---
title: "Special Variables"
slug: "scripting-special-variables"
tags: ["Enterprise Only"]
updated: 2024-10-24T20:25:33Z
published: 2024-10-24T20:25:33Z
canonical: "help.agilityblue.com/scripting-special-variables"
---

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

# Special Variables

There are some special variables that contain information injected into a script if the script was executed by an event trigger.

## Event Triggered Executed Special Variables

The following variables are available when a script is executed by an event trigger:

| Variable Name | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `$ABVAREvent` | `JObject` | Contains information about the event that triggered the script, such as the object name, the workspace id, the date/time, and the id and name of the person who triggered the script. > [!NOTE] > Tip > > This variable is provided as a `JObject` type, so use the `.ToString()` function on it to create a JSON string, which could then be piped to the `ConvertFrom-Json` cmdlet to create a PowerShell `Hashtable` object. |
| `$ABVARObject` | `JObject` | The raw inbound JObject instance. The `Get-InboundObjectInstance` cmdlet converts this object for you to provide a ready-to-use PowerShell object and would be better to use in most situations. This variable may come in handy if that cmdlet happens to fail for some reason. > [!NOTE] > Tip > > This variable is provided as a `JObject` type, so use the `.ToString()` function on it to create a JSON string, which could then be piped to the `ConvertFrom-Json` cmdlet to create a PowerShell `Hashtable` object. |
| `$ABVARObjectType` | `JObject` | The fully qualified type of the inbound object instance. Useful for inspecting or comparing types for triggers that may have multiple return types based on the `$ABVAREventAction` variable. > [!NOTE] > Tip > > This variable is provided as a `JObject` type, so use the `.ToString()` function on it to create a JSON string, which could then be piped to the `ConvertFrom-Json` cmdlet to create a PowerShell `Hashtable` object. |
| `$ABVARScriptId` | `String` | Provides the id of the script that is currently being executed. |
| `$ABVAREventAction` | `String` | Provides the event action. Some objects, like `Task`, have “sub-actions” that are stored in this variable that can be checked to determine a course of action and even require different return types in before-save trigger scenarios. Check out the tasks attached to event triggers section in the [Concepts: Tasks & Task Forms](/v1/docs/scripting-tutorials-tasks-and-task-forms) article for more details on how this variable can be used. |

## Example Usages

Example script that provides output from all special variables. Note that the output will indicate that the variable is unavailable if you try to execute this script manually:

```powershell
if ($null -ne $ABVAREvent) {
    Write-Output "ABVAREvent is available ($($ABVAREvent.GetType()))"
    
    $ABVAREvent.ToString()
    
    Write-Output ""
} else {
    Write-Output "ABVAREvent is not available"
}

if ($null -ne $ABVARObject) {
    Write-Output "ABVARObject is available ($($ABVARObject.GetType()))"
    
    $ABVARObject.ToString()
    
    Write-Output ""
} else {
    Write-Output "ABVARObject is not available"
}

if ($null -ne $ABVARObjectType) {
    Write-Output "ABVARObjectType is available ($($ABVARObject.GetType()))"
    
    $ABVARObjectType.ToString()
    
    Write-Output ""
} else {
    Write-Output "ABVARObjectType is not available"
}

if ($null -ne $ABVARScriptId) {
    Write-Output "ABVARScriptId is available ($($ABVARScriptId.GetType()))"
    
    $ABVARScriptId
    
    Write-Output ""
} else {
    Write-Output "ABVARScriptId is not available"
}

if ($null -ne $ABVAREventAction) {
    Write-Output "ABVAREventAction is available ($($ABVAREventAction.GetType()))"
    
    $ABVAREventAction
    
    Write-Output ""
} else {
    Write-Output "ABVAREventAction is not available"
}
```

Sample output:

```plaintext
ABVAREvent is available (Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject)
{
  "Payload": {
    "Id": 28641,
    "DisplayValue": "UPDATE"
  },
  "Origin": null,
  "Zone": 1,
  "Action": 2,
  "Object": "Contact",
  "WorkspaceId": 922,
  "CreatedOn": "2024-10-24T19:53:55.2958292+00:00",
  "CreatedBy": {
    "Id": "4d004c9a-03e3-073c-0f96-b0556bf6735d",
    "DisplayValue": "Taylor Thompson"
  },
  "Message": "Contact 'UPDATE' (28641) updated"
}

ABVARObject is available (Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject)
{
  "ContactId": 28641,
  "FirstName": "Aaron",
  "LastName": "Gerard",
  "FullName": "Aaron Gerard",
  "EmailAddress": "agerratymn@merriam-webster.com",
  "NameAndEmailAddress": "Aaron Gerard <agerratymn@merriam-webster.com>",
  "PhoneNumber": null,
  "TimeZoneIdentifier": "Central Standard Time",
  "EnableNotifications": false,
  "AllowPortalAccess": false,
  "IsFavorite": false,
  "NumberOfProjects": 0,
  "CreatedByFullName": "Taylor Thompson",
  "CreatedById": "4d004c9a-03e3-073c-0f96-b0556bf6735d",
  "CreatedOn": "2023-02-23T13:38:16.2183354+00:00",
  "CreatedBy": null,
  "LastUpdatedByFullName": "Taylor Thompson",
  "LastUpdatedById": "4d004c9a-03e3-073c-0f96-b0556bf6735d",
  "LastUpdatedOn": "2024-10-24T19:53:55.1653167+00:00",
  "LastUpdatedBy": null,
  "Fields": []
}

ABVARObjectType is available (Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject)
AgilityBlue.ViewModels.Workspace.ContactViewModel, AgilityBlue.ViewModels, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null

ABVARScriptId is available (string)
a54d24fd-b120-40e7-a7bf-0487c6a8dba7

ABVAREventAction is available (string)
UPDATE
```