App Integration Guide (Developers)

Filtering and Transforming JSON in Pabbly Connect

Pabbly Connect Team•Updated Jul 25, 2026•8 min read

Pabbly Connect's new feature allows you to filter or transform the API endpoint’s JSON response. It uses AWS Lambda function internally to perform these operations as explained in below example:
Example:
Let’s take an example of Freshdesk API to List All Ticket Fields
Freshdesk Ticket fields API endpoint returns a large JSON including custom fields and you only want to work with custom field objects or say, you want to filter the JSON to retrieve custom fields only from the response.
In that case, you need to create an inbuilt endpoint and needs to pass some parameters as shown below:
Actual endpoint URL to retrieve Freshdesk Ticket fields in Pabbly Connect is:

Code:

https://{{yourdomain}}.freshdesk.com/api/v2/ticket_fields

Returns a large set of JSON data as shown below:

JSON:

[
  ...
  {
            "id": 84000498108,
            "name": "group",
            "label": "Group",
            "description": "Ticket group",
            "position": 7,
            "required_for_closure": false,
            "required_for_agents": false,
            "type": "default_group",
            "default": true,
            "customers_can_edit": false,
            "label_for_customers": "Group",
            "required_for_customers": false,
            "displayed_to_customers": false,
            "created_at": "2022-04-12T10:47:40Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-04-12T10:47:40Z",
            "choices": {
                "Billing": 84000228910,
                "Customer Support": 84000228913,
                "Escalations": 84000228911
            }
        },
        {
            "id": 84000498109,
            "name": "agent",
            "label": "Agent",
            "description": "Agent",
            "position": 8,
            "required_for_closure": false,
            "required_for_agents": false,
            "type": "default_agent",
            "default": true,
            "customers_can_edit": false,
            "label_for_customers": "Assigned to",
            "required_for_customers": false,
            "displayed_to_customers": true,
            "created_at": "2022-04-12T10:47:40Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-04-12T10:47:40Z",
            "choices": {
                "naveen": 84010043621,
                "Naveen Kolhe": 84010043492
            }
        },
        {
            "id": 84000498111,
            "name": "description",
            "label": "Description",
            "description": "Ticket description",
            "position": 10,
            "required_for_closure": false,
            "required_for_agents": true,
            "type": "default_description",
            "default": true,
            "customers_can_edit": true,
            "label_for_customers": "Description",
            "required_for_customers": true,
            "displayed_to_customers": true,
            "created_at": "2022-04-12T10:47:40Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-04-12T10:47:40Z"
        },
        {
            "id": 84000498112,
            "name": "company",
            "label": "Company",
            "description": "Ticket Company",
            "position": 11,
            "required_for_closure": false,
            "required_for_agents": true,
            "type": "default_company",
            "default": true,
            "customers_can_edit": true,
            "label_for_customers": "Company",
            "required_for_customers": true,
            "displayed_to_customers": true,
            "created_at": "2022-04-12T10:47:41Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-04-12T10:47:41Z"
        },
        {
            "id": 84000498190,
            "name": "cf_favourite_game",
            "label": "Favourite Game",
            "description": null,
            "position": 12,
            "required_for_closure": false,
            "required_for_agents": false,
            "type": "custom_dropdown",
            "default": false,
            "customers_can_edit": true,
            "label_for_customers": "Favourite Game",
            "required_for_customers": false,
            "displayed_to_customers": true,
            "created_at": "2022-04-12T11:00:08Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-04-12T11:00:08Z",
            "choices": [
                "Hockey",
                "Football",
                "Chess",
                "Cricket"
            ]
        },
        {
            "id": 84000498207,
            "name": "cf_note_from_agent",
            "label": "Note from Agent",
            "description": null,
            "position": 13,
            "required_for_closure": false,
            "required_for_agents": false,
            "type": "custom_paragraph",
            "default": false,
            "customers_can_edit": true,
            "label_for_customers": "Note from Agent",
            "required_for_customers": false,
            "displayed_to_customers": true,
            "created_at": "2022-04-12T11:01:01Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-04-12T11:01:01Z"
        },
        {
            "id": 84000498208,
            "name": "cf_date_of_contact",
            "label": "Date of Contact",
            "description": null,
            "position": 14,
            "required_for_closure": false,
            "required_for_agents": false,
            "type": "custom_date",
            "default": false,
            "customers_can_edit": true,
            "label_for_customers": "Date of Contact",
            "required_for_customers": false,
            "displayed_to_customers": true,
            "created_at": "2022-04-12T11:01:37Z",
            "updated_at": "2022-04-12T11:01:37Z"
        }
    ]

Query String parameters to be passed are:

pc_json_parser_type

Possible values:
1. filterByKeyValue
2. subTree
3. transform

pc_json_parser_template

Possible values:
1.

Code:

{"key":"key_name","value":"actual_value"}

2. You can pass the key of the json array that you want to retrieve e.g. custom_fields
3. JSON template as per the template variables defined in this documentation: https://selecttransform.github.io/site/transform.html
Note: Replace {{ }} double curly braces with {{{ }}} triple curly braces in templates when passed.
So the final inbuilt endpoint URL will be like:

Code:

https://{{yourdomain}}.freshdesk.com/api/v2/ticket_fields?pc_json_parser_type=filterByKeyValue&pc_json_parser_template={"key":"default","value":"false"}

Filtered response of the API will be:

JSON:

[
    {
        "id": 84000498190,
        "name": "cf_favourite_game",
        "label": "Favourite Game",
        "description": null,
        "position": 12,
        "required_for_closure": false,
        "required_for_agents": false,
        "type": "custom_dropdown",
        "default": false,
        "customers_can_edit": true,
        "label_for_customers": "Favourite Game",
        "required_for_customers": false,
        "displayed_to_customers": true,
        "created_at": "2022-04-12T11:00:08Z",
        "updated_at": "2022-04-12T11:00:08Z",
        "choices": [
            "Hockey",
            "Football",
            "Chess",
            "Cricket"
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": 84000498207,
        "name": "cf_note_from_agent",
        "label": "Note from Agent",
        "description": null,
        "position": 13,
        "required_for_closure": false,
        "required_for_agents": false,
        "type": "custom_paragraph",
        "default": false,
        "customers_can_edit": true,
        "label_for_customers": "Note from Agent",
        "required_for_customers": false,
        "displayed_to_customers": true,
        "created_at": "2022-04-12T11:01:01Z",
        "updated_at": "2022-04-12T11:01:01Z"
    },
    {
        "id": 84000498208,
        "name": "cf_date_of_contact",
        "label": "Date of Contact",
        "description": null,
        "position": 14,
        "required_for_closure": false,
        "required_for_agents": false,
        "type": "custom_date",
        "default": false,
        "customers_can_edit": true,
        "label_for_customers": "Date of Contact",
        "required_for_customers": false,
        "displayed_to_customers": true,
        "created_at": "2022-04-12T11:01:37Z",
        "updated_at": "2022-04-12T11:01:37Z"
    }
    ...
]

If you want to filter the JSON by key only or by value only then, you can pass the relevant values in the pc_json_parser_template JSON
2. If your API response contains a large JSON and there is a need to retrieve a part (subtree) of the JSON

JSON:

{
       …
        "position": 14,
        "required_for_closure": false,
        "required_for_agents": false,
        "url": "http://localhost",
        "text": "localhost",
         customers_can_edit": true,
        "label_for_customers": "Date of Contact",
 
         "nestedItems": {
            "custom_fields": [
                {
                    "key": "first_name",
                    "value": "Naveen"
                },
                {
                    "key": "last_name",
                    "value": "Kolhe"
                },
                {
                    "key": "email",
                    "value": "[email protected]"
                }
            ]
        }
    }

From the above JSON example, let’s retrieve the custom_fields subtree then, we need to pass the key ‘custom_fields’ in the pc_json_parser_template and ‘subTree’ in the pc_json_parser_type query string params as shown below:
?pc_json_parser_type=subTree&pc_json_parser_template=custom_fields
Filtered response will be:

JSON:

[
    [
        {
            "key": "first_name",
            "value": "Naveen"
        },
        {
            "key": "last_name",
            "value": "Kolhe"
        },
        {
            "key": "email",
            "value": "[email protected]"
        }
    ]
]

3. If you want to transform the JSON to some predefined format then, you need to pass ‘transform’ in the pc_json_parser_type parameter and template JSON in the pc_json_parser_template parameter
Some examples of transformation templates are explained here: https://selecttransform.github.io/site/transform.html
You can try some formations in the playground: https://selecttransform.github.io/playground/
Consider the JSON response from the following API endpoint
https://hub.dummyapis.com/employee?noofRecords=5

JSON:

[
  {
    "id": 1001,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=DM&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Damaris",
    "lastName": "Morar",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4132690185",
    "age": 30,
    "dob": "29/10/1992",
    "salary": 1.0,
    "address": "Address1"
  },
  {
    "id": 1002,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=ZJ&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Zachariah",
    "lastName": "Jakubowski",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4652499338",
    "age": 24,
    "dob": "12/12/1998",
    "salary": 2.0,
    "address": "Address2"
  },
  {
    "id": 1003,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=NM&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Noble",
    "lastName": "Mante",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4611390172",
    "age": 87,
    "dob": "16/04/1935",
    "salary": 3.0,
    "address": "Address3"
  },
  {
    "id": 1004,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=MD&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Margarett",
    "lastName": "Dooley",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4650692540",
    "age": 63,
    "dob": "24/02/1959",
    "salary": 4.0,
    "address": "Address4"
  },
  {
    "id": 1005,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=SB&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Sarah",
    "lastName": "Batz",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4763699085",
    "age": 23,
    "dob": "20/12/1999",
    "salary": 5.0,
    "address": "Address5"
  }
]

If we pass the following template in the parameter then,

JSON:

{
        "{{{#each this}}}": {
            "full_name": "{{{this.firstName}}} {{{this.lastName}}}",
            "email": "{{{this.email}}}",
            "employee_id": "{{{this.id}}}"
        }
    }

The final URL will be:

Code:

https://hub.dummyapis.com/employee?noofRecords=5&pc_json_parser_type=transform&pc_json_parser_template={"{{{#each this}}}":{ "full_name":"{{{this.firstName}}} {{{this.lastName}}}", "email":"{{{this.email}}}","employee_id":"{{{this.id}}}"}}

The transformed response will be:

JSON:

[
  {
    "full_name": "Damaris Morar",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "employee_id": 1001
  },
  {
    "full_name": "Zachariah Jakubowski",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "employee_id": 1002
  },
  {
    "full_name": "Noble Mante",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "employee_id": 1003
  },
  {
    "full_name": "Margarett Dooley",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "employee_id": 1004
  },
  {
    "full_name": "Sarah Batz",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "employee_id": 1005
  }
]

Using conditional logic "If else" in templates:
Suppose you want to filter the JSON on the basis of some conditional logics like If else then, you can make use of the same as explain in the below example:
Consider the JSON response from the following API endpoint

https://hub.dummyapis.com/employee?noofRecords=5

JSON:

[
  {
    "id": 1001,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=LR&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Leticia",
    "lastName": "Rolfson",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4649490099",
    "age": 81,
    "dob": "28/03/1941",
    "salary": 1.0,
    "address": "Address1"
  },
  {
    "id": 1002,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=AK&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Abner",
    "lastName": "Kuhlman",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4382699838",
    "age": 33,
    "dob": "14/11/1989",
    "salary": 2.0,
    "address": "Address2"
  },
  {
    "id": 1003,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=JP&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Jess",
    "lastName": "Prosacco",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4790896416",
    "age": 79,
    "dob": "05/11/1943",
    "salary": 3.0,
    "address": "Address3"
  },
  {
    "id": 1004,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=KA&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Kariane",
    "lastName": "Aufderhar",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4589291593",
    "age": 42,
    "dob": "08/05/1980",
    "salary": 4.0,
    "address": "Address4"
  },
  {
    "id": 1005,
    "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=OJ&height=120&width=120",
    "firstName": "Olivia",
    "lastName": "Jakubowski",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "contactNumber": "4243394189",
    "age": 25,
    "dob": "04/10/1997",
    "salary": 5.0,
    "address": "Address5"
  }
]

Now, we want only those objects which contains 'age' greater than 70 and does not contains 'phoneNumber' then, the transform template will be:

JSON:

{
"{{{#each this}}}": [{
   "{{{#if !('phoneNumber' in this) & age > 70}}}":"{{{this}}}"}
   ]}
}

Hence, the final URL will be like:

Code:

https://hub.dummyapis.com/employee?noofRecords=5?pc_json_parser_type=transform&pc_json_parser_template={ "{{{#each this}}}": [{ "{{{#if !('phoneNumber' in this) & age > 70}}}":"{{{this}}}"} ]} }

The transformed response will be:

JSON:

[
    {
        "id": 1001,
        "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=LR&height=120&width=120",
        "firstName": "Leticia",
        "lastName": "Rolfson",
        "email": "[email protected]",
        "contactNumber": "4649490099",
        "age": 81,
        "dob": "28/03/1941",
        "salary": 1,
        "address": "Address1"
    },
    {
        "id": 1003,
        "imageUrl": "https://hub.dummyapis.com/Image?text=JP&height=120&width=120",
        "firstName": "Jess",
        "lastName": "Prosacco",
        "email": "[email protected]",
        "contactNumber": "4790896416",
        "age": 79,
        "dob": "05/11/1943",
        "salary": 3,
        "address": "Address3"
    }
]

Transforming JSON of the POST requests
Consider the JSON response from the following API endpoint
https://connect.pabbly.com/api/return_api_body
(You can even use another POST endpoint this is just for the sample)
NOTE: This endpoint returns the same response body that you provide in the request body.
Request & Response Body (For return_api_body Endpoint):

JSON:

{
    "data": [
        {
            "emoji": "AUD",
            "key": "AUD",
            "value": "Australian Dollar"
        },
        {
            "emoji": "EUR",
            "key": "EUR",
            "value": "Euro"
        },
        {
            "emoji": "AZN",
            "key": "AZN",
            "value": "Azerbaijanian Manat"
        },
        {
            "emoji": "ALL",
            "key": "ALL",
            "value": "Lek"
        },
        {
            "emoji": "DZD",
            "key": "DZD",
            "value": "Algerian Dinar"
        },
        {
            "emoji": "USD",
            "key": "USD",
            "value": "US Dollar"
        },
        {
            "emoji": "XCD",
            "key": "XCD",
            "value": "East Caribbean Dollar"
        }
    
    ]
}

If we pass the following template in the parameter then,

JSON:

{"{{{#each data}}}":"{{{this['key']}}}"}

Here in the example, the static key value is being passed i.e. ‘key’. This returns the array of the provided key (i.e. ‘key’ ) value from the JSON.
The final URL will be:

Code:

https://connect.pabbly.com/api/return_api_body?pc_json_parser_type=transform&pc_json_parser_template={"{{{#each data}}}":"{{{this['key']}}}"}

The transformed response will be:

JSON:

["AUD","EUR","AZN","ALL","DZD","USD","XCD"]

Based on dynamic variables:
You can even provide a variable also so it will change based on the variable, this can be the dropdown value.

QMOMdNrB0gO0W1pRPL_RIU-I6fweAeLJG85yr4K7sn3YcZ01jZRUDA7RJzXY1YqJDHhcVKm2iww-9xrO4SWezIYZTCgpRulRMyQxbbnePgJTxdVxoTpcReg7oQZ05bRC_XQDj0EDKHDoFbdsj3KgqqVpuD6boruEL80ba9H3_GYeGvOS2Vuxdv-qGkP6gg

So as you declare the variable as dropdown_value
Which may contain static dropdown values such as emoji, key, value

_AGZmmAWdRQ9b67THkAX6L3XNTP8pL6UCcX7bL9I0aqVZjVWjfC5WNBLuGd3Xnq4E9cZeW8W6FCOzEtNP5sFALh-BPiwDmZhsi4yZNk25aTsnwK5IGX4sG5yVzvaR32Pxs7u4Bh544Jp7TKxgavqSdC1W3S_WM2ZMYQ871dIv2V8n0Xsuhm7spFnpbm02g

If we pass the following template in the parameter then,

JSON:

{"{{{#each data}}}":"{{{this[‘{{dropdown_value}}’]}}}"}

So this will return the following response on selecting keys emoji , key , value respectively.
For emoji

Code:

["AUD","EUR","AZN","ALL","DZD","USD","XCD"]

sFYWx-9yp_vpE0Z3Pveodn_pS_dMrONjL2d3B4JtAmptCNi8q_m2kMmIqGr3vVACTyW8XMPaIDhLGHJn3ILQDPwiryNCclfTC6QhdQkfTSrkJK402SXF0czh5KxxP6eQq2zwiepUNkzPjQKd1JI39EYfOqFPprf3aQdo2IGJ03i1P4uE_qppv8cHW11h3w

For key

Code:

["AUD","EUR","AZN","ALL","DZD","USD","XCD"]

Berr-bR26oLRmlmoTFdr-vfL1LHtc05Lp07xdeWLb-rgL9T6rrCrRFochLABR-MKa2caB9nm1wRAtOyY2BPh_wBempSLs0FPEmMDPdPorGFgX08EbUgeRXSIBxpbv6TUT8No9_CnhBmZot0Lu0X7GqBz4ENl05MDG3jR3hP9d-g7ID0yaRJcejAlK2DQSQ

For value

Code:

["Australian Dollar","Euro","Azerbaijanian Manat","Lek","Algerian Dinar","US Dollar","East Caribbean Dollar"]

0wZCKqQ-bBOb7strVT-SOq0ccEadEInUvFhwBmnY3Tdxm-bSHEcpFIZPPmFKSEDiKlcyFGphrJBPYXcoo9cNS6uvpOFyrZWX2el4r60_waomEkPe1TJ_vTCzXz1i-FH0Iht1F-8iSC1ivNoq-tFPMISJov6B8PeS9gsf2kcFQqEFqY4YCJwM3VJOnJ-hTA

Further Reading: You can read about JSON Select and Transformation in more detail through the link below.
https://forum.pabbly.com/threads/ho...o-transform-your-incoming-api-response.21055/

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