Value Data Types

The dataType property of a Value Type determines what kind of value the field stores and how it is displayed and validated.

The default data type is TEXT if dataType is omitted.

Text

Type	Description
TEXT	A single-line text string. Default type.
TEXTBLOCK	Multi-line rich text (HTML).
LONGTEXT	Multi-line plain text. Large content; not search-indexed.
JSON	Raw JSON string. Always system-managed; not user-editable.
SECRET	A sensitive value (token, credential, code). Never returned in read responses; excluded from exports.
MULTILINGUAL	A text value with per-language variants.
EMAIL	An email address. Validated on input.
HYPERLINK	A named link stored as { name, href }. Displayed as a clickable link.

Choosing a text type

Use case	Type
Short, searchable, filterable text	TEXT
Rich text with formatting (HTML)	TEXTBLOCK
Multi-line plain text, large content, no search index needed	LONGTEXT
System-generated structured output (AI, gateways)	JSON
Sensitive value that must never be readable after write	SECRET

Storage properties

Type	SQL-indexed	ES-indexed	MongoDB	User-editable
TEXT	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
TEXTBLOCK	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
LONGTEXT	No	No	Yes	Yes
JSON	No	No	Yes	No
SECRET	No	No	Yes	Yes (write-only)

LONGTEXT

LONGTEXT stores multi-line plain text without HTML sanitisation. It is stored only in MongoDB, so it is not available for filtering or full-text search. Use it for large content such as markdown, log output, or free-form notes where search indexing is not required.

{ "name": "markdownContent", "dataType": "LONGTEXT" }

Real-world example: commons.intake.markdownContent.

JSON

JSON stores a raw JSON string produced by the platform (AI tasks, gateway responses). It is always system-managed — fromRequestParam() returns null, so the value cannot be set via API request parameters. Use toJson() in scripts to deserialise the value to a JavaScript object or array.

{ "name": "responseJson", "dataType": "JSON" }

caution

A JSON field cannot be set or updated via standard create/update request parameters. Only platform processes (scripts, gateways) can write to it.

SECRET

SECRET stores a sensitive text value — tokens, credentials, invitation codes, or any value that must never be readable via the API or UI. The primary use case is values that are written once (e.g. on object creation) and then consumed exclusively by scripts: the script reads the raw value from dataObject, uses it as a credential or token, and the value is never exposed outside the server.

{ "name": "invitationToken", "dataType": "SECRET" }

Behaviour summary:

• Stored in MongoDB as plain text.
• Readable by scripts via dataObject.<fieldName> — the full value is available inside script execution.
• Omitted from all API read responses — the field is not present in returned objects.
• Not SQL-indexed and not search-indexed — cannot be used in query filters.
• Excluded from Excel/CSV exports.
• Rendered as a masked input in the UI; no reveal affordance.
• Write behaviour is identical to TEXT; the platform does not enforce write-once semantics — that is the responsibility of the service writing the value.

caution

Because SECRET fields are omitted from read responses, you cannot verify or display the stored value via the API after creation. Design your data model accordingly — for example, store a non-secret reference (a prefix or expiry date) alongside the secret if you need to show something to the user.

HYPERLINK

HYPERLINK stores a named URL as a structured object — not a plain string. The structure is always { name: string, href: string }, where name is the display label and href is the target URL.

{ "name": "websiteUrl", "dataType": "HYPERLINK" }

Read (API response):

{ "websiteUrl": { "name": "Mosterd Platform", "href": "https://mosterd.com" } }

Submit (create/update request):

{ "websiteUrl": { "name": "Mosterd Platform", "href": "https://mosterd.com" } }

The API always returns the structured form — even if only href was provided on write. Both name and href should be supplied when submitting a value.

Numbers

Type	Description
INTEGER	A whole number.
DECIMAL	A decimal number.
CURRENCY	A monetary amount. Displayed with currency symbol.
PERCENTAGE	A percentage value. Displayed with %.

Boolean

Type	Description
BOOLEAN	True or false. Displayed as a checkbox.

Date and time

Type	Description
DATE	A calendar date (year, month, day).
DATETIME	A date with time of day.
TIME	A time of day without date.

Files

Type	Description
FILE	A file attachment.
IMAGE	An image file. Displayed as a preview.

Lists

Type	Description
LIST	A value from a predefined list. Requires the list property pointing to a StandardList TypeFQN.
ARRAY	An ordered list of values.

Example

{
  "valueTypes": [
    { "name": "firstName" },
    { "name": "lastName", "required": true },
    { "name": "emailAddress", "dataType": "EMAIL" },
    { "name": "birthdate", "dataType": "DATE", "enabled": false },
    { "name": "salary", "dataType": "CURRENCY" },
    { "name": "isActive", "dataType": "BOOLEAN" },
    { "name": "status", "dataType": "LIST", "list": "my-project.contractStatus" },
    { "name": "notes", "dataType": "TEXTBLOCK" }
  ]
}