What happens to variables passed as reference if the parent process is updated?

When variables are passed by reference in a parent process to a sub-process, any changes made to those variables in the parent process will automatically propagate to the sub-process. This is because passing by reference means that both the parent and the sub-process are accessing the same memory location for those variables. Therefore, if the parent process is updated—such as changing the value of the variable—those changes are reflected in the sub-process without any need for additional updates or actions.

This behavior ensures consistency between the parent and sub-process, allowing data to be shared dynamically. If the variables were passed by value, the sub-process would receive a copy of the data, which would not change if the parent process is modified. However, since passing by reference retains a shared data connection, the sub-process inherently adopts any updates made in the parent process. This automatic inheritance of changes highlights the efficiency of using reference-passed variables in collaborative data scenarios within Appian.