> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.refold.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Templating in Workflows

## Overview

Refold supports **templating (dynamic variables)** in creating workflows. This essentially means that users can use these variables in their application workflows and [API Proxies](https://docs.gocobalt.io/build/basics/proxies) and [authorization settings](https://docs.gocobalt.io/build/basics/developer_settings).

Using these templates, users can access data from previous nodes in workflows and end-users **UDF**.

The templates are keywords enclosed within double-curly braces `{{}}`, with specific use cases.

Refold dynamic variables and their templating can be broadly categorized as:

## 1. Workflow dynamic variables

Workflow dynamic variables are used to access data from previous nodes.  Every node in a workflow returns some data in the form of a response object.

Data from a node can be accessed either directly from the response object using a template or by accessing as variables generated through test execution of nodes:

<Accordion title="Access using template">
  The following template is used within Refold to access the response object of any other node in the workflow:

  `{{node.<node number>.body.<Response object property>}}`

  OR

  `{{node.<node number>.body}}`,  if one wishes to access the complete response object.

  For example, one can access the first item of response from node 15.

  It can be accessed as: `{{node.15.body.0}}`.

  <img height="200" src="https://mintcdn.com/cobalt-55/lcADCqUGrbz-iIZQ/images/Guides/Workflow/templating_example.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=lcADCqUGrbz-iIZQ&q=85&s=b18c5df7a1514aa95e46c5a600e4a0a0" alt="Sample for Templating example" data-path="images/Guides/Workflow/templating_example.png" />

  Or if one wants to access the "name" field of the item, it can be accessed as `{{node.15.response:0.name}}`.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Access using Test Run variables">
  In Refold workflows, you can use variables generated from tested node responses to access data dynamically.

  To use variables generated from node test runs, ensure that the workflow testing pre-requisites are satisfied and you have run a test execution on the node whose response you want to access.

  <Tip>
    Learn more about Workflow Testing and it's pre-requisites [here](https://docs.gocobalt.io/build/workflow/workflow_testing).
  </Tip>

  Now follow the steps given below to use these variables:

  <Steps>
    <Step title="Select the node">
      Go to the node where you want to use the variable and click on the input field where the variable is needed.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Choose the node with required response">
      From the `Insert Variable` modal, select the **Nodes** tab and click on the down facing arrow button to expand the node response.

      <img height="200" src="https://mintcdn.com/cobalt-55/lcADCqUGrbz-iIZQ/images/Guides/Workflow/response_example.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=lcADCqUGrbz-iIZQ&q=85&s=7024541641ba8ae1d5d8e2880b57c8a1" alt="Using Node response as variable" data-path="images/Guides/Workflow/response_example.png" />

      In this example, we used the `id` received in the response when project was created and it's visible as `4.id` in the field which is of the format `<node_number>.<response_field>`.
    </Step>

    <Step title="Response not available">
      If the selected node doesn't have resonse as variables, then you need to click on `Run node` to perform a test execution of that node.

      <img height="200" src="https://mintcdn.com/cobalt-55/lcADCqUGrbz-iIZQ/images/Guides/Workflow/run_example.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=lcADCqUGrbz-iIZQ&q=85&s=89cf713ba355c0c68b160e912a72d466" alt="Run Node for response variables" data-path="images/Guides/Workflow/run_example.png" />
    </Step>
  </Steps>

  <Note>
    If the structure of the response object changes of a node (e.g., due to a different input payload), simply perform another test run on the node with the modified payload.

    The updated response structure will now be available for use as variables in other nodes.
  </Note>
</Accordion>

## 2. Instance metadata variables

An instance refers to a workflow execution instance. A workflow or an API proxy can access various instance data on the run-time such as,

* Event name - `{{instance_meta_data.event_name}}`

* Config id - `{{instance_meta_data.config_id}}`

* Start time of the execution / Instance creation - `{{instance_meta_data.instance_created_time}}`

* Instance id - `{{instance_meta_data.instance_id}}`

## 3. Linked account variables

Linked account variables are used to pass on Linked account-specific data throughout the Refold platform. The following are the variables that be used on the execution runtime:

* UDFs - `{{linked_account.udf.<UDF property>}}`

* Authorization data - `{{linked_account.auth_credentials.<auth properties>}}`