Set variable - QuickBot Documentation

The Set Variable block allows you to create, modify, and manage variables throughout your bot conversation, enabling dynamic content and sophisticated data handling.

Configuration Options

Variable Selection

Variable Dropdown: Choose from existing variables or create new ones
Variable Creation: Automatically creates variables that don’t exist
Variable Scope: Control whether variables are session-only or saved to results
Type Safety: Ensures proper variable type handling throughout the flow

Value Type Selection

The Set Variable block offers 18 different ways to set variable values:

Static Values

Custom: Set any text value or JavaScript expression
Empty: Reset variable to undefined state
Random ID: Generate unique identifier using CUID algorithm

User Data (WhatsApp only)

Phone Number: User’s WhatsApp phone number
Contact Name: User’s WhatsApp display name

Date and Time

Now: Current date and time in ISO format
Today: Current date without time
Yesterday: Previous day’s date
Tomorrow: Next day’s date
Moment of the Day: Time-based greeting (morning/afternoon/evening/night)

System Values

Environment Name: Platform identifier (web/whatsapp)
Result ID: Current conversation result identifier
User ID: Unique user identifier for the session
Transcript: Complete conversation history

Data Manipulation

Append Value(s): Add values to arrays or create arrays
Pop: Remove and store last item from array
Shift: Remove and store first item from array
Map Item with Same Index: Cross-reference between related arrays

Advanced Configuration

Save in Results: Persist variables beyond the session
Execute on Client: Run JavaScript code in user’s browser
Time Zone Support: Convert dates to specific time zones

Custom

You can set your variable with any value with Custom. It can be any kind of plain text but also Javascript code.

Expressions with existing variables

It means you can apply operations on existing variables. Add a value to your variable:

{{Score}} + 5

Compute a sum of variables:

{{Score}} + {{Answer}}

Multiply variables together:

{{Score}} * {{Multiplier}}

Compute a percentage:

{{Score}} * 100 / {{Max Score}}

Extract the first name from a full name:

{{Full name}}.split(' ')[0]

Transform existing variable to upper case or lower case:

{{Name}}.toUpperCase()

{{Name}}.toLowerCase()

This can also be Javascript code. It will read the returned value of the code and set it to your variable.

const name = 'John' + 'Doe'
return name

If you don’t provide the return keyword then it will be automatically prepended to the beginning of your code.

'John' + 'Doe'

is the same as

return 'John' + 'Doe'

Variables in script are not parsed, they are evaluated. So it should be treated as if it were real Javascript variables.So, if you write "{{My variable}}", it will parse the variable ID (something like vclfqgqkdf000008mh3r6xakty). You need to remove the double quotes to properly get the variable content value.For example,

❌ "{{URL base}}/path" => vclfqgqkdf000008mh3r6xakty/path
✅ {{URL base}} + '/path' => https://my-site.com/path
✅ `${{{URL base}}}/path` => https://my-site.com/path

Variables content can either be a string or a list of strings. Check out Valid value types for more information.

Empty

Resets your variable as if it was never initialized.

Append value(s)

A conveniant value that automatically transform your variable into a list of strings. It will append the value(s) to the list. 3 possible cases here:

If the variable is empty, it will create a new array with the provided value(s)
If the variable is not an array, it will create a new array with the existing value followed by the provided value(s).
If the variable is an array, it will concatenate the provided value(s) to the existing array.

Environment name

This will set your variable with either web or whatsapp depending on the environment.

Transcript

This preset value will save the entire conversation transcript in a variable. It is super useful to provide context to an AI block or to send it as a recap with the Send email block.

Result ID

This will set your variable with the current result ID. The result ID is the ID that corresponds to a row of your Results table. It can be considered like a User ID for the currently chatting user.

Yesterday, Now, Tomorrow

This will set your variable with the specified date and time in ISO format. You can optionally provide a time zone to convert the date to the specified time zone.

Random ID

This will set your variable with a random ID with the CUID algorithm.

Moment of the day

It will set your variable with either one of these values based on the user’s time of the day: morning, afternoon, evening, night. Then you can use this variable to conditionally display content:

Map item with same index

This is a convenient value block that allows you to easily get an item from a list that has the same index as an item from another list. When you are pulling data from another service, sometimes, you will have 2 lists: Labels and Ids. Labels are the data displayed to the user and Ids are the data used for other requests to that external service. This value block allows you to find the Id from Ids with the same index as Label in Labels

Phone number

Only available in WhatsApp. This will set your variable with the user’s phone number.

Contact name

Only available in WhatsApp. This will set your variable with the user’s name.

Save in results

By default, new variables are not persisted in the Results table. They are only stored for the current user chat session. Enabling this option will save the variable in the Results table.

Execute on client

This option is useful when you want to execute the custom code on the client side. This is only necessary when you need access the user’s browser information. So, if you need access to window, document, navigator, etc., you should enable this option.

Get user’s geo location

For this you can provide the following custom code:

function getLocation() {
  return new Promise((resolve) => {
    navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(
      (position) => resolve(`${position.coords.latitude}, ${position.coords.longitude}`),
      (error) => resolve('error'),
      { enableHighAccuracy: true, timeout: 5000 },
    )
  })
}

const coords = await getLocation()

// Check for error
if (coords === 'error') {
  return 'Unable to get location'
}

return coords

This custom function can only work when it is executed on the client browser so you need to make sure to enable the “Execute on client” option.

Advanced Features

JavaScript Expression Engine

The Custom value type provides a full JavaScript expression engine:

// Mathematical calculations
{{Price}} * {{Quantity}} * (1 - {{Discount}} / 100)

// String manipulation
{{First Name}}.toUpperCase() + ' ' + {{Last Name}}.toLowerCase()

// Conditional expressions
{{Score}} > 80 ? 'Pass' : 'Fail'

// Date calculations
new Date({{Birthday}}).getFullYear()

// Array operations
[{{Answer1}}, {{Answer2}}, {{Answer3}}].filter(a => a.length > 0)

Dynamic Array Management

Sophisticated array handling for complex data structures:

// Create arrays from user responses
Append Values: {{New Response}}
// Result: ["Response1", "Response2", "Response3"]

// Process survey responses
Pop from {{Responses}} → stores last response in new variable
Shift from {{Responses}} → stores first response in new variable

// Cross-reference arrays
Map Item: Find item in {{IDs}} at same index as {{Selection}} in {{Labels}}

Client-side Capabilities

Execute code in user’s browser for advanced functionality:

// Browser detection
navigator.userAgent.includes('Mobile') ? 'Mobile' : 'Desktop'

// Screen information
window.screen.width + 'x' + window.screen.height

// Local storage access
localStorage.getItem('userPreference') || 'default'

// URL parameters
new URLSearchParams(window.location.search).get('utm_source')

Context-Aware Variable Setting

Smart variable management based on conversation context:

Session Variables: Temporary data that expires with the conversation
Persistent Variables: Data saved to results table for long-term storage
Linked Variables: Variables connected to user blocks for automatic updates
Computed Variables: Variables that depend on other variables and update automatically

Best Practices

Variable Management Strategy

Naming Conventions: Use clear, descriptive names (e.g., “User Email” not “email”)
Scope Planning: Decide which variables need persistence vs session-only
Type Consistency: Keep variable types consistent throughout the flow
Documentation: Document complex variable relationships for team collaboration

Performance Optimization

Minimal Processing: Keep JavaScript expressions simple to avoid delays
Efficient Arrays: Use appropriate array operations (pop vs shift vs append)
Client vs Server: Choose execution environment based on requirements
Variable Cleanup: Reset or empty variables when no longer needed

Data Privacy and Security

Sensitive Data: Use session-only variables for passwords or tokens
Input Validation: Validate user input before storing in variables
PII Handling: Be mindful of personally identifiable information storage
External APIs: Secure API keys and sensitive endpoints in expressions

User Experience Considerations

Loading States: Provide feedback during complex variable calculations
Error Handling: Set fallback values for failed operations
Mobile Compatibility: Test client-side code across devices
Accessibility: Ensure variable-driven content works with screen readers

Example Use Cases

E-commerce Cart Management

// Calculate total price with tax and discount
const subtotal = {{Cart Items}}.reduce((sum, item) => sum + (item.price * item.quantity), 0)
const discount = {{User Type}} === 'premium' ? 0.15 : 0.05
const tax = subtotal * 0.08
return (subtotal * (1 - discount) + tax).toFixed(2)

User Personalization

// Set personalized greeting based on time and user data
const hour = new Date().getHours()
const name = {{User Name}} || 'there'
const timeOfDay = hour < 12 ? 'morning' : hour < 17 ? 'afternoon' : 'evening'
return `Good ${timeOfDay}, ${name}!`

Survey Response Processing

// Calculate satisfaction score from multiple responses
const responses = [{{Q1 Rating}}, {{Q2 Rating}}, {{Q3 Rating}}]
const validResponses = responses.filter(r => r !== null && r !== undefined)
const average = validResponses.reduce((sum, r) => sum + parseInt(r), 0) / validResponses.length
return Math.round(average * 10) / 10 // Round to 1 decimal

Dynamic Content Selection

// Select content based on user profile
const segments = {
  'new': 'Welcome! Here\'s what you need to know...',
  'returning': 'Welcome back! Here\'s what\'s new...',
  'premium': 'Welcome to your premium experience...'
}
return segments[{{User Segment}}] || segments['new']

Troubleshooting

Common Variable Issues

Undefined Variables: Check that variables are created before use
Type Conflicts: Ensure consistent data types (string vs number vs array)
Scope Problems: Verify variables are accessible in their usage context
Naming Conflicts: Avoid duplicate variable names that could cause confusion

JavaScript Expression Errors

Syntax Errors: Validate JavaScript syntax before deployment
Variable References: Use {{Variable Name}} syntax correctly
Return Statements: Remember that expressions auto-prepend return if not present
Null Handling: Check for null/undefined values before operations

Client-side Execution Issues

Browser Compatibility: Test across different browsers and versions
Security Restrictions: Some browsers limit certain operations
Network Dependencies: Handle cases where external resources aren’t available
Mobile Limitations: Consider mobile browser capabilities and performance

Array Operation Problems

Empty Arrays: Handle cases where arrays might be empty
Index Errors: Verify array indices exist before accessing
Type Mixing: Ensure array elements are compatible types
Memory Usage: Be mindful of large arrays in browser memory

Integration Challenges

External APIs: Handle API failures and timeout scenarios gracefully
Data Format: Ensure data formats match expected patterns
Session Management: Handle session expiration and variable persistence
Cross-platform: Test variable behavior across web and WhatsApp environments

Getting Started

Bot Editor

Settings

Theme

Deploy

Results

​Configuration Options

​Variable Selection

​Value Type Selection

​Static Values

​User Data (WhatsApp only)

​Date and Time

​System Values

​Data Manipulation

​Advanced Configuration

​Custom

​Expressions with existing variables

​Empty

​Append value(s)

​Environment name

​Transcript

​Result ID

​Yesterday, Now, Tomorrow

​Random ID

​Moment of the day

​Map item with same index

​Phone number

​Contact name

​Save in results

​Execute on client

​Get user’s geo location

​Advanced Features

​JavaScript Expression Engine

​Dynamic Array Management

​Client-side Capabilities

​Context-Aware Variable Setting

​Best Practices

​Variable Management Strategy

​Performance Optimization

​Data Privacy and Security

​User Experience Considerations

​Example Use Cases

​E-commerce Cart Management

​User Personalization

​Survey Response Processing

​Dynamic Content Selection

​Troubleshooting

​Common Variable Issues

​JavaScript Expression Errors

​Client-side Execution Issues

​Array Operation Problems

​Integration Challenges

Configuration Options

Variable Selection

Value Type Selection

Static Values

User Data (WhatsApp only)

Date and Time

System Values

Data Manipulation

Advanced Configuration

Custom

Expressions with existing variables

Empty

Append value(s)

Environment name

Transcript

Result ID

Yesterday, Now, Tomorrow

Random ID

Moment of the day

Map item with same index

Phone number

Contact name

Save in results

Execute on client

Get user’s geo location

Advanced Features

JavaScript Expression Engine

Dynamic Array Management

Client-side Capabilities

Context-Aware Variable Setting

Best Practices

Variable Management Strategy

Performance Optimization

Data Privacy and Security

User Experience Considerations

Example Use Cases

E-commerce Cart Management

User Personalization

Survey Response Processing

Dynamic Content Selection

Troubleshooting

Common Variable Issues

JavaScript Expression Errors

Client-side Execution Issues

Array Operation Problems

Integration Challenges