Variable Types

This guide is for implementers who need to understand the different source types available for variables.

Source Types Overview

Source Type	Data Origin	Use Case
Model Field	Odoo model field	Map existing fields to variables
Computed (CEL)	CEL expression	Calculate derived values
Member Aggregate	Household members	Count, sum, average over members
Constant/Parameter	Fixed value	Thresholds, configuration values
External Source	External API	Credit scores, external data
Vocabulary Concept	Concept group	Boolean from vocabulary membership
Scoring Result	PMT/scoring	Proxy means test scores

Model Field Variables

Reference an existing field on an Odoo model.

When to Use

• Map a custom field to a simpler variable name

• Abstract field names from business logic

• Enable field renaming without breaking expressions

Configuration

Field	Value	Notes
Source Type	Model Field
Source Model	res.partner	The Odoo model name
Source Field	x_custom_income	The field name on the model

Example: Map Income Field

Setting	Value
Name	income
Source Type	Model Field
Source Model	res.partner
Source Field	x_studio_monthly_income
Value Type	Money

CEL Usage: income > 5000

Field Status Indicator

The system shows whether the source field exists:

Status	Meaning
Field Exists	Field found on model
Field Missing	Field not found (check spelling)
Unknown	Status not yet checked
Not Applicable	Not a field-based variable

Computed (CEL) Variables

Calculate values using CEL expressions.

When to Use

• Derive values from other variables or fields

• Perform calculations (age from birthdate)

• Create conditional logic

Configuration

Field	Value	Notes
Source Type	Computed (CEL)
CEL Expression	age_years(birthdate)	The computation expression

Example: Calculate Age

Setting	Value
Name	age
Source Type	Computed (CEL)
CEL Expression	age_years(birthdate)
Value Type	Number
Unit	years

CEL Usage: age >= 18 && age <= 65

Example: Dependency Ratio

Setting	Value
Name	dependency_ratio
Source Type	Computed (CEL)
CEL Expression	(children_under_15 + elderly_over_65) / working_age_members
Value Type	Number

Expression Guidelines

• Reference other variables by name: income, hh_size

• Use built-in functions: age_years(), size(), sum()

• Avoid circular references (A depends on B, B depends on A)

Member Aggregate Variables

Compute values over household members, enrollments, entitlements, or events.

When to Use

• Count members meeting criteria

• Sum values across members

• Check if any member matches condition

Configuration

Field	Value	Notes
Source Type	Member Aggregate
Aggregate Type	Count / Sum / Avg / Min / Max / Exists
Aggregate Target	Household Members	What to aggregate over
Aggregate Filter	age_years(m.birthdate) < 5	Filter expression
Aggregate Field	income	For sum/avg/min/max only

Aggregate Types

Type	Returns	Use For
Count	Number	How many members match
Sum	Number	Total of a field across members
Average	Number	Mean of a field across members
Minimum	Number	Smallest value
Maximum	Number	Largest value
Exists	Yes/No	True if any member matches

Aggregate Targets

Target	Aggregates Over
Household Members	Members of the household
Program Enrollments	Program membership records
Entitlements	Entitlement records
Events	Event data records

Example: Count Children

Setting	Value
Name	child_count
Aggregate Type	Count
Aggregate Target	Household Members
Aggregate Filter	age_years(m.birthdate) < 18
Value Type	Number

Example: Total Member Income

Setting	Value
Name	total_member_income
Aggregate Type	Sum
Aggregate Target	Household Members
Aggregate Field	income
Value Type	Money

Example: Has Elderly Member

Setting	Value
Name	has_elderly
Aggregate Type	Exists
Aggregate Target	Household Members
Aggregate Filter	age_years(m.birthdate) >= 65
Value Type	Yes/No

Filter Expression Syntax

Use m. prefix for member fields:

# Age-based filters
age_years(m.birthdate) < 5        # Under 5
age_years(m.birthdate) >= 65      # 65 and older

# Field comparisons
m.gender == "female"              # Female members
m.is_disabled == true             # Disabled members

# Combined conditions
age_years(m.birthdate) < 18 && m.is_enrolled_in_school == true

Event Aggregate Variables

Aggregate over event data with time filtering.

Configuration

Field	Value	Notes
Source Type	Member Aggregate
Aggregate Target	Events
Event Type	(select event type)	Which event type
Time Range	This Year	Temporal filter
Event Field	amount	For sum/avg (JSON field in event)

Time Range Options

Option	Description
All Time	All events
This Year	Current calendar year
This Quarter	Current quarter
This Month	Current month
Within N Days	Last N days (specify N)
Within N Months	Last N months (specify N)

Example: Health Visits This Year

Setting	Value
Name	health_visits_year
Aggregate Type	Count
Aggregate Target	Events
Event Type	Health Visit
Time Range	This Year
Value Type	Number

Example: Total Training Hours

Setting	Value
Name	training_hours
Aggregate Type	Sum
Aggregate Target	Events
Event Type	Training Session
Time Range	All Time
Event Field	duration_hours
Value Type	Number

Constant/Parameter Variables

Fixed values that can optionally be overridden per program.

When to Use

• Define thresholds (poverty line, age limits)

• Configuration values shared across expressions

• Values that programs can customize

Configuration

Field	Value	Notes
Source Type	Constant/Parameter
Default Value	5000	The base value
Program Configurable	Yes/No	Allow program overrides

Example: Poverty Line

Setting	Value
Name	poverty_line
Source Type	Constant/Parameter
Default Value	5000
Program Configurable	Yes
Value Type	Money
Unit	USD

CEL Usage: income < poverty_line

Program Override

When Program Configurable is enabled:

1. Each program can set its own value

2. If not set, the default value is used

3. Allows same logic with different thresholds

Vocabulary Concept Variables

Check membership in a vocabulary concept group.

When to Use

• Boolean based on vocabulary code membership

• Check if value belongs to a concept group

• Abstract vocabulary logic

Configuration

Field	Value	Notes
Source Type	Vocabulary Concept
Source Concept Group	(select concept group)	The concept to check

Example: Is Female

Setting	Value
Name	is_female
Source Type	Vocabulary Concept
Source Concept Group	Feminine Gender
Value Type	Yes/No

CEL Usage: is_female == true

External Source Variables

Fetch data from external providers.

When to Use

• Credit scores from external bureau

• Data from government databases

• Third-party verification services

Configuration

Field	Value	Notes
Source Type	External Source
External Provider	(select provider)	Pre-configured data provider

Note

External providers must be configured separately in Settings → Data Providers.

Caching Recommendation

External sources should use caching to:

• Reduce API calls

• Handle rate limits

• Improve performance

Setting	Recommended
Cache Strategy	TTL-based
Cache TTL	3600+ seconds

Scoring Result Variables

Output from PMT (Proxy Means Test) or scoring calculations.

When to Use

• PMT scores for targeting

• Composite vulnerability indices

• Weighted scoring results

Configuration

Scoring variables are typically created by the scoring module automatically.

Are You Stuck?

Which source type should I use?

If you need...	Use
Existing field value	Model Field
Calculated value	Computed (CEL)
Count/sum over members	Member Aggregate
Fixed threshold	Constant/Parameter
External lookup	External Source

Aggregate filter not matching?

• Use m. prefix for member fields

• Check field exists on member model

• Verify filter syntax in CEL builder first

Computed expression causing errors?

• Avoid circular references

• Check referenced variables exist and are active

• Test expression in CEL builder

Next Steps

To...	See...
Create a new variable	Creating Variables
Use variables in expressions	Using Variables in CEL
Understand caching	Variables Overview