diff --git a/docs/node-basics.md b/docs/node-basics.md
index ff319fd4d7..dae607fb82 100644
--- a/docs/node-basics.md
+++ b/docs/node-basics.md
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ The following special variables are available:
 
  - **$binary**: Incoming binary data of a node
  - **$data**: Incoming JSON data of a node
+ - **$evaluateExpression**: Evaluates a string as expression
  - **$env**: Environment variables
  - **$node**: Data of other nodes (output-data, parameters)
  - **$parameters**: Parameters of the current node
diff --git a/docs/nodes.md b/docs/nodes.md
index 03620ab01e..a3b0fc7b2e 100644
--- a/docs/nodes.md
+++ b/docs/nodes.md
@@ -99,6 +99,22 @@ const channel = $node["Slack"].parameter["channel"];
 ```
 
 
+#### Method: evaluateExpression(expression: string, itemIndex: number)
+
+Evaluates a given string as expression.
+If no `itemIndex` is provided it uses by default in the Function-Node the data of item 0 and
+in the Function Item-Node the data of the current item.
+
+Example:
+
+```javascript
+items[0].json.variable1 = evaluateExpression('{{1+2}}');
+items[0].json.variable2 = evaluateExpression($node["Set"].json["myExpression"], 1);
+
+return items;
+```
+
+
 #### Method: getWorkflowStaticData(type)
 
 Gives access to the static workflow data.
@@ -114,7 +130,7 @@ same in the whole workflow. And every node in the workflow can access it. The no
 
 Example:
 
-```typescript
+```javascript
 // Get the global workflow static data
 const staticData = getWorkflowStaticData('global');
 // Get the static data of the node
diff --git a/packages/core/src/NodeExecuteFunctions.ts b/packages/core/src/NodeExecuteFunctions.ts
index 212f8140b1..5b31f7bed8 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/NodeExecuteFunctions.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/NodeExecuteFunctions.ts
@@ -490,6 +490,9 @@ export function getExecuteFunctions(workflow: Workflow, runExecutionData: IRunEx
 			continueOnFail: () => {
 				return continueOnFail(node);
 			},
+			evaluateExpression: (expression: string, itemIndex: number) => {
+				return workflow.resolveSimpleParameterValue('=' + expression, runExecutionData, runIndex, itemIndex, node.name, connectionInputData);
+			},
 			async executeWorkflow(workflowInfo: IExecuteWorkflowInfo, inputData?: INodeExecutionData[]): Promise<any> { // tslint:disable-line:no-any
 				return additionalData.executeWorkflow(workflowInfo, additionalData, inputData);
 			},
@@ -578,6 +581,10 @@ export function getExecuteSingleFunctions(workflow: Workflow, runExecutionData:
 			continueOnFail: () => {
 				return continueOnFail(node);
 			},
+			evaluateExpression: (expression: string, evaluateItemIndex: number | undefined) => {
+				evaluateItemIndex = evaluateItemIndex === undefined ? itemIndex : evaluateItemIndex;
+				return workflow.resolveSimpleParameterValue('=' + expression, runExecutionData, runIndex, evaluateItemIndex, node.name, connectionInputData);
+			},
 			getContext(type: string): IContextObject {
 				return NodeHelpers.getContext(runExecutionData, type, node);
 			},
diff --git a/packages/nodes-base/nodes/Function.node.ts b/packages/nodes-base/nodes/Function.node.ts
index 7f5ea4c1ea..253a216650 100644
--- a/packages/nodes-base/nodes/Function.node.ts
+++ b/packages/nodes-base/nodes/Function.node.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ export class Function implements INodeType {
 
 		// Define the global objects for the custom function
 		const sandbox = {
+			evaluateExpression: (expression: string, itemIndex = 0) => {
+				return this.evaluateExpression(expression, itemIndex);
+			},
 			getNodeParameter: this.getNodeParameter,
 			getWorkflowStaticData: this.getWorkflowStaticData,
 			helpers: this.helpers,
diff --git a/packages/nodes-base/nodes/FunctionItem.node.ts b/packages/nodes-base/nodes/FunctionItem.node.ts
index 6352fc3f98..356e419477 100644
--- a/packages/nodes-base/nodes/FunctionItem.node.ts
+++ b/packages/nodes-base/nodes/FunctionItem.node.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ export class FunctionItem implements INodeType {
 
 		// Define the global objects for the custom function
 		const sandbox = {
+			evaluateExpression: (expression: string, itemIndex: number | undefined) => {
+				return this.evaluateExpression(expression, itemIndex);
+			},
 			getBinaryData: (): IBinaryKeyData | undefined => {
 				return item.binary;
 			},
diff --git a/packages/workflow/src/Interfaces.ts b/packages/workflow/src/Interfaces.ts
index 8e7fe082e9..44e4373e1d 100644
--- a/packages/workflow/src/Interfaces.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow/src/Interfaces.ts
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ export interface IExecuteContextData {
 
 export interface IExecuteFunctions {
 	continueOnFail(): boolean;
+	evaluateExpression(expression: string, itemIndex: number): NodeParameterValue | INodeParameters | NodeParameterValue[] | INodeParameters[];
 	executeWorkflow(workflowInfo: IExecuteWorkflowInfo, inputData?: INodeExecutionData[]): Promise<any>; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
 	getContext(type: string): IContextObject;
 	getCredentials(type: string): ICredentialDataDecryptedObject | undefined;
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ export interface IExecuteFunctions {
 
 export interface IExecuteSingleFunctions {
 	continueOnFail(): boolean;
+	evaluateExpression(expression: string, itemIndex: number | undefined): NodeParameterValue | INodeParameters | NodeParameterValue[] | INodeParameters[];
 	getContext(type: string): IContextObject;
 	getCredentials(type: string): ICredentialDataDecryptedObject | undefined;
 	getInputData(inputIndex?: number, inputName?: string): INodeExecutionData;
@@ -530,8 +532,12 @@ export interface IWorkflowDataProxyData {
 	$binary: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
 	$data: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
 	$env: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
+	$evaluateExpression: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
+	$item: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
+	$json: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
 	$node: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
 	$parameter: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
+	$workflow: any; // tslint:disable-line:no-any
 }
 
 export interface IWorkflowMetadata {
diff --git a/packages/workflow/src/Workflow.ts b/packages/workflow/src/Workflow.ts
index 19749c7920..a63060913c 100644
--- a/packages/workflow/src/Workflow.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow/src/Workflow.ts
@@ -897,10 +897,14 @@ export class Workflow {
 
 		// Generate a data proxy which allows to query workflow data
 		const dataProxy = new WorkflowDataProxy(this, runExecutionData, runIndex, itemIndex, activeNodeName, connectionInputData);
+		const data = dataProxy.getDataProxy();
+		data.$evaluateExpression = (expression: string) => {
+			return this.resolveSimpleParameterValue('=' + expression, runExecutionData, runIndex, itemIndex, activeNodeName, connectionInputData, returnObjectAsString);
+		};
 
 		// Execute the expression
 		try {
-			const returnValue = tmpl.tmpl(parameterValue, dataProxy.getDataProxy());
+			const returnValue = tmpl.tmpl(parameterValue, data);
 			if (returnValue !== null && typeof returnValue === 'object') {
 				if (Object.keys(returnValue).length === 0) {
 					// When expression is incomplete it returns a Proxy which causes problems.
diff --git a/packages/workflow/src/WorkflowDataProxy.ts b/packages/workflow/src/WorkflowDataProxy.ts
index 6a0ac34787..527b186196 100644
--- a/packages/workflow/src/WorkflowDataProxy.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow/src/WorkflowDataProxy.ts
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ export class WorkflowDataProxy {
 			$binary: {}, // Placeholder
 			$data: {}, // Placeholder
 			$env: this.envGetter(),
+			$evaluateExpression: (expression: string) => { },  // Placeholder
 			$item: (itemIndex: number) => {
 				const dataProxy = new WorkflowDataProxy(this.workflow, this.runExecutionData, this.runIndex, itemIndex, this.activeNodeName, this.connectionInputData);
 				return dataProxy.getDataProxy();