What are Email and Letter Template Merge Fields?

 

Merge fields are placeholders that pull information from a contact record into an email or letter template. Instead of manually typing names, addresses, or other details, you use a merge field, and BigContacts fills in the correct information when the message is sent.

 

For example:

• Instead of writing "Dear John," in an email, you use "Dear {{first_name}},"
• When the email is sent, "{{first_name}}" is automatically replaced with the recipient’s actual first name.
   

 

How Merge Fields Work

 

Each contact record in BigContacts has different data fields (e.g., First Name, Business Name, Email). Every field has a corresponding merge value that can be used in templates. Below are the merge fields for personal and business details:

 

Personal Information (From "Personal Info" Tab)

 

Contact Record Field	Merge Field Used in Templates
First Name	{{first_name}}
Last Name	{{last_name}}
Salutation (Dear)	{{salutation_dear}}
Formal Name	{{salutation}}
Website	{{website}}
Home Address	{{home_address}}
Address Line 2	{{home_address2}}
City	{{home_city}}
State	{{home_state}}
Postal Code	{{home_postal_code}}
Country	{{home_country}}
Home Phone	{{phone}}

 

Business Information (From "Office Info" Tab)

 

Contact Record Field	Merge Field Used in Templates
Business Name	{{business_name}}
Business Address	{{business_address}}
Address Line 2	{{business_address2}}
City	{{business_city}}
State	{{business_state}}
Postal Code	{{business_postal_code}}
Country	{{business_country}}

 

 

How Custom Fields Work with Merge Fields

 

If you’ve created custom fields in BigContacts (Admin > Customize Account > Custom Fields tab), you can also use them in templates.

 

How to format custom merge fields:

• Custom fields follow the same format: {{custom_field_name}}

• Spaces in the field name must be replaced with an underscore (_)

Example:

• If you created a custom field called Phone Extension, the merge field would be:
  {{phone_extension}}

 

Things to Keep in Mind

 

• Merge fields only work when sending emails or letters; they don’t display actual values while editing the template.

• If a contact's information for a merge field is missing (e.g., their record does not include a first name), that section of the email/letter will be left blank.

• Double-check that merge fields are spelled correctly in templates to avoid missing data in sent messages.

 

Using merge fields helps streamline communication, reduce manual data entry, and ensure that every message is personalized and accurate. If you need assistance, contact our support team.