How to Insert Merge Fields in Your Email Templates

Sending personalized emails is crucial for engagement, but manually adding details—like a recipient’s name or company—can be time-consuming and error-prone. Many users struggle with formatting issues, incorrect data pulling, or merge fields not displaying correctly in email templates.

Common Issues Users Face with Merge Fields:

Incorrect or missing data – Merge fields sometimes pull blank values or outdated information.
Formatting issues – Merged text appears broken or incorrectly placed in the email.
No preview option – Users can’t verify how the email will look before sending.
Incompatibility with certain email clients – Some email providers don’t render merge fields correctly.

BIGContacts simplifies email personalization by providing pre-synced merge fields, ensuring:

Accurate data syncing – Pulls real-time contact details from your BIGContacts database.
Consistent formatting – Eliminates display issues across different email clients.
Built-in preview options – Allows you to check emails before sending.

This guide walks you through how to insert merge fields correctly in your email templates.

Step-by-Step: Inserting Merge Fields in BIGContacts

Step 1: Select Where to Insert the Merge Field

Open your email template in the BIGContacts Email Editor.
Click on the spot where you want to insert the merge field.
A toolbar will appear—select Personalize.

Step 2: Choose a Merge Field

In the pop-up menu, you’ll see a list of available merge fields.
Select the field you want to insert.
- Example: Choosing {{First Name}} will insert each recipient’s first name automatically.

Important: Only fields synced with your BIGContacts database can be used.

Step 3: Insert and Verify Formatting

The selected merge field will appear as a placeholder inside the email template.
Do not manually edit the merge field format—this may break the automation.
Use the Preview option to check how the email will appear for recipients.

List of Supported Merge Fields in BIGContacts

The following fields are synced from your BIGContacts database and can be inserted into your email templates:

First name
Last name
Email address
Contact type
Assigned to
Address
City
Postal code
Country
Date of birth
Custom text fields
Custom date fields
Tags

Note: Contact Groups and Picklists are not currently supported for personalization.

Best Practices for Using Merge Fields

Check for missing data – If a contact’s details are incomplete, the merge field may pull a blank value.
Use fallback text if available – Some email tools allow default values when a field is empty.
Test before sending – Always preview emails to ensure correct formatting.

Using merge fields correctly ensures faster, more personalized communication at scale without manual edits.

FAQs: Using Merge Fields in BIGContacts

1. What happens if a merge field is empty for a contact?

If a contact is missing data for a selected merge field (e.g., no first name in the database), the email will display a blank space where the merge field was inserted. To prevent this, consider:

Updating contact records before sending emails.
Using fallback text (if supported) to insert a default value when a field is empty.

2. Can I preview how the merge fields will appear before sending?

Yes, BIGContacts allows you to preview emails before sending. This helps you check:

Whether merge fields are pulling data correctly.
Formatting and spacing of personalized text.
How the email appears on different devices and email clients.

3. Do merge fields work in subject lines as well?

Yes, merge fields can be inserted into subject lines to personalize emails further. For example:

{{First Name}}, your exclusive offer is waiting!
Reminder: Your meeting with {{Assigned To}} is tomorrow.
This can improve open rates by making subject lines more relevant to recipients.

4. Are there any limitations on which merge fields I can use?

Yes, only fields synced from your BIGContacts database can be used. Unsupported fields, such as Contact Groups and Picklists, won’t work in email templates. Always refer to the list of available merge fields before inserting them.