Automation variables allow you to insert dynamic data into automation actions. Variables are special pieces of text enclosed in curly brackets that are replaced by values when an automation is executed.

Variables can be used in the following automation actions:

For example, if you have a task to write a blog post titled "How to sell widgets" and you wanted to include the parent task name when sub tasks are added to the task, your title fields in the Create Sub Task action would look something like this:

{triggered.task.title}: Research
{triggered.task.title}: Outline
{triggered.task.title}: Draft
{triggered.task.title}: Final

When the sub tasks are created they will look like this:

How to sell widgets: Research
How to sell widgets: Outline
How to sell widgets: Draft
How to sell widgets: Final

{triggered.user.first_name}
{triggered.user.last_name}
{triggered.user.email}

{board.id}

{board.owner.first_name}
{board.owner.last_name}
{board.owner.email}
{board.title}
{board.link}
{board.group}
{board.start_date}
{board.due_date}

{board.custom_field.ID} - Replace with Custom field ID (see below)

{board.custom_field.ID.custom_field.ID} - Replace with Custom field ID (see below) - This variable is used with the Catalog custom field. The second ID will reference data from a record in that catalog.

{triggered.task.id}
{triggered.task.title}
{triggered.task.description}
{triggered.task.link}

{triggered.task.start_date}

{triggered.task.due_date}

{triggered.task.assignees.emails} - Will return a comma separated list of email addresses of the assigned users

{triggered.task.watchers.emails}

{triggered.task.assignees.json} - Will return a JSON object of assignees

{triggered.task.watchers.json}

{triggered.task.tags.json}
{triggered.task.custom_field.ID} - Replace with Custom field ID (see below)

{triggered.task.custom_field.ID.custom_field.ID} - Replace with Custom field ID (see below) - This variable is used with the Catalog custom field. The second ID will reference data from a record in that catalog.

{triggered.parent.id}
{triggered.parent.title}
{triggered.parent.task.description}
{triggered.parent.task.link}
{triggered.parent.task.custom_field.ID} - Replace with Custom field ID (see below)

{triggered.parent.board.id}

{triggered.parent.board.title}

{triggered.parent.board.link}

{triggered.parent.custom_field.ID.custom_field.ID} - Replace with Custom field ID (see below) - This variable is used with the Catalog custom field. The second ID will reference data from a record in that catalog.

These variables are in the timezone of the user who executed the automation, if the automation is not executed by a user they'll return in the timezone of the user who created the automation. You can modify your timezone in the settings.

{date} e.g. October 3, 2016
{datenumber} e.g. 10/3/2016
{monthdaynumber} e.g. 3
{weekdayname} e.g. Monday
{monthname} e.g. September
{quarternumber} e.g. 4
{week} e.g. Week #1
{year} e.g. 2016
{time} e.g. 9:59pm
{time24} e.g. 21:59
{timelong} e.g. 21:59:59 EDT

We also provide time based variables which are in UTC time:

{date.utc} e.g. October 3, 2016

{datenumber.utc} e.g. 10/3/2016

{monthdaynumber.utc} e.g. 3

{weekdayname.utc} e.g. Monday

{monthname.utc} e.g. September

{quarternumber.utc} e.g. 4

{week.utc} e.g. Week #1

{year.utc} e.g. 2016

{time.utc} e.g. 9:59pm

{time24.utc} e.g. 21:59

{timelong.utc} e.g. 21:59:59 UTC

Custom field variables require the ID of the specific custom field you want to use. You will need to replace ID with the ID number of the customer field. If the ID of the custom field you want to use was 31, your custom field variable would look like this:

From the task or sub task:

{triggered.task.custom_field.31}

From the parent task:

{triggered.parent.task.custom_field.31}

From the board:

{board.custom_field.31}

You can locate the custom field ID in the custom fields admin area under Account > Custom Fields.

Note: You must be a Custom Field Manager to access this area.

Automation variables can be used in a Board Template, via automations, just as they are used on boards. However, in addition to that, we also allow you to enter variables in various fields inside your board template. 

This means that you can add variables into the following types of board template fields:

Variables that you use in the content of the board template will be converted to text when you create a board from the template.

Note: The only variable types that can be applied in Board templates are "From the Board of the automation" and "Time-based variables". See "Available Variables" above.