# Variables

A variable is a data value that can be a static or a dynamic value based on your requirement.

Here we have two types of Variables in Report based on the scope of their usage: 

* **Local Variables**: These variables can be used only within the scope of the Report in which they are created.
* **Global Variables**: These variables can be used in any report.

### **How to create/add Local variables in Report :**

* First, you need to go to the **Custom** Tab alongside the Column tab. 
* Now go to the **Variable** Section and click on it. 
* A dropdown will open up. 
* You now need to select the Variable type **Local** and click on **Add Variable** button. 
* Now **Add Variable** window will open. It has the following components:
  1. **Variable Name**: This allows you to name the Variable you want to add. 
  2. **Label**: This allows you to add a Label to your Variable.
  3. **Data Type**: This allows you to choose the Data type of the Variable's value. It can be Text, Date, and Numeric.
  4. **Input Method**: This allows you to choose the input method for Variable entries such as Type In,  Multiselect Pickup List, Pickup List, or both combined.
  5. **Suggest Value From:** If the data type is text and  input method is any-other than Type In, then this field will be shown. It has two option Manual or Column. 
     1. **Manual:** When selected, variable values must be **manually added or entered** at the time of variable creation.
     2. **Column:** When selected, users can **choose values directly from existing columns** in the dataset.
  6. **Default Value**: Here you need to specify the default values for the Variable as per your need. 

     For Type In variables- You need to specify a single Default value.

     For Pickup List variables- You need to give multiple comma-separated values as default values. Then you can choose the desired **Variable** value from the Pickup list.

     **Special Case: Date Data Type**

     If the **Data Type** of the variable is set to **Date**, you'll be given two options for how to define its default value:

     **1. Manual**

     * Allows you to **manually enter a specific date** during variable creation.
       * Best when the default value is fixed or rarely changes.

     **2. Custom Relative Date**

     * Lets you choose a **dynamic, relative date** based on the current date.
     * Ideal for variables that should adapt over time.

     **Available Options:**

     * **Today**
     * **Tomorrow**
     * **Yesterday**
     * **Start of current week** (Starts Sunday)
     * **End of current week** (Ends Saturday)
     * **Start of current month**
     * **End of current month**
     * **Start of current year**
     * **End of current year**

7. Now click on **Add** button and your Local variable will be added.

**Note\*\*:** Global variables can only be created in Admin >> Settings>> Global Variable.

### **Where to Use Variable in Report :**

You can use the Variable in the following features:

**Custom Columns:** You can use variables to create a new Custom Column. 

For eg: Let's say you have Employees data and you want to create a new column **"Employee Status"** having two values **"New**" and **"Old**" calculated based on the fact whether the Joining date for an employee is after a certain(**2023-01-01**)date or not. To achieve this you can use a Variable with Date data type with the defined default date value as '**2023-01-01'** which you want to use for the comparison between **New** and **Old** employee. You then need to use this defined Variable in the **"Case When"** SQL query to create the **Custom Column** **"Employee Status"** and then you can change this Variable Date value according to your need to separate employees into New or Old.

**Custom Metrics**: You can use variables to create new Custome Metrics. 

For Eg: If you have Banking Loan data and you want to create a new Metric **"Total Payout"** calculating the total loan amount to be paid over a tenure based on different sets of Interest rates **10%, 15%, 20%**, etc. Here you can use a Variable with a Numeric data type named **"Interest Rate"** with some default value like 10 and use this for the **Custom Metric** creation. So now you can later change the variable value to some different interest rate based on which new **"Total Payout"** will be calculated.

**Custom Filters**: You can use variables to create new Custom Filters as well.

### **Note\*\*:** 

* To identify the variable in an expression, use {{variableName}} and enclose it within curly brackets. 
* To identify the global variable in an expression, use {{Globals.variableName}} and enclose it within curly brackets.

Once the **Variable** has been created and used in some **Custom** calculations then you can directly change it in the Reports' **View Mode** itself. 

When you will open any Report with Variable enabled Custom calculations then in the View mode itself you will have **Variable** Panel on the left-hand side from where you can modify the **Variable** and run the Report to see the changes.