> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://fillout-005a867b-dependabot-npm-and-yarn-form-data-4-0-6.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pre-fetch records for use in your form

> Fetch information from your Zite database before your Fillout form loads, and automatically fill in fields with that data to improve user experience.

## What is pre-fetching?

**Pre-fetching** means retrieving existing data before a form is displayed and automatically filling in the fields with that data.

## How it works

Typically, a form loads with empty fields. With pre-fetching, the form first looks up data from your database using an identifier (like an email), which you can use to [pre-fill fields](https://www.fillout.com/help/prefill-fields).

For example, you can send users a link like: [https://yourform.com/update-profile?email=juan@email.com](https://yourform.com/update-profile?email=juan@email.com)

When the form opens, it uses the **email** parameter to find a matching record in your database and fills in fields like:

* Name: Juan Dela Cruz
* Email: [juan@email.com](mailto:juan@email.com)
* Birth Date: Dec 2, 1992
* Position: Finance Manager

Users can then review and update field answers as needed.

### Common use cases

* **User Profiles**: Let users update their personal information with pre-populated fields
* **Account Settings**: Enable users to modify preferences without re-entering existing selections
* **E-commerce Checkout**: Pre-fill saved shipping and billing details for faster checkout
* **Admin Dashboards**: Allow administrators to edit existing records with pre-loaded data in forms
* **Content Management**: Let users edit existing posts or pages with previously saved content

## Fetch data into your form

<Steps>
  <Step title="Connect to Zite Database">
    Open your Fillout form and click `Integrate` on top to [link it to your Zite Database](https://www.fillout.com/help/guides/sync-form-results#link-your-form-to-a-zite-database).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Database connection">
    Go back to `Integrate` and click `Zite Database`.

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/fillout-005a867b-dependabot-npm-and-yarn-form-data-4-0-6/oJ7LY4haRzATxb7E/images/Screenshot2026-03-30at7.10.01PM.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=oJ7LY4haRzATxb7E&q=85&s=f920567888936bd4cde07882c1e5cf87" alt="Screenshot 2026 03 30 At 7 10 01 PM" width="2598" height="1353" data-path="images/Screenshot2026-03-30at7.10.01PM.png" />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add records to pre-fetch">
    Click `Pre-fetch records` followed by **+ Add new**. In our example, we'll have a form where clients can update their delivery address. Instead of filling everything from scratch, their existing details will be pre-filled.

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/fillout-005a867b-dependabot-npm-and-yarn-form-data-4-0-6/oJ7LY4haRzATxb7E/images/Screenshot2026-03-30at7.13.35PM.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=oJ7LY4haRzATxb7E&q=85&s=4811135629444e7d98e8fc2771a9a93c" alt="Screenshot 2026 03 30 At 7 13 35 PM" width="2586" height="1395" data-path="images/Screenshot2026-03-30at7.13.35PM.png" />

    In the popup, **Name your record**. This is just a label to help you identify this pre-fetch setup when using it in your form.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test fetch (Optional)">
    Select the **Table** you'd like to fetch records from. Then **+ Add condition** to **Filter by**.

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/fillout-005a867b-dependabot-npm-and-yarn-form-data-4-0-6/KaRHLex9fqtFXaSO/images/Screenshot2026-03-30at7.18.00PM.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=KaRHLex9fqtFXaSO&q=85&s=44f9a7ae101363e41ddbe17f698c2ac4" alt="Screenshot 2026 03 30 At 7 18 00 PM" title="Screenshot 2026 03 30 At 7 18 00 PM" style={{ width:"55%" }} width="1339" height="1179" data-path="images/Screenshot2026-03-30at7.18.00PM.png" />

    Choose a database column from the left, then match this a [url parameter](https://www.fillout.com/help/url-parameters), static value, or login fields (from your login page) on the right . This condition is how the form identifies which record to fetch.

    For our example, we'll fetch records with their `Email`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Publish and share">
    Click `Publish` in the upper right corner  [share](https://www.fillout.com/help/sharing) your form using a link that includes the identifier. For example: [https://yourform.com/update-profile?email=juan@email.com](https://yourform.com/update-profile?email=juan@email.com)
  </Step>
</Steps>