List Formatter Task¶

Overview¶

The List Formatter Task takes a list from an earlier step and lays it out as a table, a bullet list or one line per row. You choose which values to show from each row, and place the result in a workflow note, an email or a message with one variable.

When to use this task:

Show a website form's visitor journey in a workflow note
List invoice or quote lines in an email
Show the rows a Table, Google Sheets or MySQL step found
Send the latest few items of a longer list

Without it, showing a list means a Loop or a Code step.

The List Formatter task opened to its settings: List holding a form's visitor journey, three columns named Page, Address and Date filled from title, url and time, Layout set to Table with headings, and Dates and times set to Oct 6, 2026 2:02 PM

Outputs¶

Reference fields as {{task_<ID>_<field>}}.

Field	Type	Notes
`output`	string	The laid-out list, for a workflow note or an email — the field you use most.
`text`	string	The same list as plain text, one row per line — for an SMS or a WhatsApp message.
`count`	number	How many rows are shown.
`total`	number	How many rows the list holds. More than `count` when How many rows cut it.

Always emitted¶

Field	Type	Notes
`run`	boolean	Whether the task succeeded.
`run_text`	string	What happened, including the reason on failure.

Quick Start¶

Builder fields¶

The Field column is the label as it appears in the task builder; Key is the name the value is stored under and referenced by.

Field	Key	Type	Default	Notes
List	`list`	textarea	–
What to show from each row	`columns`	dyn-rows	–
Layout	`layout`	select	`table`	Options: Table with headings · Bullet list · One line per row
Order	`order`	select	`as_is`	Options: As the list is · Last row first
How many rows (optional)	`limit`	number	–
Dates and times	`date_format`	select	`us`	Options: Oct 6, 2026 2:02 PM · 6 Oct 2026 14:02 · 2026-10-06 14:02 · Leave as they are
If the list is empty, show (optional)	`empty_text`	text	–

What each setting does:

List — the list to lay out, from an earlier step: {{task_<ID>.JSON.<name>}}, the same value a Loop takes.
What to show from each row — one row per column: a heading, and the name of the value to show. Drag to reorder. With none, every value is shown.
Order and How many rows — the row limit is counted after the order, so Last row first with 5 shows the latest 5. Empty shows every row.
Dates and times — how a full date and time is shown, in your account's timezone.
If the list is empty, show — what output and text hold when the list has no rows.
Add the List Formatter task
Set List to a list from an earlier step
Add a column for each value to show, with a heading
Choose the Layout
Use {{task_<ID>_output}} in a workflow note or an email

Simple Example:

List:     {{task_55001.JSON.journey}}
Columns:  Page → url
          Date → time
Layout:   Table with headings
Output:   {{task_72001_output}}

          Page                              Date
          https://example.com/              Oct 6, 2026 9:02 AM
          https://example.com/pricing       Oct 9, 2026 3:30 AM

Placed in a workflow note, that reads:

A workflow note reading "Pages viewed before submitting" above a table with the headings Page, Address and Date and four rows: Home and Pricing on Oct 6, then Pricing and Contact us on Oct 9, each address a link

Choosing What to Show¶

Each column has a heading and the name of the value to show, as it appears in the earlier step's output. A row of a visitor journey holds type, url, title, time, visit and referrer, so url and time give a page and a date; add title or visit for more.

The row holds	Value name	Shows
`{ "url": "https://example.com/" }`	`url`	`https://example.com/`
`{ "contact": { "email": "sam@example.com" } }`	`contact.email`	`sam@example.com` — a dot reaches a value kept inside another
`{ "lines": [{ "name": "Tent" }] }`	`lines.0.name`	`Tent` — a number picks an item of a list inside the row, counting from 0
`{ "tags": ["new", "vip"] }`	`tags`	`new, vip` — a list of plain values is joined with commas

With no columns, every plain value of the first row is shown, with headings made from their names.

To change the order of the columns, drag a column by the grip on its left. A table shows them left to right in that order; a bullet list or lines joins them in that order.

Give each column a heading

A column with no heading is not kept. In a bullet list or lines the headings are not shown, but they still say which column is which in the builder.

Dates and Times¶

A value that is a full date and time, such as 2026-10-06T14:02:11.000Z, is shown in the chosen style and in your account's timezone. A date with no time, such as 2026-10-06, is left as it is. Choose Leave as they are to change nothing.

Layouts¶

Layout	In a note or email (`output`)	As plain text (`text`)
Table with headings	A table, one column per value	One row per line, values joined with `-`
Bullet list	A bullet per row, values joined with `-`	One row per line, each starting with `-`
One line per row	One row per line, values joined with `-`	The same

A web address becomes a link in output.

Values are always written as text. A value that holds HTML, such as a page title with <b> in it, is shown as those characters and never as formatting.

Real-World Examples¶

A form's visitor journey in a workflow note¶

Form Submission
  └─ List Formatter    List: {{task_55001.JSON.journey}}   Columns: Page → url, Date → time
      └─ Workflow Note "Pages viewed before submitting: {{task_72001_output}}"

The latest five pages only¶

Order:          Last row first
How many rows:  5

The rows a search found, in an email¶

Table (find rows)
  └─ List Formatter    List: {{task_44001.JSON.rows}}
      └─ Email         "{{task_72001_count}} open jobs: {{task_72001_output}}"

Best Practices¶

Use output where formatting shows — workflow notes and emails; use text for SMS and WhatsApp
Set the empty text — so a note reads "No pages recorded" rather than ending in nothing
Limit long lists — a note with the latest 10 rows is easier to read than one with 100

Troubleshooting¶

"The List setting does not hold a list"¶

List must be a list from an earlier step, written {{task_<ID>.JSON.<name>}}. The flattened form ({{task_<ID>_<name>}}) reaches single values, not the list itself.

A Column Is Empty¶

The value name does not match the row. Run the earlier step once and read its OUTPUT panel for the exact names; they are case-sensitive.

The Columns Are in the Wrong Order¶

Drag a column by the grip on its left to move it. A column added later goes last.

The Result Shows `<` or `&` Instead of `<` or `&`¶

Use {{task_<ID>_output}} rather than {{task_<ID>.JSON.output}} when placing the result in a note or an email.

The List Is Empty¶

count is 0 and output holds the empty text. That is a successful run, so later steps still run — branch on count with an If to skip them.

Next Steps:

Loop - Run steps once for every item of a list
Workflow Note - Place the result in a note
Form Submission Trigger - The visitor journey a form sends