---
title: Compound Action Patterns
deprecated: false
hidden: false
metadata:
robots: index
---
This document's purpose is to accelerate your development process by providing a collection of reusable patterns for common tasks.
Instead of showcasing entire** end-to-end** use cases, this guide focuses on individual, common "steps" you'll encounter while building. For each pattern, we recommend the most efficient method, whether it's an LLM action, a Moveworks Data Mapper expression, a DSL query, or a Python Script.
Let's dive into the patterns.
# Performing Actions in Batch
**Problem**: You want to perform a series of actions repetitively for a list elements. For example, sending a notification to a group of users.
#### List of users
```json
{
"data": {
"email_list": [
"jane.doe@example.com",
"john_smith88@gmail.com",
"alice.w@yahoo.com",
"support@mybusiness.net",
"data-report-user@company.org",
"tester_01@outlook.com"
]
}
}
```
#### Usage Compound Action
```yaml
steps:
- action:
action_name: mw.batch_get_users_by_email
output_key: list_of_users
input_args:
user_emails: data.email_list
- for:
output_key: list_of_notifications
each: record
in: data.list_of_users.user_records
index: idx
steps:
- notify:
output_key: notification_output
recipient_id: record.lookup_id
message:
RENDER():
args:
user_name: record.user.full_name
template: Hi {{user_name}}, you have not submitted your project update this week. Please do before the end of the day!
- action:
action_name: do_some_action_for_user
output_key: action_result
input_args:
user: record.user
...
```
# Deduplicating a List
**Problem**: You have a list that contains duplicate values, and you need a list with only unique elements.
### Deduplicating a list of scalars
#### Input
```json
{
"data": {
"duplicated_fruit_list": ["apple", "banana", "cherry", "apple", "banana", "date"]
}
}
```
```python
seen = set()
unique = []
for x in elements:
if x in seen:
continue
seen.add(x)
unique.append(x)
return unique
```
#### Usage in Compound Action
```yaml
steps:
- action:
name: deduplicate_list
output_key: deduplicate_list_result
input_args:
elements: data.duplicated_fruit_list
- return:
output_mapper:
unique_list: steps.deduplicate_list
```
#### Result
```json
{
"duplicated_fruit_list": ["apple", "banana", "cherry", "date"]
}
```
### Deduplicating a list of objects
In this case we will deduplicating a list of objects that have the same `email` key
```python
seen = set()
out = []
for obj in elements:
if not isinstance(obj, dict) or key_field not in obj:
continue
k = obj[key_field]
if k in seen:
continue
seen.add(k)
out.append(obj)
return out
```
#### Usage in Compound Action
```yaml
steps:
- action:
name: deduplicate_object_list
output_key: deduplicate_list_result
input_args:
elements: data.input_list
key_field: '''email'''
- return:
output_mapper:
unique_list: steps.deduplicate_list
```
***
# Sort Alphabetically
**Problem**: You need to provide a list of elements sorted alphabetically
#### Input Arguments
```json
{
"data":{
"fruits": ["red", "green", "blue", "yellow", "purple"]
}
}
```
#### Compound Action
```yaml
steps:
- action:
name: enter_fruits_into_system
ouput_key: fruits_result
inputs_args:
sorted_fruits:
SORT():
items: data.fruits
key: item
```
#### Result
```json
{
"sorted_fruits": [
"blue",
"green",
"purple",
"red",
"yellow"
]
}
```
***
# Sort Timestamps
**Problem**: You want to sort a list of based on the timestamp
### Sorting a list of timestamps
#### input
```json
{
"data": {
"ts": [
"Monday, Sep 22, 2025 at 8:15 AM MDT",
"Saturday, Sep 20, 2025 at 10:30 AM MDT",
"Friday, Sep 19, 2025 at 5:07 PM MDT",
"Friday, Sep 19, 2025 at 9:00 PM MDT"
]
}
}
```
#### Compound Action
```yaml
steps:
- action:
name: enter_timestamps
ouput_key: timestamps_result
inputs_args:
sorted_timestamps:
SORT():
items: data.ts
key: item.$PARSE_TIME()
```
#### Result
```json
{
"sorted_timestamps": [
"Friday, Sep 19, 2025 at 5:07 PM MDT",
"Friday, Sep 19, 2025 at 9:00 PM MDT",
"Saturday, Sep 20, 2025 at 10:30 AM MDT",
"Monday, Sep 22, 2025 at 8:15 AM MDT"
]
}
```
# Sorting a list of objects by timestamp
#### Input
```json
{
"data": {
"finances": [
{
"id": "txn_k5p1",
"ts": "2025-09-20T10:30:00-06:00",
"amount": 2500.0
},
{
"id": "txn_z7h3",
"ts": "2025-09-22T08:15:00-06:00",
"amount": -29.99
},
{
"id": "txn_8x4f",
"ts": "2025-09-19T17:14:04-06:00",
"amount": -8.5
},
{
"id": "txn_a2d9",
"ts": "2025-09-19T21:00:00-06:00",
"amount": 150.75
}
]
}
}
```
#### Compound Action
```yaml
steps:
- action:
name: enter_finances
ouput_key: finances_result
inputs_args:
sorted_financials:
SORT():
items: data.finances
key: item.ts.$PARSE_TIME()
```
#### Result
```json
{
"sorted_financials": [
{
"amount": -8.5,
"id": "txn_8x4f",
"ts": "2025-09-19T17:14:04-06:00"
},
{
"amount": 150.75,
"id": "txn_a2d9",
"ts": "2025-09-19T21:00:00-06:00"
},
{
"amount": 2500,
"id": "txn_k5p1",
"ts": "2025-09-20T10:30:00-06:00"
},
{
"amount": -29.99,
"id": "txn_z7h3",
"ts": "2025-09-22T08:15:00-06:00"
}
]
}
```
# Easiest way to multiline string usage in YAML
**Problem**: You want to a multiline string's structure to be maintained
**Solution**: Use **Render()** and the | character with your template value indented
#### Compound Action
```yaml
result:
display_instruction_for_model:
RENDER():
template: |
Each row = one unique order line item in a customer’s purchase.
Uniqueness: LINE_ITEM_ID is the primary key (unique per row).
Aggregation grain:
- Line item–level -> count rows / COUNT(DISTINCT LINE_ITEM_ID)
- Order-level -> COUNT(DISTINCT ORDER_ID)
- Customer-level -> COUNT(DISTINCT CUSTOMER_ID)
- Product-level -> COUNT(DISTINCT PRODUCT_ID)
Rule: Always aggregate at the appropriate grain to ensure metrics align correctly with the business question.
```