# Shared Actions

Shared actions in Astera allow sharing an item or an action at multiple places. The item that needs to be used repeatedly can be extracted into a *Shared Action*, which can then be used wherever needed. Moreover, any changes or updates that need to be made to an item can be made only in the *Shared Action*, and all occurrences of the *Shared Action* item will automatically accommodate all the changes.

### **How to Create and Use Shared Actions**

There are two methods to create and use shared actions in Astera.

1. Creating a new *Shared Action* in the project.
2. Creating and saving an item from a flow as a *Shared Action.*

Let’s see how both methods work through the following use cases.

### **Use Cases**

#### **Use Case 1: Database Connection as a Shared Action**

A database connection needs to be used over and over again in a project. Instead of creating a new connection every time, we can create a *Shared Action* for the database connection and use it wherever it is needed within the project.

**Creating a Database Connection as a Shared Action**

Right-click your project in the *Project Explorer* and select *Add New Item*.

![](/files/e7pq5KdDcolPAaeSNFFq)

An *Add New Item* window will open. Select a *SharedAction* item from the window. Rename your *SharedAction* item and click *Add*.

![](/files/NVippYMD11Q7hafEeXTq)

This will add a *Shared Action* to your project. A *Shared Action* file has a .*Sact* extension.

![](/files/3d0U7Q5HEBBoeOw8W38s)

Double-click the newly created *Shared Action* to open it in the designer. Drag and drop a *Database Connection* object from *Toolbox > Resources* onto the designer.

![](/files/ooB1t7VspeHWbdC2gHsX)

Double-click the *DbConnection* Object. A *DbConnection* properties window will open. Add database connection details and click *OK*.

![](/files/kakSFOl6jBBCjDkwsKev)

The database connection is now configured as a *Shared Action*. Press Ctrl + S or go to *File > Save* to save the *Shared Action*.

You can now use your *Shared Action* in any flow within the project.

**Using Database Connection Shared Action in a Dataflow**

Open a dataflow that uses a [*DatabaseSource*](/dataflows/sources/database-table-source.md) object within your project. Open the *DatabaseSource* properties window by double-clicking on it.

Select the *Use Shared Connection* option. The dropdown will show a list of all the database connections saved as a *Shared Action*.

![](/files/zdOS0QS0cTdjX2n2Gb58)

Similarly, you can use the *SharedAction* in all dataflows, workflows or subflows within the project. If something changes in your database connection, you will only have to update it in the *Shared Action* and all the flows using it will automatically accommodate all the changes.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** The Database Connection shared action can be used with any other object that supports the usage of shared connections. Some examples of these objects include the [*SQL Statement Lookup*](/dataflows/transformations/sql-statement-lookup.md) and [*SQL Query Source*](/dataflows/sources/sql-query-source.md) objects in a dataflow and the [*Run SQL Script*](/workflows/run-sql-script.md) and [*Run SQL File*](/workflows/run-sql-file.md) objects in a workflow.
{% endhint %}

#### **Use Case 2: Transformation Object as Shared Action**

The following dataflow extracts data from a database table using a [*DatabaseSource*](/dataflows/sources/database-table-source.md) object and converts the unit price of an item from USD to PKR using an expression. It then writes the data to an [*Excel Destination*](/dataflows/destinations/excel-workbook-destination.md).

![](/files/QfkON76NLFYmjK4W5Kzd)

To reuse this [*Expression*](/dataflows/transformations/expression-transformation.md) in various flows within the project, we can extract the *Expression* into a *Shared Action* and use it wherever it is needed.

**Saving an Expression as a Shared Action**

Right-click the *Expression* object and select *Save as Shared Action* option.

![](/files/dAoTDYyXz9wzEb8bZSAb)

Select a destination where you want to save the *Shared Action* file and provide a file name. Click *Save*.

![](/files/xUgdbmv4CN5PA3EGe1aZ)

The *Shared Action* file has been saved. To add it to the project, right-click on your project in the *Project Explorer* and select *Add Existing Items*.

![](/files/jT6i1n3vXlVSNYokomcT)

Select the *Shared Action* file you created from the file explorer window that appears. Click *Open*.

![](/files/iQHm9UYPqH68OyPqpXDR)

This will add the *Shared Action* file to your project.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** To use a *Shared Action*, the *Shared Action* file must be within the same project where it is needed.
{% endhint %}

**Using a Shared Action**

To use the [*Expression*](/dataflows/transformations/expression-transformation.md) saved as a Shared Action in a flow, drag and drop the *Shared Action* (.sact file) from the *Project Explorer* to the designer.

![](/files/KkxlwEEZmmpxmBnFGOq7)

Notice that the Shared Action object title is italicized.

We can now use this *Shared Action Expression* in any other workflow, dataflow or subflow within the same project by dragging and dropping it wherever it is needed.

![](/files/DYxP3dhgdFLtGsQlaNgK)

Now, if we want to make a change to the [*Expression*](/dataflows/transformations/expression-transformation.md) (let’s say the currency exchange rate changes), we will only have to update the *Expression* in the *Shared Action* and all the flows using it will automatically accommodate all the changes.

#### **Changing a Shared Action back to Local Object**

To change a *Shared Action* back to a local object, right-click the *Shared Action* object and select *Change Shared Action to Local* option.

![](/files/tA9EcuHnbeXlkBzLfSgU)

#### **Editing a Shared Action**

To edit a *Shared Action*, right-click the *Shared Action* object and select the *Edit Shared Action File* option. This will redirect you to the *Shared Action* file where you can make the desired changes.

![](/files/Dj4kcrBkpNrTqz0prB6h)

#### **Editing Shared Action File Path**

To edit the *Shared Action* file path, double-click the *Shared Action* object. You can select a new path by clicking on the File (📂) icon under the *Shared Action Location* section of *Shared Action Properties* window.

![](/files/gCcIVhjnZGFFyIJA6nJ7)

This concludes our discussion on how to create and use shared actions in an Astera project.


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