# Data Tables

Data tables can be used to store data in a table format in order to enable such functionality as lookup tables

##

**Data tables** can be used to store data in a table format in order to enable such functionality as **lookup tables**.

![data-tables-project-list](https://tray.ai/documentation/images/platform/automation-integration/advanced-capabilities/data-tables/si3GpRVCpOcjUg5CtYZ0o_Data_Table.png)

## How to use data tables

* Go to the data tables tab in your project.
* Add a data table (from scratch or import CSV)
* Add / edit your data.
* Create workflows which make use of the [Data tables connector](https://tray.ai/documentation/connectors/core/data-tables) and its operations.

> **Warning:** Please be sure to read the [note on updating column names](https://tray.ai/documentation/connectors/core/data-tables/#updating-column-names) to make sure that you are able to properly access the output schema of your data tables

Please also note the following:

* The current version of data tables cannot be accessed from within an end-user solution instance.
* When exporting projects with data tables please remap the data table in the target workspace after importing

## Storage capacity

Please see the [Data tables connector page](https://tray.ai/documentation/connectors/core/data-tables/#storage-capacity) for information on the storage capacity of the Data tables connector

## Example: Basic Lookup table

Below is an example of creating a simple lookup table.

In this example we have received a contact's details including the country they live in.

The lookup table contains a list of countries and their regions so we can use it to add a region for the contact.

![data-table-country-region-lookup](https://tray.ai/documentation/images/platform/automation-integration/advanced-capabilities/data-tables/1mb2clgh1gDB7LPQ0LV2wt_data-table-country-region-lookup.png)

1. As you can see from our source data we have a contact with a 'country' but no 'region':

![data-tables-1-dummy-contact](https://tray.ai/documentation/images/platform/automation-integration/advanced-capabilities/data-tables/1IecyJmT6t6scpramVKADu_data-tables-1-dummy-contact.png)

2. So we use the **Data tables 'Lookup row' operation** to find which region matches their country:

![data-tables-1-get-row-by-country](https://tray.ai/documentation/images/platform/automation-integration/advanced-capabilities/data-tables/5XQfbaMEkxgQiXgr5Ow92L_data-tables-1-get-row-by-country.png)

3. The final step then combines the fields from the original data source with the 'region' result from the Data tables step:

![data-tables-1-create-contact-with-region](https://tray.ai/documentation/images/platform/automation-integration/advanced-capabilities/data-tables/4aMUMMel5zA2EI9CyIONan_data-tables-1-create-contact-with-region.png)

## Example: status updates

In the following scenario we are using a data table to keep track of and update the status of orders:

![orders-data-table](https://tray.ai/documentation/images/platform/automation-integration/advanced-capabilities/data-tables/6x6n4VtIsVIKYjGDM6KR6B_orders-data-table.png)

1. Receive webhook payload and lookup row:

![lookup-row-by-orderid](https://tray.ai/documentation/images/platform/automation-integration/advanced-capabilities/data-tables/70mYFUnL75jYKKWp0vv8iJ_lookup-row-by-orderid.png)

2. Update status for matching row:

![update-status](https://tray.ai/documentation/images/platform/automation-integration/advanced-capabilities/data-tables/5fB93zVoECPwBaDFjZPwV3_update-status.png)