> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.plumvoice.com/dev/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.plumvoice.com/dev/voicexml/tags/initial-tag.md).

# \<initial>

## \<initial> <a href="#initial" id="initial"></a>

In a typical mixed initiative form, the `<initial>` element is visited when the user is initially being prompted for form-wide information, and has not yet entered into the directed mode where each field is visited individually.

### Attributes

<table><thead><tr><th width="141.33333333333331">Name</th><th width="171">Data type<select><option value="35fe61ca037346a586d1788924afb17b" label="String" color="blue"></option><option value="39904f434571456595d71a5f650e34de" label="Integer" color="blue"></option><option value="bc0751103307467f9fe3c3a254ba1580" label="Boolean" color="blue"></option></select></th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>name</td><td><span data-option="35fe61ca037346a586d1788924afb17b">String</span></td><td>The name of a form item variable used to track whether the &#x3C;initial> is eligible to execute. Default is an inaccessible internal variable.</td></tr><tr><td>cond</td><td><span data-option="35fe61ca037346a586d1788924afb17b">String</span></td><td>An expression that must evaluate to true after conversion to Boolean in order for the form item to be visited.</td></tr><tr><td>expr</td><td><span data-option="35fe61ca037346a586d1788924afb17b">String</span></td><td><p>The initial value of the form item variable. Default is ECMAScript undefined.</p><p></p><p>If initialized to a value, then the form item will not be visited unless the form item variable is cleared.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

### Notes

None

### Example

```markup
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vxml version="2.0">

  <form>
    <grammar type="application/srgs+xml" root="ROOT" mode="voice">
      <rule id="ROOT">
        <one-of>
          <item>
            Dog
            <tag>
              name="Lassie";age="5";color="brown"
            </tag>
          </item>
          <item>
            Cat
            <tag>
              name="Garfield";age="7";color="orange"
            </tag>
          </item>
        </one-of>
      </rule>
    </grammar>

    <initial>
      <prompt>
        Say either dog or cat.
      </prompt>
    </initial>

    <field name="name"/>
    <field name="age"/>
    <field name="color"/>

    <filled>
      <if cond="name=='Lassie'">
        <prompt>
          The dog's name is <value expr="name"/>.
          He is <value expr="age"/> years old.
          His fur color is <value expr="color"/>.
        </prompt>
        <elseif cond="name=='Garfield'"/>
        <prompt>
          The cat's name is <value expr="name"/>.
          He is <value expr="age"/> years old.
          His fur color is <value expr="color"/>.
        </prompt>
        <else/>
        <prompt>
          I did not understand you.
        </prompt>
      </if>
    </filled>
  </form>
</vxml>
```

The output of the above script would be:

> Computer: Say either dog or cat.\
> Human: Dog.\
> Computer: The dog's name is Lassie.\
> Computer: He is 5 years old.\
> Computer: His fur color is brown.

### Child Tags

[\<audio>](/dev/voicexml/tags/audio-tag.md), [\<catch>](/dev/voicexml/tags/catch-tag.md), [\<enumerate>](/dev/voicexml/tags/enumerate-tag.md), [\<error>](/dev/voicexml/tags/error-tag.md), [\<help>](/dev/voicexml/tags/help-tag.md), [\<link>](/dev/voicexml/tags/link-tag.md), [\<noinput>](/dev/voicexml/tags/noinput-tag.md), [\<nomatch>](/dev/voicexml/tags/nomatch-tag.md), [\<prompt>](/dev/voicexml/tags/prompt-tag.md), [\<property>](/dev/voicexml/tags/property-tag.md), [\<value>](/dev/voicexml/tags/value-tag.md)

### Parent Tags

[\<form>](/dev/voicexml/tags/form-tag.md)