Variables

Use variables as dynamic placeholders to substitute specific values within parameters

Overview

Labii variables are dynamic placeholders that enable you to substitute specific values within parameters automatically. Variables streamline data management by allowing you to create reusable templates and configurations that adapt to different contexts without manual reconfiguration. This powerful feature enhances automation, reduces errors, and improves productivity in laboratory workflows.

Variables are enclosed in double curly braces: {{VARIABLE_NAME}}. They are automatically replaced with their corresponding values when processed.

Record Properties

Access properties of the current record using these variables:

Variable	Description	Example Output
{{SID}}	System identifier of the current record	abc123xyz
{{UID}}	Unique identifier of the current record	EXP-001
{{NAME}}	Name of the current record	My Experiment
{{DESCRIPTION}}	Description of the current record	Testing compound efficacy
{{PROJECTS}}	Projects associated with the current record	Project data array
{{OWNER.SID}}	System identifier of the record owner	user456
{{OWNER.NAME}}	Name of the record owner	John Doe
{{DATECREATED}}	Date and time the record was created	2026-03-17 10:30:00
{{VERSION}}	Version number of the current record	3
{{LINK}}	Direct link to the record's detail view	Full URL to record
{{SHARABLELINK:<URL>}}	Sharable link for external access	Formatted sharable URL

For {{SHARABLELINK:<URL>}}, the URL must contain an api_key parameter to allow access by users without Labii authentication.

URL Variables

Access information about the current page URL:

Variable	Description	Example Output
{{URL}}	Complete current URL	https://labii.com/records/123
{{DOMAINFRONTEND}}	Current domain	https://labii.com

Date Variables

Generate dynamic dates for time-sensitive operations:

Current Date

• {{TODAY}} - Returns today's date in YYYY-MM-DD format

  • Example: 2026-03-17

Formatted Current Date/Time

• {{CURRENT:<FORMAT>}} - Returns current date/time with custom formatting

  • JavaScript: Use Moment.js format patterns

    • Example: {{CURRENT:MMMM Do YYYY, h:mm:ss a}} → March 17th 2026, 2:30:45 pm

  • Python: Use Strftime format codes

    • Example: {{CURRENT:%B %d, %Y}} → March 17, 2026

Relative Dates

Calculate dates relative to today using the pattern: {{[+/-][#][DAY/WEEK/MONTH/YEAR]:<FORMAT>}}

Syntax:

• + or -: Add or subtract time

• #: Number of units (1, 2, 3, etc.)

• Unit: DAY, WEEK, MONTH, or YEAR

• <FORMAT>: Optional format (defaults to YYYY-MM-DD)

Examples:

• {{-5WEEK}} - 5 weeks ago → 2026-02-10

• {{+30DAY}} - 30 days from now → 2026-04-16

• {{-1YEAR:YYYY}} - Year value from 1 year ago → 2025

• {{+2MONTH:MMM YYYY}} - 2 months from now → May 2026

JavaScript: Supports custom formatting using Moment.js patterns Python: Format support is currently not available for relative dates; returns YYYY-MM-DD format only

Column Variables

Reference and process data from table columns:

Basic Column Reference

• {{[COLUMN_SID]}} - Returns the value of a column using its SID

  • Example: {{nqtw0a40x1d58puzEJOTY}} returns the column's stored value

Processed Column Values

• {{[COLUMN_SID]:<CODE>}} - Returns column value processed through custom code

JavaScript Processing

Execute any JavaScript code to transform column data. The column value is available as the data variable.

Basic Operations:

{{nqtw0a40x1d58puzEJOTY:parseInt(data)}}          // Convert to integer
{{column_sid:parseFloat(data)}}                   // Convert to float
{{column_sid:data.toUpperCase()}}                 // Convert to uppercase
{{column_sid:data * 2}}                           // Multiply by 2
{{column_sid:data.length}}                        // Get string/array length

Built-in Statistical Functions:

Function	Description	Usage Example
sum	Calculate sum of number array	{{column_sid:sum(data)}}
mean	Calculate mean (average)	{{column_sid:mean(data)}}
se	Calculate standard error	{{column_sid:se(data)}}
sd	Calculate standard deviation	{{column_sid:sd(data)}}
encodeStringForURL	URL-encode a string	{{column_sid:encodeStringForURL(data)}}
decodeStringFromURL	URL-decode a string	{{column_sid:decodeStringFromURL(data)}}
Labii	Access Labii utility functions	{{column_sid:Labii.functionName(data)}}

Complex Examples:

// Calculate average and round to 2 decimal places
{{column_sid:mean(data).toFixed(2)}}

// Get sum and format with units
{{column_sid:sum(data) + ' mg'}}

// Conditional formatting
{{column_sid:data > 100 ? 'High' : 'Low'}}

Python Processing

Access nested dictionary values using dot notation to specify keys:

Syntax: {{[COLUMN_SID]:key1.key2.key3}}

Examples:

{{nqtw0a40x1d58puzEJOTY:user.sid}}        // Access user.sid from column data
{{column_sid:metadata.created_by}}        // Access nested created_by field
{{column_sid:results.concentration}}      // Access concentration in results

Python code processing is limited to dictionary key access only. Full Python expressions are not supported.

User Variables

Access information about the current logged-in user:

Variable	Description	Example Output
{{USER.SID}}	System identifier of current user	user789
{{USER.NAME}}	Full name of current user	Jane Smith

Metadata Variables

Use metadata labels as variables to dynamically reference organization-level or project-level settings:

Syntax: Define metadata with labels wrapped in {{...}}, then reference them as variables.

Example:

{
  "label": "{{API_KEY}}",
  "value": "sk_live_abc123xyz789"
}

Once defined, use {{API_KEY}} anywhere to substitute the value automatically.

Common Use Cases:

• Store shared API keys for generating sharable links

• Define organization-wide constants

• Maintain environment-specific configuration values

• Reference project-specific parameters

Best Practice: Store sensitive values like API keys as metadata at the organization level, then reference them using variables. This centralizes management and improves security.

Escaping Variables

To prevent a string from being interpreted as a variable, escape the curly braces with backslashes:

Escaped Format: \\{\\{string\\}\\}

Example:

• Without escaping: {{TEST}} → Replaced with TEST variable value

• With escaping: \\{\\{TEST\\}\\} → Displays as {{TEST}} (literal text)

Use escaping when you need to display variable syntax as literal text in documentation or when the curly braces are part of your actual data format.

Usage Examples

Example 1: Dynamic Record Title

Experiment {{UID}} - {{NAME}} (Version {{VERSION}})

Output: Experiment EXP-001 - Compound Testing (Version 3)

Example 2: Date Range Query

Records from {{-30DAY}} to {{TODAY}}

Output: Records from 2026-02-15 to 2026-03-17

Example 3: Sharable Report Link

{{SHARABLELINK:{{DOMAINFRONTEND}}/api/records/{{SID}}/?api_key={{API_KEY}}}}

Output: Complete sharable URL with authentication

Example 4: Statistical Summary

Mean Concentration: {{concentration_column_sid:mean(data).toFixed(2)}} μM
Standard Deviation: {{concentration_column_sid:sd(data).toFixed(2)}} μM

Output: Mean Concentration: 45.67 μM, Standard Deviation: 3.21 μM