# Get started

Five steps take you from nothing to a value that updates itself across your pages.

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## 1\. Open Variables

In Confluence, open **Apps**, then **Capable**, then **Variables** in the Capable navigation. Inside a space you land on **Space variables**; elsewhere you land on **Global variables**. The **Getting started** section explains the basics and links back to this documentation.

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## 2\. Create a variable

Choose **Space variables** for a value only this space needs, or **Global variables** for a value any page can use. Click **Create**, then fill in:

* **Name**: how people find it in the catalogue and the picker, for example _Product version_. Pages show the value, not the name.
* **Type**: Text, Number, User or Date. You cannot change it later.
* **Value**: the thing pages will show, for example _4.2_.
* **Description**: optional, and searchable in the catalogue.

Click **Create**. You need permission to add pages in the space (for global variables, in the Capable Asset Store space).

⚠️

**Values are not private.** Anyone who can view the space can read the value, find it in search and see past values in version history. Never store passwords, keys or other secrets in a variable.

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## 3\. Show it on a page

Edit a page, put the cursor where the value belongs, type **/variable** and choose **Variable (Capable)**. In **Choose a variable**, click the variable you want. The value appears inline, in the same size and colour as the sentence around it.

You can also add a variable without opening the editor: select **Variables** in the page byline, pick a variable and choose where it goes. See [Insert a variable from the byline](https://help.gocapable.com/variables/insert-a-variable-from-the-byline.html).

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## 4\. Change the value

Back in the catalogue, click the variable to open its details sidebar, then **Edit**. Change the value and click **Save**. Every page that shows the variable displays the new value the next time it loads. The pages get no new version and watchers are not notified.

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## 5\. See where it is used

The sidebar says **Used on N pages that you can see**. Select it to open Capable Search filtered to every page that shows the variable.

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## Related

### [Common tasks](https://help.gocapable.com/variables/common-tasks.html)

Every task and where it lives.

### [Variable types and values](https://help.gocapable.com/variables/variable-types-and-values.html)

Text, Number, User and Date.

### [Who can see a value](https://help.gocapable.com/variables/who-can-see-a-value.html)

Who can read a value.

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_Start from the task._