# System Functions

Systems functions are very similar to [variables](https://docs.getscandium.com/variables), but functions are built-in variables that come with Scandium.

Functions help you generate dynamic and unique values in your tests.

Let's take a quick look at the available functions on Scandium:

**Email**: To help you generate unique emails. Useful in cases where you need to test signup flows and you need a unique email each time the test runs. e.g *<itKRJ.lkdhuz1bql@testmail.getscandium.com>*

**Num**: To help you generate numbers of any length. e.g *19660200324*

**Range**: To help generate a number within two boundaries. e.g *236*

**Alpha**: To generate letters of the alphabet. You can specify the number of letters needed and even which character set you want the letters to come from. e.g *itKRJ*

**Alphanum**: Similar to alpha, but also includes numbers in the generated value. e.g *JlU1ZZcr*

**Date**: To generate date value in a desired format. e.g *15/09/2023*

**Time**: Generate timestamp value (epoch time). e.g *1694463242839*

**Datetime**: To generate datetime value e.g *Mon Sep 11 2023 21:13:50 GMT+0100 (West Africa Standard Time)*

**Boolean***:* To generate one of *true* or *false*.

### Using a system function

You can insert a function anywhere you can insert a variable. To use a function in the value of a text field, expand the settings of the step where you want to insert the function, then click on the "Insert function" button, and choose the desired function to insert.

<figure><img src="https://224585108-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FSNbCT5gfctrLuSLyRsMW%2Fuploads%2FX7FSm8e5ZCnfnBCOYgpq%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=fac540aa-d428-4417-b6f3-a8a6f31c3da9" alt=""><figcaption><p>Click on insert function button</p></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://224585108-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FSNbCT5gfctrLuSLyRsMW%2Fuploads%2F8B5WXIMd5bklbC1KJYPQ%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=59d6a354-c25f-4142-bc39-38f34c4b8d15" alt=""><figcaption><p>Select the function to insert</p></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://224585108-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FSNbCT5gfctrLuSLyRsMW%2Fuploads%2F8FUBfQDvenqRsKr45wpQ%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=92f0c9c3-bf07-4ef9-ad9b-c1f3f7ae85be" alt=""><figcaption><p>Function inserted</p></figcaption></figure>

Once you select a function to insert, its notation will be added in the Text to Assign field `{{num(11)}}` . When the test is running and it gets to this step, the notation will be replaced with a randomly generated 11-digit number.