> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ebbot.ai/ebbot-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ebbot.ai/ebbot-docs/core-capabilities/automations/placeholders.md).

# Placeholders

Define shared values once and reuse them across your automation flows.

## What are placeholders?

Placeholders let you store values that you want to use in multiple places, such as your company name, support email address, or a link to your website.

Instead of entering the same information in every flow, you create a placeholder and insert it wherever you need it. When the information changes, you can update it in one place.

Each placeholder has two parts:

| Part      | Description                                          | Example               |
| --------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| **Key**   | The name you use to find and select the placeholder. | `support_email`       |
| **Value** | The text the flow uses.                              | `support@example.com` |

{% hint style="info" %}
Placeholders are shared across all flows in your company. Each key must be unique within your company.
{% endhint %}

## Creating a placeholder

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open Placeholders

Open **Placeholders** from the navigation in your Ebbot Automations account, then click **Add placeholder**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Enter a key and value

Enter a **Key** with a descriptive name, such as `company_name` or `support_email`, so you and your team can easily find it.

Enter the **Value** you want your flows to use.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Save the placeholder

Click **Save**. The placeholder is now available to select in your flows.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Using placeholders in a flow

You can insert placeholders into rich-text fields in the flow builder.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open the variable picker

Open your flow and select the node you want to edit. Click in the rich-text field where you want to insert the value.

Press **Ctrl + Plus (+)** on Windows or Linux, or **Cmd + Plus (+)** on Mac, to open the variable picker.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Choose a placeholder

Select the **Placeholders** tab, then choose a placeholder from the **Key** dropdown. Its saved value is shown below.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Apply the placeholder

Click **Apply**. The placeholder appears as a label in the editor. When the flow runs, it uses the placeholder’s value.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

### Example

Insert the `support_email` placeholder after “You can contact us at”. If its value is `support@example.com`, the resulting message is:

> You can contact us at <support@example.com>.

{% hint style="info" %}
Click an inserted placeholder to choose a different one. For supported fields that offer a value-type selector, you can also choose **Placeholders** to use a placeholder as the entire field value.
{% endhint %}

### Creating a placeholder while editing

If the placeholder you need does not exist yet:

1. Click **Create placeholder** in the picker.
2. Enter its key and value, then click **Create placeholder** to save it.
3. The new placeholder is selected for you. In a rich-text field, click **Apply** to insert it.

Placeholders created this way are also available to other flows in your company.

## Using placeholders with templates

Some [workflow templates](/ebbot-docs/core-capabilities/automations/templates.md) use placeholders for information you need to provide during setup. When you enable a template that uses placeholders, a **Placeholders** section appears on the setup page.

* Enter a value for each listed placeholder.
* If a placeholder already exists in your company, its current value is filled in for you.
* If multiple selected templates use the same key, you only need to enter its value once.

All listed placeholders must have a value before you can activate the selected templates. The values are saved for your company when you activate them.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Changing an existing placeholder during template setup also changes the shared value used by other flows with that key.
{% endhint %}

## Updating a placeholder

1. Open **Placeholders**.
2. Click **Edit** next to the placeholder.
3. Update its **Value**, then click **Save**.

The change affects every flow that uses that placeholder. For example, if your support email address changes, you can update `support_email` rather than editing each flow individually.

{% hint style="info" %}
The key cannot be changed in the editor. If you need a different key, create a new placeholder and update your flows to use it.
{% endhint %}

## Deleting a placeholder

Open **Placeholders**, click **Delete** next to the placeholder, and confirm.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Flows that still reference a deleted placeholder receive an empty value in its place. Before deleting one, remove or replace it in any flows that still need the information.
{% endhint %}

## When to use placeholders

| Use              | When                                                        | Examples                                                                                   |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Placeholders** | You manage information centrally and reuse it across flows. | Contact details, standard wording, or links.                                               |
| **Path**         | The value should come from the current flow run.            | A customer’s email address from a trigger, or an order number returned by an earlier node. |