# Automations: Support entity references like "\[Step 1 linked item\]" in markdown-template Actions **URL:** \ **Category:** Ideas & Features\ **Tags:** automations\ **Created:** [January 18, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/automations-support-entity-references-like-step-1-linked-item-in-markdown-template-actions/5715 "2024-01-18T22:18:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Matt\_Blais](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/matt_blais/32/1464_2.png) [@Matt\_Blais](https://community.fibery.io/u/Matt_Blais)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/automations-support-entity-references-like-step-1-linked-item-in-markdown-template-actions/5715/1 "2024-01-18T22:18:59Z")
Unlike formulas, automation markdown-template Actions (e.g. “Append to Document”) do not currently support Rule-entity references like `[Step 1 linked item]`. ---
**Author:** ![Polina\_Zenevich](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/polina_zenevich/32/480_2.png) [@Polina\_Zenevich](https://community.fibery.io/u/Polina_Zenevich)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2024, 10:48am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/automations-support-entity-references-like-step-1-linked-item-in-markdown-template-actions/5715/2 "2024-01-19T10:48:10Z")
Hi, Matt Could you please share the use case you have for that request? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chr1sG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/chr1sg/32/3941_2.png) [@Chr1sG](https://community.fibery.io/u/Chr1sG)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/automations-support-entity-references-like-step-1-linked-item-in-markdown-template-actions/5715/3 "2024-01-19T16:13:23Z")
> [@Polina\_Zenevich](#): > > Could you please share the use case you have for that request? 🙂 @Polina_Zenevich > [@How to create a comment in a thread view with Step 1 Linked entity](https://community.fibery.io/t/how-to-create-a-comment-in-a-thread-view-with-step-1-linked-entity/5701): > > I have an automation log where we track the external automations that should have created/changed entities in Fibery. When certain conditions are met, we want to create a comment in a thread view with the linked automation log. So that we inform the user of a failed automation (thread view will show ‘new message’) But without cluttering their notifications/inbox since we’ve build an auto retry solution so that 95% will be fixed automatically. I have an Automation log database and an entity A… ---
**Author:** ![YvetteLans](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/yvettelans/32/6101_2.png) [@YvetteLans](https://community.fibery.io/u/YvetteLans)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/automations-support-entity-references-like-step-1-linked-item-in-markdown-template-actions/5715/4 "2024-01-20T15:59:48Z")
> [@Polina\_Zenevich](#): > > Could you please share the use case you have for that request? 🙂 @Polina_Zenevich we can save a lot of automations if we can have this feature. Since we’ve created tons of templates for - Templates for tasks (normal tasks, recurring tasks) - Templates for specific projects (we have 3 different databases for normal projects, client projects and marketing projects) - Templates for the description field (standard outline for a note, meeting, blog post, sales call etc.) In the current situation when we trigger a template we can’t - Create the entity - Set the field values (assignee for example) - And add the description (from the template into the entity) In 1 automation. Because you can’t use the Step 1 Linked entity (= template) in the description/markdown. Instead we have a workaround - Automation 1: When a template is triggered, then create the entity + link the template - Automation 2: When a template is linked to an entity, then also fill the description from that template and unlink that entity. We’ve learned this workaround from @Chr1sG. I can imagine that every user that works with templates needs two automations since we can’t use Step 1 Linked Template Description 🙂 Maybe Chris knows how many users work like this? ---
**Author:** ![RonMakesSystems](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/ronmakessystems/32/14122_2.png) [@RonMakesSystems](https://community.fibery.io/u/RonMakesSystems)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2025, 9:37am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/automations-support-entity-references-like-step-1-linked-item-in-markdown-template-actions/5715/5 "2025-06-11T09:37:49Z")
Also needed this now! Sending email notifications when a comment is linked. I can’t have the body of that comment show in the email. Not the end of the world, but now users need to open fibery just to see the content of the comment.