- Variables — reusable values shown in plain text. Readable and editable after saving, and referenceable anywhere templates are supported.
- Secrets — write-only credentials. The value is encrypted, hidden after saving, and never shown again. Secrets are only accepted in secret-capable fields, so they can never leak into a prompt or transcript.
Organization admins can create, edit, rotate, and delete Vault entries. Members can view the entries and copy references, but cannot change them.
Reference syntax
Every Vault entry is referenced as:SUPPORT_EMAIL or STRIPE_API_KEY).
The $ prefix is what routes the reference to your organization’s Vault. It is distinct from template variables like {{patient_name}}, which are agent-local and filled per call at dispatch time:
Each row in the Vault has a copy button that copies the ready-to-paste
{{$NAME}} reference to your clipboard.
Where each kind can be used
Variables can be referenced in any templated agent field, including prompts, greetings, attachment arguments, and supported tool configuration fields. Editing a variable updates every place it is referenced. Secrets cannot be used in templated fields. They are accepted only in secret-capable fields: API Request and MCP authentication, secret-backed headers, and a Custom Code tool’sdeclared_secrets. The value is resolved when the tool runs and never passes through the model.
Managing entries
Create
From Variables or Secrets, select Add variable or Add secret, then enter:- Name — the SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE identifier. Names are locked after creation so existing references stay valid.
- Value — for a secret, this is the only time you can see what you entered; it is hidden after saving.
- Description (variables, optional) — a note on what the value is for.
Edit and rotate
- Variables can be edited: change the value or description, and the change applies everywhere the variable is referenced.
- Secrets are rotated, not edited: enter a new value to replace the current one. The current value is hidden and cannot be shown, so rotation always means re-entering the credential in full.
Delete
The Used by column shows how many agents reference each entry; open it to jump to those agents. Deletion is blocked while an entry is still referenced by an agent’s active configuration or by an active call — the delete dialog lists the blocking references so you can remove them first. References that exist only in old agent versions or unpublished drafts do not block deletion.Tool authentication with a Vault secret
API Request tools reference the bare Vault name throughsecret_name. The credential is resolved only when the request runs:
auth.secret_name and Vault-backed headers. Custom Code lists the environment secrets it needs in declared_secrets. Rotating any referenced secret is one Vault update instead of an edit to every attached agent.
For the complete lifecycle, see Agent tools.
Provider API keys for the models your agents run on are managed separately, on the Bring your own key page.