Variables are dynamic placeholders that let you use information from earlier parts of your agent. This lets you create customized and flexible automations.
For example, a variable can take a new Google Form response and insert it into a Google Chat message. Or, you can use the text summarized by Gemini to create a new Google Doc.
Important: When you add variables to third-party integration steps, add-on steps, or the webhook step, they might contain your Google Account data, such as the contents of a message in Gmail or Chat, or event information from Calendar. The agent can then share your Google Account data with a third-party service. Make sure you trust the third-party service.
How to use variables in Workspace Studio
Add a variable
- In an agent step, click the text field where you want to add info from a previous step.
- If the button shows, click Variables +.
- Or, type @ to find the variable dropdown menu.
- On the dropdown menu, select the starter or output from a previous step you want to use.
- The variable will be added as a colored chip.
Tips:
- Some fields only accept certain types of data, like:
- Email addresses
- Dates
- If no compatible variables are available from previous steps, the option to add one may not show.
Examples on how to use variables
- Notify someone about an email: In a "Send a message" step in Chat, use the "[Sender email address]" variable from your Gmail starter in the recipient field to send them a direct message.
- Use AI-generated text: You can ask Gemini to summarize a doc and use the "[Gemini summary]" output variable to send that summary in an email.
- Log and summarize data: When a Google Form is submitted, you can use variables to summarize the responses with Gemini and send the summary to a Chat space.