---
title: "Virtual Entities"
url: https://flexie.io/resources/dynamic-endpoints/virtual-entities
description: "The \"record\" a workflow runs on when there is no stored row, when the data is the thing that just arrived. The special record type that powers dynamic endpoints and other inbound-signal workflows."
---

# Virtual Entities

Last updated 23 May 2026

![An incoming request wrapped as a disposable virtual record, processed by a workflow](https://flexie.io/image/resources/dynamic-endpoints-virtual-entities.png)

Every workflow runs on a **record type**. Usually that is a real, stored type, Lead, Deal, Invoice, a custom record. A **virtual entity** is a special record type (shown as **virtual**) for workflows that react to data arriving from outside, where there is nothing stored to run on yet.

When a request hits a [dynamic endpoint](https://flexie.io/resources/dynamic-endpoints/creating-an-endpoint), Flexie wraps that request up as a virtual entity and runs the workflow against it. The workflow's steps then read the request's contents and do real work, looking up and updating stored records, sending messages, calling other systems, replying to the caller.

Think of it as a **disposable record made of the incoming data**, existing just long enough for the workflow to process it.

## What feeds a virtual entity

A virtual entity can be created from several kinds of incoming data, not only web requests. The sources Flexie supports:

* **A web request** to a dynamic endpoint (the main case, this section's focus)
* **An inbound email**
* **An inbound SMS**
* **An inbound WhatsApp message**
* **A form submission**
* **A scheduled trigger**
* **A record-deletion event**

In every case the principle is the same: some data arrives, it becomes a virtual entity, and a workflow processes it.

## The one rule to remember

A workflow whose record type is **virtual** can only use the **Listener** or **Scheduled** [sources](https://flexie.io/resources/workflows/triggers-and-sources). That makes sense: a virtual entity comes into being **because** a signal arrived (listener) or a clock fired (scheduled), there is no stored record to trigger "on create or update."

The builder enforces this. If you choose the virtual record type, you will only be offered those two sources.

## How the data is reached

Once the workflow is running on a virtual entity, the incoming data is available to your steps through [Flexie Scripting](https://flexie.io/resources/flexie-scripting/overview) tokens. For a web request:

* **The body's fields** are available as `{{ __data.field_name }}`.
* **The request headers** are under `{{ __data.__headers.* }}`.
* **Anything earlier steps stored** is under `{{ __data.* }}`.

The details, how different body formats are read, and exactly where each piece lands, are on the [Receiving data](https://flexie.io/resources/dynamic-endpoints/receiving-data) page.

## Creating a virtual-entity workflow

1. Open the Workflows section and choose **New**.
2. For **record type**, choose the **virtual** type.
3. For **source**, choose **Listener** (for an endpoint or an inbound message) or **Scheduled**.
4. Add the endpoint listener (for web requests), see [Creating an endpoint](https://flexie.io/resources/dynamic-endpoints/creating-an-endpoint), and build your steps.

## Next steps

* [Creating an endpoint](https://flexie.io/resources/dynamic-endpoints/creating-an-endpoint): the URL and its security.
* [Receiving data](https://flexie.io/resources/dynamic-endpoints/receiving-data): turning the request into usable values.