Global Variables

[ggupta]

It would be excellent to have the possibility of creating global variables which can be accessed from any topic. For example, if I ask the customer for the email, know in all the topics which is the client's email without having to ask again

from: https://experience.dynamics.com/ideas/user-profile/?user=b5677954-9087-e911-a960-000d3a4f36ce

[Jeff_Zhang]

Please comment on this post and share with us your scenarios around "global variables". If you have ideas on how you'd like to use it in the product, please share it with us too. 

-Jeff [MSFT]

[jpirelli]

In my case, you could substitute global for persistent. In many scenarios we have to ask the same question over again as we cannot pass info across topics. For example, I may need an email address to create a support case, but I also need one to send a report. Currently, I have to ask twice. On top of that, in some cases I may want the users alias, in others their email address, but with either one of those, I can generally extrapolate the other and should be able to simply apply it to a variable that was never prompted to the user.

[GuilhermeMBS]

They alredy says that the Global Variables will be launch in March 20, here you can see what feature will coming: https://docs.microsoft.com/pt-br/power-platform-release-plan/2019wave2/power-virtual-agents/planned-...

[CarlosRoc]

This is now no longer listed in the planned release page.  Is this no longer in development?

This feature is key to create more complex conversation flows where context can be passed within topics.

For example, if I ask a question in one topic, I can store that question.  If the user then doesn't like the response given by the bot, the conversation can be passed to a different topic that creates a ticket.  The question can be used to populate the ticket's subject field.  Currently this only possible by having a long, convoluted topic that does it all. 

[CleberM]

Hi @CarlosRoc,

The feature is still in development, but we had to move the date a bit further to April. Hence it's not showing up in the release notes for 2019 Wave 2, but will show up once we update the release notes for 2020 Wave 1.

Sorry for the confusion, but rest assured that we're working hard to bring global variables to Power Virtual Agents.

[ChatModeTyler]

I would also like Global Variables please. Memory allows for bot intelligence and is an important feature to any bot platform!

[HaimOz]

Any expected release date?

My workaround is to insert important variables into SQL table (using a connector) and then retrieve it when required in other topics.

Not ideal, but working 😐

[renatoromao]

Completed topic, @chass !

Documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-virtual-agents/authoring-variables-bot

[chass]

Thank you @renatoromao !

Another for the completed list!

Documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-virtual-agents/authoring-variables-bot