instance. |
| [Reset Constants and Lookups](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/reset-constants-and-lookups) | The Reset Constants and Lookups step is used in conjunction with a Data Cache step to reset any existing constants or lookup list values in a cache. |

---

For further information on Flows, visit the [Decisions Forum](https://community.decisions.com/categories/Flows).