Variables in chatbots and workflows

A variable is a named value you insert into a later step by typing its name in double curly braces, for example {{customer_name}}. In a chatbot, the values come from the customer's answers, lookups, AI replies and the contact record. In a workflow, they come from the trigger (a form, a sheet row, an IndiaMART enquiry) and from earlier steps.

#Name a variable

Variable names use letters, digits and underscores, can't start with a digit, and can be up to 64 characters. Names are case-sensitive: budget_lakh and Budget_Lakh are two different variables.

A few names are reserved and can't be used, including contactId, sessionId, chatbotId, channelId, projectId and userId. The builder marks a reserved or invalid name in red.

#Where chatbot variables get their values

You name the variable in the block that captures the value. Later blocks read it as {{name}}.

Every AI Conversation also saves its last reply as {{ai_last_response}}, whether or not you set a Result variable.

#Contact fields

These are always available in chatbot messages, without capturing anything:

#Where you can use them

Type {{name}} in a Send Message text, a Buttons body, header, footer or button title, an Ask a Question question, a Knowledge Base Answer Question to search, or the URL, Headers, Query params and Body of a Lookup Data block. In Update Contact, the Email field takes a single variable such as {{customer_email}}.

Two fields take the name without braces: the variable in a Condition rule, and the right-hand column of Attribute updates in Update Contact and Response mapping in Lookup Data.

#Example: a chatbot answer reused in a message

A Pune real-estate bot asks two questions:

A Send Message block with this text:

Thanks {{customer_name}}! Sharing our projects in {{locality}} now.

sends the customer:

Thanks Rohan! Sharing our projects in Baner now.

#Example: map an API response with Lookup Data

Your order system returns this for GET https://api.example.in/orders/4471:

{ "order": { "status": "Shipped", "awb": "SR4471IN" }, "items": [ { "name": "Steel almirah" } ] }

Set the URL to https://api.example.in/orders/{{order_id}} and add these Response mapping rows:

A JSON path is a dotted path of field names, with [0]-style indexes for lists. You can start it with $. if you prefer ($.order.status works the same). After the block runs, {{order_status}} is Shipped and {{first_item}} is Steel almirah.

If a path isn't in the response, the block takes its Failure exit, so connect that exit to a helpful message.

#Where workflow variables get their values

In a workflow, the trigger creates the first variables. Their names depend on the trigger:

Later steps add their own values:

#In a WhatsApp template's variables

In the Send WhatsApp Template block, each slot under Message variables takes one variable on its own, such as {{IMART_SENDER_NAME}}, or a fixed value. Contact fields such as {{firstName}} work here too. Don't mix text and a variable in one slot.

#In a workflow Condition

The Condition (If / Else) block reads a path, not a {{variable}}. Trigger and step variables sit under variables., so to branch on the IndiaMART buyer's city, set the field to variables.IMART_SENDER_CITY, the operator to equals and the value to Pune.

#Example: a webhook into a WhatsApp template

Your website form posts:

{ "name": "Priya Kulkarni", "phone": "+919876543210", "plan": "Gold" }

The workflow now has {{WEBHOOK_NAME}} = Priya Kulkarni, {{WEBHOOK_PHONE}} = +919876543210 and {{WEBHOOK_PLAN}} = Gold. In your approved template "Hi {{1}}, your {{2}} plan is active", set slot 1 to {{WEBHOOK_NAME}} and slot 2 to {{WEBHOOK_PLAN}}. Priya receives "Hi Priya Kulkarni, your Gold plan is active".

A webhook caller isn't a contact yet, so add Find Contacts (Find by: Phone number, Value: {{WEBHOOK_PHONE}}) and Set Active Contact (Contact: {{findContacts.firstContactId}}) before the send.

#What happens when a variable is empty

#Common questions

#Can I use a variable from one chatbot in another?

Only if the second bot is started by a Replace Bot block with Preserve session data on. Otherwise each conversation starts with its own variables.

#Why does my customer see {{customer_name}} instead of their name?

The variable wasn't set when that message was sent. Check that the name matches exactly, including capitals, and that the block that saves it runs before the message.

#Is a Condition comparison case-sensitive?

In a chatbot Condition, equals compares text exactly, so Baner and baner don't match. contains, starts with, ends with and is one of ignore case.

#Why doesn't {{webhook.email}} work in my workflow?

Webhook fields are available as {{WEBHOOK_<FIELD>}}, so an email field is {{WEBHOOK_EMAIL}}. Google Sheets columns work the same way with SHEET_.

#Do variables work in a Knowledge Base Answer?

Yes. The Question to search field accepts variables, for example {{customer_question}}.