> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://guides.robylon.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create Variables, Intents, and Entities

> Learn how to define and configure variables, intents, and entities as core data objects for building automations.

**Variables, Intents, and Entities** are the core data objects that power automations.

* **Variables** store values used across workflows and agents.
* **Intents** classify what a user is trying to do.
* **Entities** extract structured data like IDs or numbers from unstructured input.

## Variables

### What is a Variable?

A **Variable** is a data placeholder that holds a value, such as a string, number, or dynamic expression. Variables can be used globally across workflows, agents, and tools to maintain context.

**Best practices**

* Use **global variables** for values that multiple workflows share (e.g., company name, support email).
* Use **dynamic expressions** to capture context from user messages.
* Name variables clearly (e.g., `user_email`, `order_id`).

***

### How to Create a Global Variable

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Variables">
    Go to **Data & Integrations → Variables**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a New Variable">
    Click **Add Variable** and give it a descriptive name.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set its Value">
    Choose between:

    * **Static value** — e.g., “[support@company.com](mailto:support@company.com)”
    * **Dynamic expression** — value captured at runtime
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Intents

### What is an Intent?

An **Intent** represents the purpose of a user’s message — e.g., *check order status*, *request refund*, *update email*. Intents help classify and route conversations.

**Best practices**

* Write clear intent names and descriptions.
* Add **diverse utterances** that cover how users phrase requests.
* Provide **positive and negative examples** of real tickets to refine accuracy.

***

### How to Create an Intent

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Intents">
    Go to the **Intents** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a New Intent">
    Provide:

    * **Name** — e.g., “Refund Request”
    * **Description** — what this intent should classify
  </Step>

  <Step title="Provide Utterances">
    Add user phrases (e.g., “I want my money back”, “Process my refund”).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Give Examples">
    Provide:

    * **Positive examples** — tickets that belong to this intent
    * **Negative examples** — tickets that should not be classified under it
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Entities

### What is an Entity?

An **Entity** is a structured piece of data extracted from user input. For example, an **Order ID**, **Transaction Number**, or **UTR Number**.

**Best practices**

* Use entities to extract important values from unstructured input.
* Provide clear **rules or regex patterns**.
* Add **examples** to help the AI recognize the entity.

***

### How to Create an Entity

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Entities">
    Go to the **Entities** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a New Entity">
    Click **Add Entity** to begin.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Define the Entity">
    * **Name** — e.g., “UTR Number”
    * **Rule** — pattern/format of the data (e.g., regex for transaction numbers)
    * **Description** — short explanation of what the entity represents
    * **Examples** — add **positive** and **negative** examples in sentences
  </Step>
</Steps>

<note>
  Entities help AI agents automatically capture and use structured values like order IDs or phone numbers during conversations.
</note>

***