Halfway there.
var field = arguments[0], value = skuid.utils.decodeHTML(arguments[1]), $ = skuid.$, dfd = new jQuery.Deferred(), userRoleModel = skuid.$M('UserRoles'), currentUserRoleModel = skuid.$M('CurrentUserRole'), currentUserRoleModelCond = currentUserRoleModel.getConditionByName('roleId'); if (field.mode == 'edit') { // lookup values in userRole in order to display then in a picklist } else { // find the Name of the userRole based on the value in the text field called Role and display name currentUserRoleModel.setCondition(currentUserRoleModelCond,value); $.when(currentUserRoleModel.updateData()) .done(function(){ var currentURMRow = currentUserRoleModel.getFirstRow(); // set the value of the field skuid.ui.fieldRenderers.TEXT.read( field, currentURMRow.Name ); dfd.resolve(); }) .fail(function(){ dfd.reject(); }); } return dfd.promise();