Remote Data is most helpful to use when you're looking for data that is part of an endpoint that Merge does call. If you need an extra field specific to an integration's standard response that is not included in Merge’s standardized format, utilizing remote data will help you avoid an additional API request to the integration platform.
If you're looking for data from an endpoint that Merge does not make requests to, we suggest creating an Authenticated Passthrough Request. These requests are sent directly to an integration's API and follow each integration's specific API format instead of Merge's unified format. This approach is ideal for when you're looking to fetch data not included in Merge's common models.
Merge also allows you to map Custom Fields from the platforms you use to your Merge common models. Merge will make a request to the custom fields endpoint for each API provider (if available), and our custom fields allow you to get the key back in the same format, regardless of how it's saved in your customers' instance.