// This module is included in the following assemblies:
// as_creating-integrations.adoc

[id='add-split-step_{context}']
= Adding a split step

During execution of a flow, when a connection returns a collection of objects, 
{prodname} executes subsequent steps once for the collection.
If you want to execute subsequent steps once for each object 
that is in the collection, add a split step. For example, a
Google Sheets connection returns a collection of row objects.
To execute subsequent steps once for each row, add a 
split step after the Google Sheets connection. 

Ensure that the input to a split step is always a collection. 
If a split step gets a source document that is not a collection type, 
the step splits the input at each space. For example, {prodname} splits 
“Hello world!” input into two elements: “Hello” and “world!”, and 
passes those two elements to the next step in the flow. In particular, 
XML data is not a collection type.
 

.Prerequisites
* You are creating or editing a flow.
* The flow already has all the connections that it requires.
* In the flow visualization, the connection that obtains the source data 
indicates that the data is a *(Collection)*. 


.Procedure

. In the flow visualization, click the
image:images/integrating-applications/PlusSignToAddStepOrConnection.png[title='plus sign']
at the location where you want to add the split step. 

. Click *Split*. This step does not require any configuration. 
. Click *Next*. 

.Additional information 

Typically, you want to add any split steps and aggregate steps 
before you add data mapper steps. This is because 
whether the data is a collection or individual objects affects
the mappings. If you add a data mapper step and then add a split 
step, you usually need to redo the mappings. Likewise, if you 
remove a split or aggregate step, then you would need to redo
any mappings. 
