Custom Parameters
Custom Parameters make automation tasks reusable by allowing you to define user input fields that can be shared across multiple tasks. This guide explains how to create, manage, and use custom parameters in AZExecute.
What are Custom Parameters?
Custom Parameters are reusable input definitions that can be linked to automation tasks. When a task is executed, users are prompted to provide values for linked parameters, making the task adaptable to different scenarios without modifying the underlying steps.
Creating Custom Parameters
Custom parameters can be created from the Automation Tasks section. Navigate to the Custom Parameters tab and click the Create button.
Parameter Properties:
Name:
The parameter name used in scripts and runbooks. This should match the parameter name in your PowerShell scripts or runbooks (e.g., "ServerName", "Environment").
Title:
A user-friendly display name shown to users when executing the task (e.g., "Server Name", "Target Environment").
Description:
Help text explaining what the parameter is for and what values are acceptable.
Parameter Type:
The type of input control to display. Available types include:
• Text - Free-form text input
• Dropdown - Select from a predefined list of values
• Checkbox - Boolean true/false selection
• Number - Numeric input with validation
Mandatory:
Whether the parameter must be provided when executing the task. Mandatory parameters cannot be left empty.
Position:
The order in which parameters are displayed to users (lower numbers appear first).
Parameter Types in Detail
Dropdown Parameters
Dropdown parameters restrict users to selecting from a predefined list of values. When creating a dropdown parameter, you can define the available options.
Example Use Cases:
• Environment selection (Development, Staging, Production)
• Region selection (East US, West US, Europe)
• Service tier selection (Basic, Standard, Premium)
Text Parameters
Text parameters accept free-form text input from users. These are the most flexible parameter type.
Example Use Cases:
• Server names or hostnames
• Application names or identifiers
• File paths or URLs
Checkbox Parameters
Checkbox parameters provide a simple true/false (boolean) choice. They appear as a checkbox control in the execution dialog.
Example Use Cases:
• Feature flags (Enable monitoring, Create backup)
• Confirmation prompts (Force update, Skip validation)
• Optional behaviors (Send notification, Clean up resources)
Number Parameters
Number parameters accept only numeric input with automatic validation.
Example Use Cases:
• Timeout values
• Retry counts
• Resource quantities (number of VMs, CPU cores)
Linking Parameters to Tasks
After creating a parameter, you can link it to one or more automation tasks. There are two ways to link parameters:
Method 1: Automatic Detection
When you add a PowerShell Script or Runbook step to a task, AZExecute automatically detects parameters in the script/runbook and shows a warning banner if matching custom parameters exist but aren't linked.
Click the "Review Parameters" link in the alert to view detected parameters and link them to the task.
Method 2: Manual Linking
On the task configuration page, navigate to the Parameters section. Here you can manually add or remove parameter links.
Display Order: Control the order parameters appear when executing the task
Mandatory Override: Override whether the parameter is required for this specific task
Default Value Override: Provide a task-specific default value
Managing Parameters
The Custom Parameters page provides three viewing modes to help you manage parameters:
All Parameters:
View all custom parameters in a searchable table, showing which tasks each parameter is linked to.
Group by Task:
View parameters organized by the tasks they're linked to. This makes it easy to see all parameters for a specific task.
Standalone Only:
View only parameters that aren't linked to any tasks. These may be parameters you've created but haven't yet used.
Using Parameters During Task Execution
When executing a task with linked parameters, users are presented with a parameter input dialog before the task starts.
• Parameters are displayed in the order specified by the Display Order property
• Mandatory parameters are marked with an asterisk (*) and must be filled
• Help text from the parameter description is displayed to guide users
• The Execute button is disabled until all mandatory parameters have valid values
Best Practices
Use Descriptive Names:
Parameter names should match your script/runbook parameter names exactly. Use titles to provide user-friendly display names.
Provide Clear Descriptions:
Help text should explain what the parameter does, what format is expected, and any constraints on values.
Use Dropdowns for Limited Options:
When there are a fixed set of valid values, use dropdown parameters instead of text to prevent user errors.
Reuse Parameters:
If multiple tasks use the same parameter (e.g., "Environment"), create it once and link it to all relevant tasks for consistency.
Set Appropriate Defaults:
Use default value overrides to provide sensible defaults that users can accept or change as needed.
Deleting Parameters
When deleting a custom parameter, AZExecute will warn you if the parameter is linked to any automation tasks.
Before deleting a parameter, consider whether it should be unlinked from tasks first, or if the parameter should simply be made optional rather than deleted entirely.
If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, please contact us at
info@azexecute.com. Our support team is here to help you.