Variables & Data
Variables are how data flows between nodes in a workflow. Every node produces output, and downstream nodes can reference that output using variable syntax.
Variable syntax
Use double curly braces to reference data from any previous node:
{{node_name.field_name}}
Examples:
{{trigger.body.email}}: the email field from the trigger's payload{{http_request.body.status}}: the status from an API response{{analyzer.result.category}}: the AI classification result
How data flows
- Trigger fires → produces output (e.g., webhook payload)
- Node 1 reads trigger output via
{{trigger.body.field}} - Node 1 executes → produces its own output
- Node 2 reads Node 1's output via
{{node_1.result.field}} - This chain continues through the entire workflow
Each node can reference any previous node's output, not just the immediately preceding one.
Nested fields
Access nested JSON fields with dot notation:
{{trigger.body.customer.address.city}}
{{sheets.rows[0].name}}
{{http_request.body.data.items[0].price}}
Special variables
| Variable | What it gives you |
|---|---|
{{now}} | Current ISO timestamp |
{{env.VARIABLE_NAME}} | Environment variable |
{{item}} | Current item in a For Each loop |
{{item._index}} | Current loop iteration (0-based) |
Variable picker
You don't have to type variables manually. Click the {{ }} button in any input field to open the variable picker. It shows all available outputs from previous nodes in a searchable tree view.
If a variable returns undefined, the field it references doesn't exist in the source data. Double-check the field name by looking at the previous node's execution output.
Transforming data
Use the Transformer node or Formula-FX (the AI expression builder) to transform data between nodes:
- Convert text to uppercase/lowercase
- Parse JSON strings
- Format dates
- Calculate values
- Merge arrays
- Extract substrings
Formula-FX is AI-powered: describe the transformation you want in plain language and it generates the expression. Click the wand icon in the bottom bar to open it.
