It seems you may be using English. Would you like to go to the international site? bika.ai
Guide
Basic
Automation Guide
Database
Integration Guide
Dashboard
Self-hosted
Business AI Agent Template
Open API
Cookbook
Reference
Automation Triggers
Automation Actions
Integrations
Node Resources
Database Views
Database Fields
Dashboard Widgets
Missions
Ai Wizard
Formula
Space
Videos
Release Notes

Variable Selector

Overview

The Variable Selector is a visual tool in Automation workflows that lets you reference output data from upstream triggers or actions. It helps pass data between steps, making it easy to handle more complex business scenarios.

For example, to set up a workflow for sending mass emails:

  1. Use the Get Records action to filter a list of target customers.
  2. Use a Loop action to process each customer one by one.
  3. For each customer, use the DeepSeek – Text Generation action to create a personalized email.
  4. Finally, pass the customer's email address as a variable to the Send Email action.

How to Use It

  1. While setting up an action in the workflow, click into an input field.
  2. Press the / key on your keyboard to invoke the Variable Selector.
  3. Browse available variables in the pop-up menu.
  4. Click on a variable to insert it into the current field.

Note: Not all fields support variable insertion. Please follow the on-screen hints when configuring.

How It Works

The Variable Selector shows the output of all triggers and actions that run before the current step. Each trigger or action produces structured JSON output when executed. The selector turns this into a clickable list for easy reference.

To make sure variables load correctly, click Run Test in the trigger or action panel. This generates the necessary output for the picker to use.

Variable Data Types

Variables are based on JavaScript data types. Common types include:

  • Object
  • Array
  • String
  • Number

Each variable in the list has an icon to show its type.

Object Type

  • A ">" icon means the object can be expanded to view subfields.
  • A "Select" button lets you insert the entire object if supported.

Array Type

Just like objects, arrays can be expanded to see individual items. Arrays are often used with the Loop action to handle multiple entries at once.

Example:

  1. The Get Records action returns an array of customer records.
  2. The Loop action processes each customer individually.
  3. The personalized message and email address are passed to the Send Email action.

Below is a GIF showing how to use the Get Records output as input in the Loop action:

String & Number

  • These don't have subfields, so there's no expand icon.
  • Just click to insert directly.

Special Variables

Some triggers or actions output preformatted text variables. These usually come from database-related components like:

  • When record meets condition (trigger)
  • When new record is created (trigger)
  • Get/Create/Update Record (actions)
  • The variable Record List (Text) outputs a list of records in Markdown format. It's best used with the Send Report or Send Email actions. When inserted into an report, it looks like this:

  • The variable Grid List (Text) outputs a table of records in Markdown format.

How to View Variable Structure or Values

To use a variable correctly, preview its structure by running a test:

  1. Click Run Test in the trigger or action panel.
  2. Check the full JSON output in the popup.

Note: Some components like the Webhook trigger only generate output when a real request is received. If "Run Test" doesn’t work:

  • Go to the main workflow view.
  • Click Run Now to perform a real execution.
  • Then check the output in the Run History panel.

FAQs

Q: Why don’t I see certain variables?

  • Only outputs from previous steps (that have been tested or run) will show up.
  • Make sure to run a test or perform a real execution for each step.

Q: How can I check the structure of a variable? Run the workflow once, then go to the "Run history" to view the output of each step and inspect the variable structure.

bika cta

Recommend Reading

Recommend AI Automation Templates

E-commerce Supplier Order Collaboration
An efficient order collaboration process designed for cross-border e-commerce. Through intelligent matching and a rotation mechanism, it automatically assigns C2B order tasks to suitable suppliers, achieving end-to-end automated management from order receipt to production and delivery, enhancing team efficiency and reducing manual errors.
Eisenhower Matrix
Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th U.S. president and WWII's Allied Supreme Commander, also led NATO's forces. He developed the Eisenhower matrix to enhance his time management skills, making critical decisions in various roles.
Email Reminder
Set timed email reminders to ensure team members receive notices at specific dates and times, keeping them on schedule with tasks and informed about crucial updates.
Employee Engagement Survey
The Employee Engagement Survey template is designed to help organizations efficiently measure employee engagement and satisfaction.This tool helps identify differences in employee experiences and supports data-driven decisions for goal setting and workplace improvement.
Employee onboarding
The Employee Onboarding Template is a customizable set of tools designed to assist enterprises in efficiently managing all aspects of the new employee onboarding process.
Competition Management
This template covers various processes in competition participation management, such as registration, data collection, sending email notifications to contestants and the management team, and judging and scoring. It provides comprehensive support for both contestants and the organizer, helping managers manage and serve the contestants efficiently.