Create helpers from within automation editor

[samabsalom]

The problem

While building an automation, you often realise mid-flow that you need a new Helper (e.g., input_boolean, input_number, input_datetime, timer, counter, input_text). Today you must leave the editor to create it under Settings → Devices & Services → Helpers. Doing so risks losing your in-progress automation unless you:

• save with errors,

• copy/paste YAML to a scratch pad, or

• abandon the current context and rebuild it later.

This breaks the authoring flow and increases error risk.

Use cases

You’re adding a “snooze” or “silence until” to a notification and need an input_datetime/input_number on the spot.

You’re adding a manual override to a lighting automation and need a new input_boolean.is_guest_mode.

You design a threshold condition and decide an input_number.lux_threshold would make it tunable.

Proposed solution

Enable creating a Helper directly from within the Automation editor, without navigating away or losing the current draft.

**UX idea **

Anywhere an Entity or Helper is selectable (e.g., in Conditions or Actions), add a small “+ Create helper” affordance next to the picker.

Clicking it opens a lightweight modal:

Step 1: Choose helper type (Boolean, Number, Text, Date/Time, Timer, Counter).

Step 2: Configure minimal fields (name, icon, initial value/range).

Step 3: Create.

On success:

The new helper is created in the background.

The entity selector automatically refreshes and pre-selects the new helper.

The automation draft remains intact—no page navigation, no loss of unsaved changes.

Benefits

Faster authoring, fewer context switches.

Reduced risk of losing work.

Encourages best practice (parameterising thresholds/flags via helpers).

Improves accessibility for users who don’t know where Helpers live

[jpbede]

There is the possibility to create a helper at the end of the entity list (or search for a none existing one) 🙂