Items and fields - Ekso Documentation

This guide explains how items and fields work at the API level. It covers the JSON shape of an item, how to discover which fields are available for a given container and process, and how the permission model affects what you can read and write. For the conceptual overview, see Items, Fields, and Processes.

DataItem schema

Every work item in Ekso is a DataItem. When you fetch or create an item through the API, the JSON looks like this:

{
  "id": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
  "containerId": "f9e8d7c6-b5a4-3210-fedc-ba0987654321",
  "processId": "d4c3b2a1-0987-6543-2109-876543210fed",
  "sequence": 42,
  "boardId": "b0a1b2c3-d4e5-f678-90ab-cdef01234567",
  "cycleId": "c1d2e3f4-a5b6-7890-cdef-1234567890ab",
  "resourceType": 1,
  "resourceId": "u1234567-89ab-cdef-0123-456789abcdef",
  "dateOpened": "2025-11-01T09:00:00Z",
  "dateWorking": "2025-11-02T14:30:00Z",
  "dateClosed": null,
  "field": [
    { "fieldId": "Name", "data": "Fix login timeout" },
    { "fieldId": "Priority", "data": "p-high-id" },
    { "fieldId": "Status", "data": "s-working-id" },
    { "fieldId": "OwnedBy", "data": "u1234567-89ab-cdef-0123-456789abcdef" },
    { "fieldId": "Description", "data": "Users report a 30-second delay on the login page." }
  ],
  "time": [],
  "meta": [],
  "created": "2025-11-01T09:00:00Z",
  "createdBy": "u1234567-89ab-cdef-0123-456789abcdef",
  "updated": "2025-11-03T11:15:00Z",
  "updatedBy": "u1234567-89ab-cdef-0123-456789abcdef"
}

Top-level properties

Property	Type	Description
`id`	string	Unique item identifier.
`containerId`	string	The container this item belongs to.
`processId`	string	The process that defines the item’s workflow and fields.
`sequence`	integer	Auto-incremented number within the container. Combined with the container key to form the item key (e.g., `GEM-42`).
`boardId`	string	The board the item is planned on, if any.
`cycleId`	string	The cycle within the board, if any.
`resourceType`	integer	`0` = unassigned, `1` = User, `2` = JobRole.
`resourceId`	string	ID of the assigned user or job role.
`dateOpened`	datetime	When the item was opened.
`dateWorking`	datetime	When work began.
`dateClosed`	datetime	When the item was closed.
`field`	array	Field values — see the field array below.
`time`	array	Time log entries. See Time tracking.
`meta`	array	Key-value metadata pairs.
`created`	datetime	Record creation timestamp.
`createdBy`	string	User ID of the creator.
`updated`	datetime	Last update timestamp.
`updatedBy`	string	User ID of the last updater.

The field array

The field array is where most of the item’s data lives. Each entry is a simple pair:

Property	Type	Description
`fieldId`	string	References a field definition. Can be a system field name (e.g., `Name`, `Priority`) or a custom field ID.
`data`	string	The field’s value, always stored as a string regardless of the field type.

All field values are strings. A date field stores "2025-12-15T00:00:00Z", an integer stores "42", a toggle stores "true" or "false". Your integration must interpret the string according to the field’s type — use the screen endpoint to get the full field definition alongside each value.

Field definitions

The GET /api/field endpoint returns every field definition in your tenant. Each field definition describes the field’s type, validation rules, and configuration.

Field types

Ekso supports ten field types. Each type serializes its value as a string in the data property:

Type	Description	Example `data` value
Text	Plain text, multiline, or rich text.	`"Fix the login timeout"`
List	Single or multi-select from predefined values.	`"list-value-id"`
Picker	References another entity (user, container, board, etc.).	`"entity-id"`
Date	UTC date/time.	`"2025-12-15T00:00:00Z"`
Integer	Whole number within min/max bounds.	`"42"`
Decimal	Decimal number within min/max bounds.	`"99.50"`
Percent	Percentage value (0–100 by default).	`"75"`
Time	Duration (days, hours, minutes).	`"02:30"`
Toggle	Boolean on/off.	`"true"`

For a full explanation of each type and the system fields, see Fields.

Key field properties

Every field definition includes these properties:

Property	Type	Description
`id`	string	Unique field identifier.
`name`	string	Field name, used as the `fieldId` in item data (e.g., `Name`, `Priority`).
`prompt`	string	Display label for the field.
`description`	string	Admin-facing description of the field’s purpose.
`fieldType`	string	One of: `Text`, `List`, `Picker`, `Date`, `Integer`, `Decimal`, `Percent`, `Time`, `Toggle`.
`defaultValue`	string	Default value applied when creating an item.
`isCore`	boolean	`true` for system fields, `false` for custom fields.
`placement`	array	Where the field appears — `Process` (item forms) or `Board` (board views).
`usage`	array	How the field is used — `System`, `Input`, `Filter`, `Condition`, `Action`.

Picker scopes

Picker fields reference a specific entity type. The scope property tells you what kind of entity the picker selects:

Scope	Picks from
`User`	Workspace members
`Container`	Containers (projects, products, etc.)
`Area`	Areas within a container
`Board`	Planning boards
`Cycle`	Cycles within a board
`Process`	Process types
`Resource`	Users and job roles
`UserGroup`	Security groups
`CostCenter`	Cost centers
`Crm`	CRM / customer records
`Sku`	Billable time codes
`JobRole`	Job roles

List field values

List fields (e.g., Priority, Severity, Status, Resolution) have a data array containing the valid options:

{
  "fieldType": "List",
  "name": "Priority",
  "data": [
    { "id": "p-critical", "value": "Critical", "image": "", "metadata": "", "active": true },
    { "id": "p-high", "value": "High", "image": "", "metadata": "", "active": true },
    { "id": "p-medium", "value": "Medium", "image": "", "metadata": "", "active": true },
    { "id": "p-low", "value": "Low", "image": "", "metadata": "", "active": true }
  ]
}

Property	Type	Description
`id`	string	The value you send in the item’s `data` property.
`value`	string	Display text.
`image`	string	Optional icon path.
`metadata`	string	Additional metadata — for Status fields, this indicates the lifecycle verb (`Open`, `Working`, `Closed`, `Blocked`).
`active`	boolean	`false` means the value is retired — it won’t appear in selection lists but existing items retain it.

When setting a list field value, always send the list item id, not the display text. For example, send "p-high" not "High".

Process field configuration

A process controls which fields appear on an item and whether each field is required. The GET /api/process endpoint returns process definitions, each with a fields array:

{
  "id": "proc-defect-id",
  "name": "Defect",
  "fields": [
    { "fieldId": "Name", "order": 1, "required": true },
    { "fieldId": "Description", "order": 2, "required": false },
    { "fieldId": "Priority", "order": 3, "required": true },
    { "fieldId": "Severity", "order": 4, "required": true },
    { "fieldId": "Status", "order": 5, "required": true },
    { "fieldId": "OwnedBy", "order": 6, "required": false },
    { "fieldId": "custom-field-id", "order": 7, "required": false }
  ]
}

Property	Type	Description
`fieldId`	string	References the field definition.
`order`	integer	Display order on item forms.
`required`	boolean	Whether the field must have a value when creating or updating an item.

The same field can be required in one process and optional in another. For example, Severity might be required for Defects but optional for Change Requests.

Every process always includes certain system fields — Name, Description, Status, OwnedBy, RestrictedTo, and audit fields — even if they’re not listed in the fields array. These are always present on every item.

The screen endpoint

The POST /api/item/screen endpoint is the primary discovery tool for API consumers. It combines field definitions, current values, required flags, and permission filtering into a single response — giving you exactly the fields the current user can work with.

Request

Send an ItemScreenRequest:

{
  "containerId": "CONTAINER_ID",
  "processId": "PROCESS_ID",
  "itemId": "",
  "stage": 2,
  "source": "Api"
}

Property	Type	Required	Description
`containerId`	string	Yes	The container the item belongs to (or will be created in).
`processId`	string	Yes	The process type.
`itemId`	string	No	The item ID for existing items. Leave empty when creating a new item.
`stage`	integer	Yes	The screen stage — determines which permission column to evaluate.
`source`	string	No	Origin of the request. Use `"Api"` for API integrations.

Screen stages

The stage parameter controls which permission column the endpoint evaluates:

Stage	Value	Use when…
See	`1`	Viewing an item — returns fields the user can read.
Set	`2`	Creating an item — returns fields the user can set on creation.
Change	`3`	Updating an item — returns fields the user can modify.

Response

The endpoint returns an ItemScreenModel:

{
  "item": { },
  "stage": 2,
  "workflow": [
    { "id": "s-open", "value": "Open", "metadata": "Open", "active": true },
    { "id": "s-working", "value": "In Progress", "metadata": "Working", "active": true }
  ],
  "field": [
    {
      "definition": {
        "id": "field-name-id",
        "name": "Name",
        "prompt": "Name",
        "fieldType": "Text",
        "defaultValue": "",
        "isCore": true
      },
      "data": "",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "definition": {
        "id": "field-priority-id",
        "name": "Priority",
        "prompt": "Priority",
        "fieldType": "List",
        "defaultValue": "p-medium",
        "isCore": true,
        "data": [
          { "id": "p-critical", "value": "Critical", "active": true },
          { "id": "p-high", "value": "High", "active": true },
          { "id": "p-medium", "value": "Medium", "active": true },
          { "id": "p-low", "value": "Low", "active": true }
        ]
      },
      "data": "p-medium",
      "required": true
    }
  ]
}

Property	Type	Description
`item`	object	The full item record (blank defaults for stage `Set`).
`stage`	integer	The screen stage that was evaluated.
`workflow`	array	Valid next statuses from the item’s current state — only populated for stages `Set` and `Change`.
`field`	array	Ordered list of fields the user can access, each with its full definition, current value, and required flag.

Each entry in the field array contains:

Property	Type	Description
`definition`	object	The full polymorphic field definition — includes type-specific properties like `data` for List fields, `scope` for Picker fields, or `maximum` for Text fields.
`data`	string	The field’s current value (or default value for new items).
`required`	boolean	Whether this field must be provided.

The screen endpoint only returns fields the current user has permission to access. If a field is missing from the response, the user’s group does not have the required access level for that field at the requested stage.

Field-level permissions

Each container can configure per-field permissions for every process. Three access levels control who can interact with each field:

Access level	Stage	Controls
See	`1`	Which user groups can view the field value.
Set	`2`	Which user groups can provide a value when creating an item.
Change	`3`	Which user groups can modify the value after creation.

By default, all three levels are set to Everyone — all users in the workspace can see, set, and change every field. Admins can restrict any level to specific user groups. The screen endpoint respects these permissions automatically. When you call it with a particular stage, the response includes only the fields that the authenticated user’s groups have access to for that stage. For the conceptual explanation and configuration details, see Field-level access control.

If you send field values for fields the user cannot edit, the API will reject the request. Always use the screen endpoint to discover which fields are available before building your request payload.

Creating an item via the API

Discover available fields

Call the screen endpoint with stage Set to find out which fields the current user can provide:

curl -X POST https://ekso.acme.com/api/item/screen \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "containerId": "CONTAINER_ID",
    "processId": "PROCESS_ID",
    "itemId": "",
    "stage": 2,
    "source": "Api"
  }'

The response field array tells you every field you can set, its type, default value, and whether it’s required.

Build the field array

Using the screen response, build your field array. Include all required fields and any optional fields you want to set:

[
  { "fieldId": "Name", "data": "Fix login timeout" },
  { "fieldId": "Priority", "data": "p-high" },
  { "fieldId": "Severity", "data": "s-major" },
  { "fieldId": "Description", "data": "Users report a 30-second delay on the login page." }
]

Use the field definition’s name as the fieldId. For List and Picker fields, use the list item id or entity id as the data value.

Create the item

Send a POST to /api/item with the container, process, and field values:

curl -X POST https://ekso.acme.com/api/item \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "containerId": "CONTAINER_ID",
    "processId": "PROCESS_ID",
    "field": [
      { "fieldId": "Name", "data": "Fix login timeout" },
      { "fieldId": "Priority", "data": "p-high" },
      { "fieldId": "Severity", "data": "s-major" },
      { "fieldId": "Description", "data": "Users report a 30-second delay on the login page." }
    ]
  }'

The response includes the created item with its generated key (e.g., GEM-42), all field values, and default values applied by the system.

Handle validation errors

If required fields are missing or values are invalid, the API returns a 400 with details:

{
  "kind": "Validation",
  "message": "One or more fields failed validation.",
  "fields": [
    { "field": "Name", "code": "required" }
  ]
}

Check the fields array to identify which values need correction.

Updating an item via the API

Fetch the item

Retrieve the current item by ID:

curl -X POST https://ekso.acme.com/api/item/ITEM_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "containerId": "CONTAINER_ID"
  }'

Discover editable fields

Call the screen endpoint with stage Change to find which fields the user can modify:

curl -X POST https://ekso.acme.com/api/item/screen \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "containerId": "CONTAINER_ID",
    "processId": "PROCESS_ID",
    "itemId": "ITEM_ID",
    "stage": 3,
    "source": "Api"
  }'

The response includes each field’s current value in the data property. The workflow array shows the valid next statuses.

Update the item

Send a PUT to /api/item/{id} with the updated field values:

curl -X PUT https://ekso.acme.com/api/item/ITEM_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "containerId": "CONTAINER_ID",
    "processId": "PROCESS_ID",
    "field": [
      { "fieldId": "Status", "data": "s-working" },
      { "fieldId": "Priority", "data": "p-critical" }
    ]
  }'

Only include the fields you want to change. The API merges your updates with the existing field values.

Next steps

Fields

Full reference for system fields, custom field types, and default values.

Processes

How processes define workflows, field configuration, and access control.

API reference

Complete endpoint documentation with request and response schemas.

​DataItem schema

​Top-level properties

​The field array

​Field definitions

​Field types

​Key field properties

​Picker scopes

​List field values

​Process field configuration

​The screen endpoint

​Request

​Screen stages

​Response

​Field-level permissions

​Creating an item via the API

​Updating an item via the API

​Next steps

Fields

Processes

API reference

DataItem schema

Top-level properties

The field array

Field definitions

Field types

Key field properties

Picker scopes

List field values

Process field configuration

The screen endpoint

Request

Screen stages

Response

Field-level permissions

Creating an item via the API

Updating an item via the API

Next steps