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The transform method defines what data your resource returns. Every time Exo sends an API response or delivers a webhook, it calls transform to build the payload.

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Basic transform

Return an array of the fields you want to expose: 
public function transform(Model $model): array
{
    return [
        'id' => $model->id,
        'name' => $model->name,
        'email' => $model->email,
        'created_at' => $model->created_at,
    ];
}
This is the array that API consumers and webhook subscribers receive.

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Choosing which fields to include

You control exactly what gets exposed. A common pattern is to exclude sensitive or internal fields: 
public function transform(Model $model): array
{
    return [
        'id' => $model->id,
        'order_number' => $model->order_number,
        'status' => $model->status,
        'total' => $model->total,
        'customer_name' => $model->customer_name,
        'created_at' => $model->created_at,
    ];
}
Only include fields that external tools and automations need. Leave out internal data like cost margins, admin notes, or soft-delete timestamps.
You can include data from related models: 
public function transform(Model $model): array
{
    return [
        'id' => $model->id,
        'name' => $model->name,
        'email' => $model->email,
        'company_name' => $model->company?->name,
        'tags' => $model->tags->pluck('name')->toArray(),
    ];
}
When including relationships, make sure to eager-load them in baseQuery() to avoid performance issues. See the search & queries page.

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Date formatting

Exo automatically formats date fields as ISO-8601 strings (e.g. 2026-03-28T14:30:00+00:00). This applies to any attribute listed in the model’s $dates array or cast as a date. You don’t need to format dates yourself — if you include a date field in your transform output and the model recognizes it as a date, Exo handles the formatting through the resolve method. 
public function transform(Model $model): array
{
    return [
        'id' => $model->id,
        'name' => $model->name,
        'created_at' => $model->created_at,  // automatically formatted as ISO-8601
        'updated_at' => $model->updated_at,  // automatically formatted as ISO-8601
    ];
}

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Using toArray for quick setup

For a quick start, you can return the entire model: 
public function transform(Model $model): array
{
    return $model->toArray();
}
This works but exposes all visible attributes. It’s better to explicitly list fields so you control what external tools see — especially if you add new columns to the model later.