App Action Inputs, Variables, and JSONPath

When building an App Action, inputs and variables define what data goes in and what comes out. Inputs are the values the AI collects before the App Action runs. Variables are the values extracted from the final result and made available to the AI for use in a conversation response. Both are referenced and extracted using JSONPath syntax.

Inputs

Inputs are the values your App Action needs in order to run. Not all App Actions require inputs — some rely entirely on built-in Gladly customer context instead.

Adding Inputs

To add an input:

In the Inputs section of the builder, click + Add.
Fill in the following fields:

Field	Description
Name	The input name, written in camelCase (e.g., `orderId`, `customerEmail`)
Type	The data type of the input value (see Input Types below)
Description	What this input represents
Input required	Check this box if the input must be provided for the App Action to run

Input Types

Type	Description	Example
`string`	Text value	"ORDER-123"
`number`	Numeric value	42
`boolean`	True/false value	true
`object`	Nested data structure	{"name": "value"}
`array`	List of values	[1, 2, 3]
`string[]`	Array of strings	["a", "b", "c"]

Using Inputs in Steps

Once defined, inputs are referenced in your steps using JSONPath syntax:

Syntax	Description
`$.params.orderId`	Access a simple input value
`$.params.customer.email`	Access a nested input value
`$.params.items[0].name`	Access a specific item in an array input

Inputs Naming Best Practices

Use camelCase: orderId, customerEmail
Match external API field names where possible
Be explicit: use customerEmail rather than just email

Variables

Variables define the outputs of your App Action — specific values extracted from the final step's results that the AI can use when responding to a customer. For example, after filtering an order, you might define variables for orderStatus, trackingNumber, and estimatedDelivery.

Adding Variables

To add a variable:

In the Variables section of the builder, click + Add.
Fill in the following fields:

Field	Description
Name	The variable name, written in camelCase (e.g., `orderStatus`, `trackingNumber`)
Description	What this variable represents and its purpose
JSONPath	The path to the value within the final step's output
Type	The data type of the value being extracted (see Variable Types below)

Variable Types

Type	Use For
`string`	Text values, IDs, statuses
`number`	Counts, amounts
`boolean`	Flags, yes/no values
`date`	Date values
`time`	Time values
`array_of_string`	Lists of text items
`array_of_number`	Lists of numbers

JSONPath Queries

Variables use JSONPath to extract specific values from the final step's output. Here are common query patterns:

Query	Description
`$.result.orderId`	Simple property
`$.result.customer.email`	Nested property
`$.result.items[0].name`	First item in an array
`$.result.items[*].name`	All items in an array
`$.result.orders[-1]`	Last item in an array
`$.result.items[?(@.status == 'active')]`	Filter items by condition

How Variables Are Used

When your App Action runs in an AI guide, the extracted variable values become available for the AI to use in its response. For example:

Customer: "What's the status of my order?"

[App Action runs with orderId parameter]

Variables extracted:
- orderStatus: "Shipped"
- trackingNumber: "1Z999AA10123456784"
- estimatedDelivery: "March 20, 2026"

AI responds:
"Your order has shipped! The tracking number is
1Z999AA10123456784, and it should arrive by March 20, 2026."

Variables Naming Best Practices

Use camelCase: orderStatus, totalAmount
Name variables to match what they represent: itemCount rather than just count
Be specific: estimatedDeliveryDate rather than just date