Scoping variables

Every variable has a scope that determines where and when your bot can access it.

Try restarting the conversation. Select in the Emulator, then send a message:

That’s not ideal—the bot asked for our name again, even though we already told it in a previous conversation.

This is because firstName is a Workflow variable—it keeps the same value for the current Workflow, then resets when the Workflow is done its execution. Since each new conversation re-executes the Main Workflow, the value resets every time.

Newly-created variables have the Workflow scope by default.

Changing a variable’s scope

Let’s change firstName to a User variable:

1. In the Variables section, hover over firstName and select to edit it.
2. In the Scope drop-down, switch from Workflow to User.
3. Select Save.

Now, go back to the Emulator and repeat the process. Start one conversation and tell it your name:

Then, select to restart the conversation and send a message:

Much better! The bot remembered the name from our previous conversation. Notice that in the Variables section, the value stayed the same: