Custom Variables

Automation dictionaries power custom variables. They let you prepare values inside the graph, then reference those values later in templates or request bodies.

Syntax

Dictionary entries resolve as ${metadata.key}:

${metadata.headline}
${metadata.ticketUrl}

Use this when the built-in variable scopes are not enough and you want to prepare a few custom values before rendering the final output.

Building a dictionary

In the editor, the Dictionary node lets you declare keys such as headline, details, or ticketUrl.

Each key becomes a text input socket. Wire values into those sockets, then pass the dictionary into a node that accepts a Variables or Dictionary input.

Typical flow:

1. Add a Dictionary node
2. Declare the keys you need
3. Wire text or transformed values into those key sockets
4. Connect the dictionary to the destination node
5. Reference the values as ${metadata.key}

Where metadata works

Automation metadata is most useful in:

• Send Template
• Send Template to DMs
• JSON body templates
• Text body templates
• Form body builders

Anywhere a node resolves variables against the automation run's context, ${metadata.*} can participate alongside built-in variables like ${triggeredBy.username} or ${guild.slug}.

Rules and limits

• Keys must start with a letter
• The rest of the key can use letters, numbers, or underscores
• A single send can carry up to 8 metadata entries
• Metadata values are treated as strings when inserted into templates

Good keys:

headline
ticketUrl
reviewer_name

Invalid keys:

1headline
ticket-url
reviewer name

Example

Suppose an automation needs to send:

## New application received
Staff review needed within 24 hours.
Submitted by cooluser.

One way to build that is:

• Put "New application received" into metadata.headline
• Put "Staff review needed within 24 hours." into metadata.details
• Use ${triggeredBy.username} for the submitter

Then your template might look like:

## ${metadata.headline}
${metadata.details}
Submitted by ${triggeredBy.username}.

Tips

• Keep keys stable once you start using them in several places
• Use short, descriptive names rather than generic keys like value1
• Prefer metadata for run-specific values, not long reusable message bodies
• If a template is shared in many places, pair metadata with a reusable library template instead of composing everything inline

Related docs