--- title: "Retrieving Entities with the Fetch Entities Flow Step" slug: "retrieving-entities-with-the-fetch-entities-flow-step" tags: ["Entities"] updated: 2026-05-14T20:07:34Z published: 2026-05-14T20:07:34Z canonical: "documentation.decisions.com/retrieving-entities-with-the-fetch-entities-flow-step" --- > ## 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. # Retrieving Entities with the Fetch Entities Flow Step ## Overview The **Fetch** **Entities** step allows users to pull data from any entity in a Flow. The data can include Folders, built-in and custom Data Types, and Database Types. The Fetch Entities step can also define certain Fetch Criteria using query definitions and Sort options for the data retrieved. --- ## Fetch Entities Settings Though the below example only utilizes one of the ENTITY FETCH DEFINITION Properties, users have the option to use additional settings that provide further control over how the step fetches data. | Setting Name | Description | | --- | --- | | Type Name | Define which Type is being fetched by the step. | | Extension Type Name | Define which Extension Data Type is fetched by the Step, if not a default Type. | | Fetch Criteria | This window lets the user add new Fetch Criteria by using the Field Name to construct a query-like statement for Decisions to interpret automatically within the step. More than one Fetch Criteria can be configured. | | Limit Results | This Input allows users to define a specific number of fetched results. | | Sort Field | Select which Field the results will be sorted by. | | Sort Order Field | Select whether the Sort Order will be ascending or descending. | | Fetch Deleted Entities | Enabling this feature fetches Entities where the "Deleted" criteria is true. | | Fast Fetch | Enabling this feature fetches Entities quickly through indexing. | | Fetch Edit Copy of Entity | Retrieves a cached copy of the object for the Flow to manipulate. | | Read Uncommitted Data | Enabling this feature allows Decisions to read entities in a database that have been changed, but not saved. | --- ## Example This example will fetch data from the Account entity and populate a Data Grid on a Form with the fetched results. 1. In a Designer Project, click CREATE FLOW from the **Global Action Bar** and select **Flow**. Provide a **Name** and click CREATE. 2. Attach a **Fetch Entities** step from the FAVORITE STEPS category in the **Toolbox** panel to the **Done** path of the **Start** step. 3. On the **Properties** panel under the ENTITY FETCH DEFINITION category, enter "account" in the **Type Name** field and select **Account.** If desired, users may define a numerical value in the **Limit** **Results** Input, to limit the number of fetched results. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1778697242588.png) 4. Add a **Show Form** step from FAVORITE STEPS in the Toolbox panel. Attach both the **Results** and **No Results** paths to the Show Form step. 5. Select the Show Form step and click PICK OR CREATE FORM on the Properties panel. Select CREATE and select **Form**. Name the Form and click CREATE.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1778697310557.png) 6. From the Form Designer, configure the Form with a **Data Grid** (Account) component and a **Button** (OK) component. On the Properties panel under INPUT DATA, enter "Accounts" in **Data Name**. Enter "accounts" in the **Type** field and select **Account**.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1778697496785.png) 7. Click **Save** and close the Form. 8. Select the Show Form step and click **Unknown** next to the **Accounts** field and select **Select From Flow**. Select **EntityResults** and click DONE.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1778697583254.png) 9. Connect the Done path to the **End** step. Click Save to save changes to the Flow.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1778697634046.png) --- ## Debug 1. Click **Debug** on the top action bar. Click START DEBUGGING. When the Flow runs, the Form's Data Grid populates with the expected Account data retrieved by the Fetch Entities step. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1778697670682.png) --- ## Fetch Edit Copy of Entity The **Fetch Edit Copy of Entity** property obtains a cached copy of an object (dictated by the Fetch Entities Properties) that a Flow can manipulate. This is enabled by checking the Fetch Edit Copy of Entity box under Properties > ENTITY FETCH DEFINITION on the Fetch Entities step. The behavior of this Property can be demonstrated by applying a Change Value mapping to a Fetched Folder's Folder Name. Running the same Flow with Fetch Edit Copy of Entity enabled, will not apply this value change.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1778697710485.png) --- ## Fetch Criteria In order to retrieve specific Entities, users may use the **Fetch** **Criteria** property. Fetch Criteria provides the ability to initiate a search **Query** **Match** based on the selected **Field** **Name** of the retrieved Entities and an optional **Input** **Data** **Alias.** This Alias can dictate which specific value the user wants the Fetch Entities step to search for. About NULL results Null results will not be returned should the Fetch Criteria request a specific value. This is because Null represents an unknown or missing value. The only way to return Null values is to use the Query Match Type **IsNull** or a **DoesNotEqual** value in conjunction with an **Input** **Data** **Alias** value.  For more information on Fetch Entity Criteria and how values such as Null function, see [Fetch Entities](https://documentation.decisions.com/step-library/docs/fetch-entities). ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1778697812626.png) --- For more information on Entities, see [Decisions Forum](https://support.decisions.com/forum/forum20-datastructures.aspx).