Handle API pagination

Many APIs return large result sets across multiple pages, using a cursor (or token/offset) to fetch the next batch. Mindflow has no dedicated pagination step—you build the pattern with flow Variables, a Loop, a Condition, API calls, and Transform data. Screenshots on this page use Slack users so you can see filled variables and transforms.

When to use

• A list or search API returns a page of items plus a cursor, and you need every page in one run.
• Prefer a single API call when the full set fits on one page.
• Prefer Transform data and reassign variables when you only need to reshape data, not page an API.

Before you begin, open a flow in the designer with permission to edit it, and know how the target API names the cursor field in the request and response.

Guide

Declare flow variables

Declare pagination state under flow Variables (Studio may label the panel Global variables) so values persist across loop iterations—not only inside a single step.

1. Open Variables. In the designer toolbar, open the settings control, then choose Variables.

2. Add a cursor variable. Name it (for example cursor) and initialize it to a non-empty placeholder such as "[]" so a do-while loop runs at least once.

3. Add a data accumulator. Name it (for example data) and initialize it to "[]" so each page can append items.

   

Loop while the cursor is set

Use a Loop step with a Do while condition: keep running while cursor is not empty. Always set Maximum iterations (for example 50) so a stuck API cursor cannot loop forever. The default maximum is 100; the upper limit is 10000.

1. Add Loop. Open Add a step, choose Flow, then Loop. Place it where pagination should start.

2. Set Do while. Configure the condition so the loop continues while cursor is not empty.

3. Set Maximum iterations. On the Loop Settings, set Maximum iterations to a safe cap for your API.

   

Call the API for each page

The first page often omits the cursor; later pages send the cursor from the variable. Inside the loop, use a Condition on Iteration index equals 0 for the first call, and else for subsequent calls.

1. Add Condition inside the Loop. Branch when Iteration index is 0 (first page) versus later iterations.
2. Call without a cursor on the first page. On the first-page branch, call the list API without the cursor parameter.
3. Call with the cursor afterward. On the else branch, send the cursor parameter from the cursor variable.

Accumulate results

After each API call, use Transform data to overwrite cursor from the response and append this page’s items to data (for example with Array concat or Array push). The response path for the next cursor depends on the API—check the vendor docs.

1. Add Transform data. After the API step(s) inside the loop, add Transform data from Flow.

2. Update cursor. Reassign cursor to the next-page token from the response (or empty when there is no next page).

3. Append items. Reassign data by concatenating the current page’s items onto the accumulator.

   

When the API returns an empty cursor, the do-while condition fails and the loop exits. data holds every item across pages.

Note

If the API has rate limits, add a Wait step before each paginated call (a few seconds is usually enough).

Verify the count

After the loop, add a final Transform data step that uses Array length on data (for example into data-length). Large accumulators can be hard to inspect in the UI; the length confirms how many items the loop collected.

1. Add Transform data after the Loop. Create a variable such as data-length.

2. Apply Array length. Set the value to the length of data.

   

Example

An IT operator collects every Slack user in the workspace. The flow Collect all Slack users declares cursor and data, loops while cursor is set, calls Slack’s users list (no cursor on Iteration index 0, then with the cursor), concatenates each page into data, and checks data-length after the loop.

Keep in mind

• There is no built-in “paginate” step—this pattern is the standard approach.
• Cursor field names differ by vendor; wrong paths are the most common failure.
• Always set Maximum iterations even when the exit condition should stop the loop.

Related

Transform data and reassign variables · Scripts, errors, and run control