# External Collection query parameter **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Created:** [June 19, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026 "2020-06-19T18:34:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kcan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kcan](https://forum.adalo.com/u/kcan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/1 "2020-06-19T18:34:15Z")
I’m trying to filterByFormula by giving {status} = ‘ Captured’ But it is not working, the page keeps on loading. Is filterByFormula only for using Airtable api? Any solution to filter the external api with query parameter ---
**Author:** ![ChristopheHK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/christophehk/32/1179_2.png) [@ChristopheHK](https://forum.adalo.com/u/ChristopheHK)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/2 "2020-06-19T21:01:57Z")
Filterbyformula is for Airtable, yes. But if “status” is a query parameter of the Api used to build the external application, then you should be able to add a filter for the list, status equals “Captured” ---
**Author:** ![jeremy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/jeremy/32/385_2.png) [@jeremy](https://forum.adalo.com/u/jeremy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/3 "2020-06-19T22:22:50Z")
Yes, as @ChristopheHK said you should be able to add arbitrary query parameters to the request. ---
**Author:** ![kcan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kcan](https://forum.adalo.com/u/kcan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2020, 5:30am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/4 "2020-06-21T05:30:47Z")
@ChristopheHK @jeremy Yes, I tried with query parameter but if we provide the values hard coded it works but if we use magic text we get empty screen. Any solution why it’s not working for magic text Thanks in advance ---
**Author:** ![jeremy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/jeremy/32/385_2.png) [@jeremy](https://forum.adalo.com/u/jeremy)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/5 "2020-06-22T22:05:12Z")
Got it. That’s likely happening if you’re pulling in dynamic values and it’s the first screen you’re viewing, because it has not yet loaded the necessary data. We don’t have a great workaround yet for this, but if you load something on the second screen, and the Logged-In User record was referenced on a previous screen, then it should work properly. ---
**Author:** ![ChristopheHK](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/christophehk/32/1179_2.png) [@ChristopheHK](https://forum.adalo.com/u/ChristopheHK)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 10:37pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/6 "2020-06-22T22:37:38Z")
Interesting. Thanks @jeremy ---
**Author:** ![kcan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kcan](https://forum.adalo.com/u/kcan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 10:20am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/7 "2020-06-23T10:20:05Z")
@jeremy I’m not using on first screen. Let me explain what I’m trying to do. I have created a record using Custom action and in the next page I’m calling the api, where I need to filter with the order number which was created in back screen. So when I give the same order number in query parameter, it gives blank screen. The order number I generate and store it in database, the same order number I use it for both functionality mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![Bikul](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/bikul/32/1176_2.png) [@Bikul](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Bikul)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/8 "2020-06-24T22:29:08Z")
Hi @kcan were you able to figure this out? I am trying to do something similar and unable to so far. I am trying to query an external database, which works using the parameter I pass while setting up the collection. But I would like this to be dynamic using the search term the user is using. I see an option to do that as @jeremy suggested, but is not actually querying using the new term. I also tried the same using custom action with no avail. I would love to hear if there are other ideas. P.S- I am using the Twinwords API to get a definition/usage etc of a word and would like the API call to be for the term the user is searching. ---
**Author:** ![ashley](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/ashley/32/1635_2.png) [@ashley](https://forum.adalo.com/u/ashley)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/9 "2020-06-29T18:14:19Z")
Try doing the intersectional screen with magic text that has the order number of the new order that gets created and then use screen actions from that screen forward. ---
**Author:** ![bobcardenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@bobcardenas](https://forum.adalo.com/u/bobcardenas)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2021, 7:34am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/10 "2021-02-20T07:34:30Z")
Just discovered Adalo. Very cool, but it fails on my first use case. I want to call an external API to implement a search. I can’t use collections because it requires a successful query upfront, which requires I supply all query params; and I can find no easy way to override the query param established when setting up the collection. I can’t use custom actions because there is no way to parse a results list. ---
**Author:** ![ben1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/ben1/32/1040_2.png) [@ben1](https://forum.adalo.com/u/ben1)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/11 "2021-03-17T18:56:00Z")
Hi @bobcardenas, You can now use a logged in user related field as magic text in an external collection set up. Then on the step before you reach the screen with the required external collection list, add a step to update these fields on the logged in user. This will then give you the filtered results in this list based on those fields contents. Let me know if that makes sense! Regards, ---
**Author:** ![Elmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e480ec/32.png) [@Elmo](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Elmo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/12 "2021-03-19T18:32:24Z")
Thanks Ben, just used and worked fine. ---
**Author:** ![bobcardenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@bobcardenas](https://forum.adalo.com/u/bobcardenas)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/13 "2021-03-20T23:04:13Z")
Thanks, @ben1, that’s great news. I ended up working around this issue by creating a Firebase function to front the API I needed to call. Not so bad since I’ll need another Firebase functions too, but I’ll keep this option in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Sebastien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Sebastien](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Sebastien)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/14 "2021-09-20T19:32:42Z")
Hi @ben1 , how do you get a logged in user related field available as a magic text? I can only see two fields, External User Authentication and External User ID, see picture: ![Screen Shot 2021-09-20 at 14.22.50](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/adalo/original/2X/a/a71701f5bfe4d15c8d68859b87d81cc241624ee4.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Sebastien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Sebastien](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Sebastien)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/15 "2021-09-20T19:33:45Z")
My externa collection is with Bubble. ---
**Author:** ![Lukasz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/lukasz/32/12207_2.png) [@Lukasz](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Lukasz)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2021, 4:41am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/16 "2021-09-28T04:41:51Z")
Adalo has some videos how to join Beta and set up the external auth - just google it. However to be sure that you need it what this feature does is to so link external signup and login enpoint and pass the token to Adalo so that your users can be logged in through external endpoints. In short what you will need: - sign up endpoint that singups your users in the external DB that generates a token to be passed to Adalo - log in endpoint that logs your users in the external DB that generates a token to be passed to Adalo - and of course external user table against which you will verify the above and store all the user data as this feature is in beta currently I dont think you can map user ID however you Backend can retrieve it form the token so that should be fine to use if you have to end points ---
**Author:** ![Lukasz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/lukasz/32/12207_2.png) [@Lukasz](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Lukasz)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2021, 4:44am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/external-collection-query-parameter/2026/17 "2021-09-28T04:44:07Z")
To follow up on the other part of questions, all other user related fields can be retrieved based on the token if you add external collection with your user table (however the fields wont be able available automatic but as per any other external collection) - you just need to for example have a list of this collection linked to some screen