---
schema_version: "1"
id: 8429a5f8fa3826116662052aa73c4a111fe052d8b86240f239f4d256261583a7
title: Variable Flow Orchestration Resource
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/orchestrator_ref_resources_variable.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.orchestrator_ref_resources_variable.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 699fbb8456d666aa39024adb45a994a852e16171739d8bbdab3a6bc021f6b729
description: Store a value that can be changed throughout the orchestration.
products:
  - Flow Builder
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Variable Flow Orchestration Resource

Store a value that can be changed throughout the orchestration.

### 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_orchestrator_about_supported_editions.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Review the supported products and editions for Flow Orchestration.">View supported editions for Flow Orchestration.</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="d168989e62">
            <strong>Field</strong>
          </th>
          <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d168989e68">
            <strong>Description</strong>
          </th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">Apex Class</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">Defines fields for the Apex-defined data type. Only fields with the @AuraEnabled
            annotation are available in an orchestration.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">API Name</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">The requirement for uniqueness applies only to elements within the current
            orchestration. Two elements can have the same API name, provided they’re used in different
            orchestrations. 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.</td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">Description</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">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="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">Data Type</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">
            <p>Determines the types of values that the variable can store. You can’t change the data
              type of a previously saved variable. </p>
            <p>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>
            <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Looking for sObject? In Flow Builder, that data type changed to
              Record.</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">Allow multiple values (collection)</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">
            <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="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">Object</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">
            <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="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">Decimal Places</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">
            <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 your orchestration
              runs. </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="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">Availability Outside the Flow</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">
            <p>When a variable is available for input, it can be set at the start of the
              orchestration, such as when an orchestration is started from a Lightning page.</p>
            <p>Disabling input or output access for an existing variable can break the functionality
              of applications and pages that call the orchestration 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 assigned or used within the same orchestration.</p>
          </td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td data-label="Field" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e62 ">
            <samp class="parmname">Default Value</samp>
          </td>

          <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d168989e68 ">
            <p>Determines the variable value when the orchestration 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>