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You made a variable. Now let’s use it. There are five things you can do with a variable: You find the blocks in the builder’s blocks tab, under Steps, in the Saved values group. Compare is in the Checks tab. You can also type a block’s name into the block search.

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1. Show what’s inside

Type the tag anywhere you can type: a reply, an embed, a layout message, a button label, an image card, a channel name, and most block settings.
For a User variable, this shows the value of the person who used the command (or the person the event is about).

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The easy way: don’t type it, insert it

Typing brackets by hand can go wrong. One missing letter and it does not work. So use the buttons instead:
  • Next to text boxes in the builder there is a { } Variables button. Press it, find your variable and press it. It is put into the box for you.
  • In a Layout message, the Insert a variable button puts the variable exactly where your cursor is.
  • In Card Studio, use the insert a value button next to each text.
  • On the Database page, press the gold {DBVAR_...} chip to copy it, then paste it.
The picker only shows values that work in the place you are building. A WhatsApp flow, for example, never shows Discord values.

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Backup values

Sometimes a box is empty. Then your message could look broken, like Hi !. Give the variable a backup: write a straight line | after the name, then the backup text.
Backups work in Discord commands, Discord events and WhatsApp flows, and the chat preview in the builder shows them too.
Secrets never use a backup. If a secret is missing, it stays missing, so a wrong password is never sent by accident.

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How to target someone else

By default a User variable shows the person who used the command. To show someone else’s value, add the person in square brackets right after the name. With a member input called user:
Inside the brackets you can put a user ID, a mention, or another variable.

Someone's coins

/balance @Alex{user_name[option_user]} has {DBVAR_coins[option_user]} coins.Bot: Alex has 90 coins.

Someone's place

{DBVAR_coins.rank[option_user]}Bot: 4 (Alex is 4th).
The same idea works for built-in variables, like {user_icon[{option_user}]} or {user_name[123456789012345678]}. See How to target someone else.

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2. Put something in it: Save a value

Use it when you want to put something new in the box. Whatever was inside is replaced.
The Save a value block and its settings

The Save a value block

1

Add the block

Drag Save a value onto the canvas and join it with a line to the block above.
2

Pick the variable

Click the block. In Custom Variable, pick the variable to change.
3

Whose variable? (User variables only)

Pick The member who started this (the person who used the command), a member input, or a user ID. So /give @Alex can change Alex’s box.
4

Type the value

In Value, type what to save. You can use other variables, like {option_birthday} or {time_now_unix}.

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3. Add or take away: Do the maths

Use it for numbers: coins, XP, levels, counters.
The Do the maths block and its settings

The Do the maths block

Pick the variable and Whose variable, just like Save a value. Then, in Equation, the word var means what’s in the box right now. Rounding decides how the answer is kept: a Whole number (7.6 becomes 8), Keep some decimals, or the Exact answer. Use Whole number so coins stay whole.
If the box is empty, Do the maths treats it as 0. So var + 50 on a new member gives them 50.

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The Key box (for Objects)

Save a value and Do the maths both have an optional Key box. It shows for Object variables and for every User variable.
  • Key empty: the block changes the whole value.
  • Key filled, like coins: the block only changes that one part, like profile.coins.
See Lists and objects.

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4. Check what’s inside: Compare

The Compare check (in the Checks tab) asks a question about two things.
  • Base Value: {DBVAR_coins}
  • Comparison Type: Less Than
  • Comparison Value: 100
If the person has less than 100 coins, the blocks joined straight under the check run. If not, the blocks under the Else block run. See Checks and paths.

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5. Empty it: Clear a value

The Clear a value block empties a variable so it goes back to its starting value. For User variables, you can clear one person or All Users (to reset everyone, like a new season). The variable itself stays on the Database page.
A value you change in a block is saved at once. Any block after it already sees the new value.

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Readable endings

Put a dot and a word after the name to show the value in a nicer way: The leaderboard endings only work on User variables.
You don’t have to remember these. On the Database page, press Stored values next to a variable. You’ll see all the endings, a Leaderboard maker, and every member’s value.
The Stored values view with readable endings

Stored values shows every readable ending

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Full examples

A Reply block that shows your coins and your place:

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Common mistakes

For a full system you can copy, see Daily coins and A leaderboard.