# Defining Data

## Overview

In Kognitos, **defining data** refers to naming a specific piece of information, allowing it to be stored, referenced, updated, and passed between steps within an automation.

Every **data element** (also referred to as a **fact**) consists of two parts:

1. A [**name**](#data-names) that identifies and labels the data.
2. A [**value**](#data-values), which represents the information itself. Values can be singular or plural.

### Defining Singular Data

To define a **singular** data element, use **"is"**:

```
<name> is <value>
```

### Defining Plural Data

To define a **plural** data element, use **"are"**:

```
<name(s)> are <value(s)>
```

### Examples

1. In this example, **the customer** is the data name. It is assigned the singular value **"John Smith"**:

```
the customer is "John Smith"
```

2. Here, **the items** is the plural data name. It is assigned the plural value of **the documents**.

```
the items are the documents
```

3. In this example, **the fruits** is the plural data name. It is assigned a list *(plural)* of fruit values:

```
the fruits are the apple, the banana, the orange
```

{% hint style="warning" %}
Make sure singular names pair with singular values, and plural names pair with plural values! For example, you wouldn’t write **“the fruits is the orange”**. Instead, you would write: **“the fruits are the oranges”**.
{% endhint %}

## Data Names

Data names define how information is labeled and referenced. The following rules apply:

#### 1. Begin with "the"

Data names must be prefaced with **the**. For example:

```
the email
```

```
the phone number
```

```
the primary username
```

#### 2. Names can be Simple or Descriptive

Data names can be simple or descriptive. Adjectives can be used in descriptive names to provide additional clarity or context. For example:

**Simple Name**

```
the message
```

**Descriptive Name**

```
the very special user greeting message
```

## Data Values

Data values can be singular or plural. Possible data types include **numbers**, **text**, **dates**, **lists,** or **references to other data** elements.

### 1. Numbers

**Numeric** values can be assigned to data such as age, balance, or rates. For example:

```undefined
the age is 21
```

```undefined
the bank balance is $120.20
```

```undefined
the interest rates are 5.67, 6.25
```

### 2. Text

**Text** values can be words, sentences, or phrases. They can include any characters—letters, numbers, symbols, or spaces—as long as they are enclosed in double quotes (`""`). For example:

```undefined
the message is "Welcome to Kognitos!"
```

```undefined
the username is "i-like-to-automate-123"
```

```
the announcement is "We're so glad you're here. Let's build something great together."
```

### 3. Dates

A **date** value represents a specific calendar day, such as a due date, birthday, or event date. Be sure to enclose date values in double quotes (`""`). For example:

```undefined
the due date is "2024-11-05"
```

```
the project start date is "January 1, 2024"
```

```
the birthday is "March 22, 1990"
```

### 4. Lists

To define a **list**, separate the values by commas. For example:

```
the test scores are 95, 86, 100, 77, 65 and 99
```

```undefined
the coupon codes are "SAVE20", "SALE2024", "HAPPYHOUR" and "JUST4U"
```

```undefined
the email addresses are "john@gmail.com", "johnny@yahoo.com" and "johnsmith@aol.com"
```

### 5. Referencing Other Data

The value of a data element can also be a **reference to another data element**. In these cases, the data value is set to another data name. For example:

```
the username is the customer email
```

```
the documents are the receipts 
```

```
the approver is the manager
```

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Note:** You can only reference another data element if it has been defined earlier in the automation.
{% endhint %}

### 6. The Above

When a data element's value is set to `the above`, Kognitos makes a **copy of the value** from the previous lines in the automation:

```
<data name> is the above
```

#### Examples

1. In this example, **the backup email** is assigned the value `john@example.com`.

```
the customer email is "john@example.com"
the backup email is the above
```

2. Here, **the invoice total** is assigned the value `150`.

```
the order total is 150
the invoice total is the above
```

3. In this example, **the file** is assigned a copy of the above file in the automation.

```
the file is the above
```

## Reassigning Data

Use the `use` keyword to reassign a data element, which **copies the reference** to the original data value:

```
use <data value> as the <data name>
```

{% hint style="warning" %}

#### Warning: Overwriting Data

Updating a referenced data element can overwrite previous data — see Example 2 for more details.
{% endhint %}

#### Examples

1. In this example, the **registration date** is reassigned the value `11-05-2024`.

```undefined
use "11-05-2024" as the registration date
```

2. In this example, **the order name** is assigned a copy of the reference to **the last name**, meaning it will point to the same value.

```undefined
use the last name as the order name
```

If the last name changes, the order name will also change, because it references the same value. When the last name changes to `Smith-Brown` (line #3), the order name also changes (line #4):

{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```
the last name is "Smith"
use the last name as the order name
the last name is "Smith-Brown"
the order name
```

{% endcode %}