Variable Values

Values which can be updated with a Process

A Process can make use of variable values (we can also just refer to them as variables).

Variables

Variables are named values which have an initial value, and can be updated at any point within a Process via Update Variable actions.

To define a variable is to :

  • choose the type (numerical, date, etc)
  • give a name (must be symbolic)
  • give an initial value
  • optionally give a description / comment to help remember the meaning of the variable

Using variable values

Presenting values to the user

The value of a variable can be presented to the user in Process steps by surrounding the variable name is braces.

Example: if you have defined a variable age-in-years, you can inform the user in some step:

Client is {age-in-years} years old

Using values in calculations

One of the actions available is Update Variable.

You can define an Update Variable action and specify an expression to calculate a new value for a given variable.

For example, suppose you have defined a variable invoice-value and you want to update another variable tax so that its value is 16% of the invoice value, you can give the following expression to an Update Variable action action to update tax

{age-in-years} * 16/100

How to DELETE a variable

A Variable can be deleted only when there are no references to it.

When that is true, the variable will appear in lighter colors, and moving the mouse over it will expose a trash icon

Deleting a variable

How to view the USES of a variable

When a Variable is not deletable, it is because it is in use somewhere within your project, and to delete it would be to create the conditions for a software crash.

If you want to know where it is being used, Logiak can tell you:

Viewing where variable is used