Same inputs to action by itself and action in flow result in different outputs

[Brian Whyte]

So, I have defined a fairly simple custom JavaScript action in flow designer that queries a table using two inputs and returns a result.  Alternatively, I could do a Lookup Records action in the flow, but creating a script action is perfectly capable for doing a lookup and will be necessary for some more complex actions that I need to create that can't be accomplished with the regular non-custom actions.  When I test the custom JavaScript action using the test capability in Flow Designer with inputs X and Y, the output is always Z.  When I use that action in a flow and test where the inputs are EXACTLY the same (X and Y), the output is W.   The correct output should be Z. What in the heck is going on? See screenshots. This is in Quebec.

- Frustrated Developer

[Brian Whyte · Accepted solution]

I wanted to post another reply. I've found the issue.  In the flow that uses the action, the input is actually a reference.  In the test for action alone the input is plain text string.   It's a little ambiguous, but if you run into the same issue I had, pay attention visually to when SN makes the runtime value a link as opposed to just plain text even if the text on the link is the same as the plain text that's not a link

[Brian Whyte]

@ricker Forgot to answer run as System User Global Scope