Form Fields: HTTP Lookup

Contents

Overview

An HTTP Lookup connects a GW Apps form field to a reusable HTTP request definition. App Designers first create the request under HTTP Lookups, including its method, endpoint, authentication, primary key, inputs, and outputs. They then add an HTTP Lookup field to a form and choose which output is displayed and saved in the record.

The example in this article uses JSONPlaceholder’s public test user endpoint. It returns fictional sample records and does not require authentication. Use it only for documentation and testing; use an approved endpoint and security configuration for production.

Warning: Treat endpoints, credentials, headers, tokens, request inputs, and response data as sensitive. Never expose a real secret in a URL, form field, screenshot, support ticket, or article.

Example Used in This Article

Field	Description
Lookup	Sample User Directory
Method and URL	GET https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/users
Authentication	None
Primary key	userId, Number, JSON path id
Input	username, String, optional
Saved value	fullName

Create the HTTP Lookup Definition

Open the application in Edit mode.
Select HTTP Lookups from the Application Designer navigation.
Select Create New HTTP Lookup.
Enter the Lookup Name and Description.

*Figure 1. Enter a clear lookup name and description.*

Configure the Request

Set Method.
Enter the appropriate URL used.
Set Authentication Type (In this case, it is set as None because the public test endpoint does not require credentials).
If required by another endpoint, add fixed header key/value pairs under Header Details.

Figure 2. Select GET and enter the public test endpoint. The method menu also supports POST, PUT, and DELETE. — *Figure 2. Select GET and enter the public test endpoint. The method menu also supports POST, PUT, and DELETE*.

*Figure 3. Authentication options are None, Basic Auth, Bearer Token, and JWT.*

Configure the Primary Key, Inputs, and Outputs

The Primary Key identifies each returned result. Inputs provide values that the request can use, and Outputs identify the response properties available to the form field.

Under Primary Key, enter the Primary Key Name, choose the Type, and fill the JSON Path.

Primary Key Types
String
Number
Boolean
Email
Date
Datetime

Under Inputs, add the name, choose the Input Type, and set the requirement status.

*Figure 4. Configure userId as a Number using the id JSON path. Visible supported types include String, Number, Boolean, Email, Date, and Datetime.*

Under Outputs, add your desired outputs using the relative key, data type, and JSON path.

*Figure 5. Define the response outputs and their JSON paths.*

Select Create. The new definition appears in HTTP Lookups with its method, URL, name, and description.

*Figure 6. The completed Sample User Directory lookup in the HTTP Lookups list.*

Add an HTTP Lookup Field to a Form

Open Forms and edit the target form.
On the Design tab, locate HTTP Lookup in the Fields palette and drag it into the required layout position.
In Step 1, select HTTP Lookup, choose your created lookup.
Under Output to save in record, choose Output Value and Output ID. The Type menu also provides Formula and Concat when the saved value must be calculated or combined.
Select Next.
In Step 2, Inputs, map the input. In the recording, it is configured as an HTTP field text box, which gives the user a text box for the lookup input.
Select Next.
In Step 3, Outputs, optionally select Map Output to copy a returned output into another compatible form field. Choose the target form field, select Output Value, and select the appropriate Output ID.
Select Create, then save the form.

Important: Output mapping is optional. Only map a response value into another form field when the target field’s purpose and data type match the selected output. Do not overwrite identifiers or unrelated business fields merely to test the feature.

Use the Lookup in a Form

Preview or launch the form.
Select the search icon in the HTTP Lookup field.
Review the returned list. The first column contains the configured primary key, and the value column contains the output selected to save in the record.
Type in the search box to narrow the displayed results.
Select the required result. In this example, selecting a row saves the person’s fullName as the field value.
Save the record and reopen it to confirm that the selected value was retained.

*Figure 7. Runtime results show the configured primary key and the fullName output as the selectable value.*

Configuration Reference

Field	Description
Lookup Name	The reusable definition shown when an HTTP Lookup field is added to a form.
Method	The HTTP operation. The current menu shows GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE.
Authentication	The current menu shows None, Basic Auth, Bearer Token, and JWT.
Primary Key	The response property that uniquely identifies each result row.
Input	A value supplied to the lookup request. The form-field wizard controls how each input is provided.
Output	A response property exposed for display, record storage, or optional mapping to another form field.
Output to save	The wizard supports Output Value, Formula, or Concat. Output Value stores one selected output, such as fullName.

Troubleshooting and Security

If no results appear, verify the endpoint, method, authentication, input mapping, primary-key path, and output JSON paths.
If an output is missing from the field wizard, confirm that its data type is compatible with how the value will be stored or mapped. In the supplied recording, the selectable saved-value list displayed the String outputs but did not display the Email-typed output.
Use HTTPS endpoints and least-privilege credentials.
Do not place secrets in URLs, visible form fields, screenshots, or documentation examples.
Map only the response properties needed by the form and approved for storage.
Retest the lookup after changing its endpoint, authentication, inputs, output paths, or target-field mappings.

Updated on August 12, 2026

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