Maintain reusable article variables

Updated Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · Marc Staine

Article variables store reusable wording, such as support hours or a shared contact statement. Confirm that the saved article resolves a variable correctly in both the agent and portal readers before depending on it; inserting a token alone does not establish that the customer will see its value.

Applies to: Supportbench Core. Location: Settings → Knowledge Base → Variables. Access and available controls depend on your role and account capabilities.

Verify variable expansion

Check saved output before customer use

The current insertion and reading paths can leave the variable token visible instead of its value. If a saved article still shows a token such as __support_hours__, replace it with the approved explicit wording before publishing customer instructions. Record every article using that temporary copy: later variable changes will not update copied text.

Before you begin

Confirm you have the relevant knowledge-base administration permission.
Identify the intended article audience and affected existing articles before changing shared configuration.

Configure and verify

Open Settings → Knowledge Base → Variables.
Find the item in the list and open it, or choose the page’s new-item action.
Enter a clear name and description. Set the fields below, including any scope, hierarchy, visibility or availability controls.
Save the item and resolve any validation message. Reopen it to confirm the saved values.
Check the relevant selection list or form using a user with the intended access. Repeat for an excluded user or division when scope is restricted.

Settings reference

Settings and actions

Setting	What it controls	How to choose
Name	Variable identity, up to 50 characters; locked after save.	Choose a stable descriptive name.
Token / Copy	Generated token such as __support_hours__.	Use the editor’s variable control, then check the saved result in both readers. Copying or inserting a token does not guarantee expansion.
Description	Administrative explanation, up to 250 characters.	Explain where and why the variable is used.
Content	Reusable replacement content.	Keep it accurate and suitable for every article using the variable.
Active	Controls availability of the variable.	Review usage before deactivation.
Delete	Removes the variable through the offered action.	Check articles that depend on it before removal.

Behavior to know

The token uses double underscores, not curly braces. Verify replacement in the deployed article reader before using a variable in customer-facing content.
The article reader’s replacement content supports HTML line breaks. Do not assume an inserted token has expanded until the intended reading surface displays its value.

Recommended use

Use clear, consistent names and keep the number of shared choices manageable.
Review the effect on existing articles, templates and workflows before changing shared configuration.

Worked example

Create a variable named support_hours with the agreed hours.
Save and use the article editor’s variable control to insert it into a draft.
Save the test draft, then verify the intended value in the saved agent reader and a suitable portal test context. If the literal token remains, use approved explicit wording before customer publication.
When hours change, update the shared content and recheck every affected reading surface. Update any temporary manually copied wording separately.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to check
The item is missing from a picker.	Check that the variable is Active and that your role allows the relevant authoring action. Reopen the editor after saving the variable.
The form rejects a save.	Read the displayed validation message. Check required values, text limits and permitted scope; do not change unrelated settings to bypass validation.
An existing record still shows an old value.	A configuration change and a record change are different operations. Inspect the record and relevant references before assuming the save failed.

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