Connecting your data
A database doesn’t have to be a place you only visit by hand. Because it lives inside BridgeApp, your data can be part of how work runs: automations can add to it the moment something happens, and flows can read from it to decide what to do next. This is where a humble table starts pulling its weight.
Two ways data connects
Section titled “Two ways data connects”Automations write to your database
Section titled “Automations write to your database”An automation watches for an event and runs a flow in response. That flow can create a new entry or update an existing one. So a database can fill itself:
- A new task is created → add a row to a “Work Log” database.
- A form or external system reports a new lead → add a row to “Sales Leads”.
Flows read from your database
Section titled “Flows read from your database”A flow can also query a database — fetch the entries that match some condition — and use what it finds to make a decision or compose a message. For example, look up a customer’s record to personalize a reply, or count open items to decide whether to escalate.
A worked example
Section titled “A worked example”Let’s wire up a simple welcome:
- You keep a Sales Leads database.
- You create an automation with the trigger Database entry created on that database.
- Its flow sends a chat message: ”👋 New lead just landed: {{ ctx.start.company }} — who wants it?”
Now every time a lead row appears — whether you typed it in or another automation added it — your team hears about it automatically, with no one watching the table.
Where to go next
Section titled “Where to go next”The mechanics of triggers, flows, and the {{ ctx.… }} values that carry data between steps are covered in the Automation section.