Insert variables

How to use variables in step titles and descriptions

Insert Variables allow dynamic display of information across your process by referencing form field values from one step in another step’s title or description.

Requirements

• A template in edit mode
• Form fields in an earlier step
• A subsequent step where you want to display the form field values

How Insert Variables work

Insert Variables create dynamic references between:

• Source: A form field where data is entered
• Target: A title or description where that data is displayed

When a user completes a form field in an early step, its value automatically appears in any later steps that reference it using variables.

Benefits of using Insert Variables

• Data consistency - Information entered once is displayed consistently throughout the process
• Dynamic updates - Changes to form values update all references automatically
• Personalization - Task titles and descriptions adapt to specific process instances
• Error reduction - Eliminate manual data copying between steps
• Context preservation - Maintain relevant information across the workflow

Adding variables to step titles

1. Open your template in Edit mode
2. Create form fields in an earlier step that will provide the data
3. Navigate to a later step where you want to use the variable
4. Click on the step title field to edit it
5. Position your cursor where you want to insert the variable
6. Click the (Insert Variable) button
7. Select the form field you want to reference
8. Save your changes

Adding variables to step descriptions

1. Open your template in Edit mode
2. Create form fields in an earlier step
3. Navigate to a later step’s description editor
4. Position your cursor where you want to insert the variable
5. Click the button in the text editor toolbar
6. Select the form field you want to reference
7. Save your changes

Variable behavior during process execution

When the process is launched:

1. Users complete the form fields in early steps
2. The system captures these values
3. In later steps, the variables are automatically replaced with the actual values
4. If form field values change, all variable references update accordingly

Common use cases

Dynamic task titles

• Approval request for [Project Name]
• Review document for [Client Name]
• Schedule meeting with [Department]

Contextual instructions

• “Please review the proposal for [Client Name] focusing on [Focus Area]”
• “Contact [Customer Name] at [Phone Number] to discuss [Topic]”
• “Prepare [Document Type] according to requirements from [Requesting Department]“

Best practices

• Use descriptive form field names for easier variable selection
• Test your process to ensure variables display as expected
• Consider what happens if a form field is left empty
• Use variables for information that might change during the process
• Combine multiple variables with fixed text for clear context

Related articles

Templates > Variables

Dynamic placeholders called variables enable information transfer between process steps while allowing real-time data flow and content customization through form fields text dates numbers selections and user references.

Templates > Create a template

Tallyfy enables template creation through three methods: building from scratch manually entering steps using AI assistance to generate structure or uploading existing documents which get automatically converted into digital workflow templates.

Documents > Add fields to document templates

Tallyfy’s document templates allow users to create standardized documents with editable short text long text and date fields while keeping the rest of the content locked for consistency.

Edit Templates > Add a description to a template

Adding a description to templates requires selecting Edit view clicking on the desired step and entering text in the Description drawer which auto-saves while template changes only affect future processes.