---
schema_version: "1"
id: ab4d612e621134ef5e0f780da94bb19bc7270fc1f6a040e0c7ae4036189c2251
title: Variable Flow Approval Processes Resource
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/automate_automated_approvals_ref_resources_variable.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_automated_approvals_ref_resources_variable.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 12332f24f0519fa928d881873f14dd7942f72d106e4cb58e94ca4b11c4523d44
description: Store a value that can be changed throughout the flow approval process.
products:
  - Flow Builder
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Variable Flow Approval Processes Resource

Store a value that can be changed throughout the flow approval process.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col style="width:100%"></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_automated_approvals_about_supported_editions.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Review the supported products and editions for Flow Approval Processes.">View supported editions for Flow Approval Processes.</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
      <colgroup>
        <col style="width:24%">
        <col style="width:76%">
      </colgroup>
      <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
        <tr class="">
          <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d51215e62">
            <strong>Field</strong>
          </th>
          <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d51215e68">
            <strong>Description</strong>
          </th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e62 ">
            <strong class="uicontrol">API Name </strong>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e68 "><span>The requirement for uniqueness applies
              only to elements and resources within the current flow approval process. Two
              items can have the same API name, provided they're used in different flow
              approval processes.</span><span>An API name can include underscores and
              alphanumeric characters without spaces. It must begin with a letter and can't
              end with an underscore. It also can't have two consecutive
              underscores.</span></td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e62 ">
            <strong class="uicontrol">Description</strong>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e68 ">Helps you differentiate this variable from other resources.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e62 ">
            <strong class="uicontrol">Data Type </strong>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e68 ">
            <p>Determines the types of values that the variable can store. You can’t change the
              data type of a previously saved variable. </p>
            <ul>
              <li>Text</li>

              <li>Record</li>

              <li>Number</li>

              <li>Currency</li>

              <li>Boolean</li>

              <li>Date</li>

              <li>Date/Time</li>

              <li>Picklist</li>

              <li>Multi-Select Picklist</li>

              <li>Apex-Defined</li>

            </ul>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">The Record data type can store multiple field values for one record. The
              Apex-defined data type can store multiple field values for one Apex
              class.</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e62 ">
            <strong class="uicontrol">Allow multiple values (collection) </strong>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e68 ">
            <p>When selected, the resource is a collection variable. You can store a list of
              values in collection variables. Collection variables can store only values that are
              compatible with their data type. When the data type is Record, the collection variable
              can only store values for the associated object’s records.</p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">For example, store
              multiple email addresses in a collection variable, and reference the collection
              variable to send an email. </p>
          </td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e62 ">
            <strong class="uicontrol">Object </strong>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e68 ">
            <p>The object whose field values you can store in the variable. You can’t change the
              object of a previously saved variable.</p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Available only when the data type is Record.
            </p>
          </td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e62 ">
            <strong class="uicontrol">Decimal Places </strong>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e68 ">
            <p>Controls the number of digits to the right of the decimal point up to 17 places.
              If you leave this field blank or set it to zero, only whole numbers appear when an
              approval submission based on your flow approval process is made. </p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Available only
              when the data type is Number or Currency.</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e62 ">
            <strong class="uicontrol">Availability Outside the Flow </strong>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e68 ">
            <p>When a variable is available for input, it can be set at the start of the
              orchestration run associated with a parent approval submission, such as when a
              person submits a record for approval from a Lightning page.</p>
            <p>Each autolaunched flow approval process contains a minimum of 3 variables: </p>
            <ul>
              <li><strong class="uicontrol">recordId</strong>: The record ID of the record to be
                approved.</li>

              <li><strong class="uicontrol">submitter</strong>: the ID of the user or credentialed Experience
                site visitor who submitted the approval.</li>

              <li><strong class="uicontrol">submissionComments</strong>: Comments about the submission from
                the person who submitted the approval.</li>

            </ul>
            <p>Disabling input or output access for an existing variable can break the
              functionality of applications and pages that call the flow approval process and
              access the variable. For example, you can access variables from URL parameters,
              processes, and other flows.</p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">This field doesn’t affect how variables are used within the same flow approval
              process.</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e62 ">
            <strong class="uicontrol">Default Value </strong>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d51215e68 ">
            <p>Determines the variable value when the orchestration run based on the flow
              approval process starts. If you leave this field blank, the value is
              <code>null</code>.
            </p>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Not available for Picklist and Multi-Select Picklist
              variables.</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>