Variables

What are variables?

Variables in Tallyfy are placeholders that grab information from one step in your process and show it wherever else you need it. No more copy-pasting data between steps.

Variables = Mail Carriers

Someone types a Customer Name at the start of a process. A variable picks up that name and delivers it to every step that needs it - task titles, descriptions, emails. The name just appears. This cuts out copy-paste errors and saves real time.

Why use variables?

• Pass data - information entered in step 1 automatically appears in steps 5, 8, and 12
• Live updates - text updates instantly based on what people type in
• Personalize - your task instructions show the actual client’s name, not just “the client”
• Trigger automation - set up automation rules that react to variable values (if Customer Type = “VIP”, route to senior staff)
• Stay consistent - that order number stays identical everywhere it appears

How variables work

1. Source: Variables pull data from form fields on your template steps or kick-off form.
2. Insert: In the template editor, click the insert variable dropdown in the step description toolbar to pick a field. Tallyfy inserts a {{alias}}¹ placeholder.
3. Collect: Someone fills in the form field during a running process.
4. Display: When the process reaches the later step, Tallyfy swaps the placeholder with the actual value entered.

Variable sources

Any form field you add to template steps or the kick-off form becomes a variable source:

• Text and textarea fields
• Date fields
• Dropdown menus, radio buttons, or multi-select checklists
• Email fields
• File upload fields
• Table fields
• Assignee picker fields

Tallyfy also provides built-in system variables like the current task ID and process ID.

Common uses

• Client name appears in every relevant task title automatically
• A due date from step 2 shows up in steps 10, 15, and 20
• Approval tasks reference exact answers from earlier steps
• Document templates fill themselves with process-specific details
• Dropdown selections trigger different workflow paths (pick “Rush Order” and Tallyfy routes it accordingly)

• Insert variables

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Footnotes

1. Mustache syntax - double curly braces wrap the form field’s auto-generated alias (e.g. {{text-a1b2}}) that’s a unique identifier for each field ↩

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