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The Variables tab — defining the condition (input) and result (output) columns of a decision table.

Overview

A decision table's editor has two tabs: Table and Variables. The Variables tab defines the table's columns in two sections:

Condition Variables — the inputs each rule tests ("if" columns).
Result Variables — the values returned when a rule matches ("then" columns).

Empty sections show Add a condition variable / Add a result variable prompts; once you have variables, Add appends more. Clicking a variable reopens it for editing; the trash icon on hover removes it. You need at least one of each before the Table tab lets you write rules.

Where: Decision table › Variables

Setting on a variable

The New Variable panel asks for:

Key — the internal name. Must start with a letter; no spaces; no special characters except "_".
Label — the display name shown as the column header (defaults from the Key).
Description — optional.
Field Type — String, Number, Integer, Boolean, Single Select Dropdown, or Multi Select Dropdown. The type is locked once the variable is saved.
Condition variables also pick an Operator (below); result variables get a Default value instead.

Both Keys and Labels must be unique across all variables in the table — duplicates are rejected on save with a "Duplicate name/label" error.

Where: Decision table › Variables › New Variable

For Single Select Dropdown and Multi Select Dropdown types, choose the Dropdown Value Type:

Static — enter the Options yourself (at least one value).
Lookup — pick an Object to Lookup, so option values come from records of an existing object.

Where: Decision table › Variables, Dropdown Value Type

FAQs

Which operators can a condition variable use?

Every type offers Equals and Not Equals (Equals is the default). Additional operators by type:

Number / Integer — Greater Than, Less Than, Greater Than or Equals, Less Than or Equals.
String / Single Select Dropdown — Contains, Not Contains, Starts With, Ends With.
Multi Select Dropdown — Contains, Not Contains.

The operator you pick here is the variable's default; each rule cell can override it per row.

Where: Decision table › Variables, Operator

Why does a result variable have a Default value?

The Default value is what the table returns for that result when no rule matches the inputs — the table doesn't error on a miss, it falls back to defaults (or returns an empty result if none are set). It also pre-fills the result's cell when you add new rows. Set sensible defaults so callers can handle the "nothing matched" case.

Where: Decision table › Variables, Default value

Why did my new variable disappear when I closed the panel?

Variables (like all decision-table edits) live only in the browser until you click Save in the header. Closing the New Variable panel before giving the variable a Key discards it. After making changes on either tab, always Save — leaving the screen without saving loses the changes.

Where: Decision table, Save

Last updated : 03 September 2026, 10:58 AM

Decision table variables

Overview

Setting on a variable

How dropdown variables get their options