Global Variables

Globals are shared values that can be accessed across flows, broadcasts , and broadcasts within your account using the syntax @globals.value_name. They enable you to define a value once and reuse it multiple times without needing to reenter it. Similarly, globals simplify the process of updating shared values. Instead of manually modifying the value in every location where it appears, you can simply update it once on your ‘Globals’ page.

For instance, suppose you have five different webhooks that all utilize the same Airtable API authorization key. By storing this key as a global variable, you can reference it effortlessly without repeatedly retrieving it from your Airtable account each time you configure a webhook.

How it works

Consider a flow where data must be retrieved multiple times from a table in your Airtable account. This requires several Call Webhook actions, each configured with the Airtable API authorization key. To streamline this process and avoid repetitive key lookup, we create a global variable.

Create the global variable

Navigate to your Flows page and scroll down to the section labeled “@ Globals”.

This directs you to the Globals page, where you can create and manage global variables. Click “New global” to begin:

To create a new variable, select the ‘Create Global’ button. Assign a name, input the value, and click ‘Create’. In the case of our API key example, the value matches what you would enter for the ‘Authorization’ header in a Call Webhook action within your flow.

Note: By selecting the ‘uses’ link beside each global variable on the Globals page, you can review every instance where the global is referenced.

Use the global in a flow

Once the shared API key global is created, it can be referenced in all Call Webhook actions throughout your Airtable flow.

When configuring each new Call Webhook node, there is no need to manually enter the Authorization header value.

Instead, reference the value using the global variable you created: @globals.api_key. Remember, we named the variable API Key when initially setting up the global.