Merge fields (also called tokens) pull dynamic information into your email templates: parent names, student details, school info, and date formats. The Template Editor's Merge Field Picker is the easiest way to add them, but you can also type tokens directly.
💡Quick Answers
- What categories are available in email templates? Contact (student info), Recipient (whoever is receiving the email), School (your school info), and System (current date formats).
- What's the difference between Contact and Recipient tokens? Contact tokens pull data about the student linked to the email; Recipient tokens pull data about whoever is receiving it, usually a parent.
- Why shouldn't I use Contact tokens in family-based emails? With multiple students per family, the system picks just one student to populate, so the result is inconsistent.
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Why doesn't the salutation merge field work in the Inquiry Thank You email? Use
{{recipient.first_name}}instead. Salutation tokens are not supported on system-sent inquiry confirmations. - What if a merge field shows up empty? Double-check the field name and confirm the student has a value set for that field on their contact record.
- How do I preview a token's output before sending? Always check the preview email screen. Tokens transform there exactly as families will see them.
How-To
Merge fields can be added to a template through the Merge Field Picker or by typing/copying them directly into the body of the template. Learn more in our 'How to Pull in Dynamic Information' section here.
It is always a best practice to double-check the body of the email on the preview email screen before sending it. If a merge field is not populating data for a student, check that you have the right field name and that the student has a value set for that field on their contact record.
Some additional considerations regarding the use of merge fields in emails:
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Family-Based Emails
Using contact-type merge fields is not recommended for family-based emails. If they are used in a family-based email, the system will choose just one student's information to populate. -
System Emails
Salutation merge fields cannot be used in the Inquiry Thank You Email that is automatically sent to the parent upon submitting an inquiry. In order to address Parent 1, use recipient merge fields. For example, you can use {{recipient.first_name}} to pull in the parent's first name.
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