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

Related articles

Variables > Insert variables

Tallyfy lets you insert dynamic variables into step titles and descriptions by clicking the [ ] button to pull form field data from earlier steps into later ones so that workflows become personalized and context-rich without any manual retyping.

Tasks > Set default content for form fields

Tallyfy lets you pre-fill form fields with static text, dynamic variables from earlier steps, or system values like today’s date so that users spend less time retyping common information and make fewer errors while still being free to change any pre-filled value.

Edit Processes > Auto-name a process

Tallyfy’s auto-naming feature lets you define a naming pattern in any template using static text and kick-off form variables so every launched process gets a consistent and structured name instead of random or blank titles typed manually by team members.

Features > Fill in the blanks

Tallyfy replaces the error-prone habit of cloning documents by letting you build smart templates with locked standard text and editable fill-in-the-blank fields while also supporting reusable snippets and auto-populating variables that pull in previously collected data across your workflows.

Footnotes

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

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