How to use variables in message templates and signatures

Overview

Variables are placeholder text in message templates or signatures that are dynamically filled based on information you've provided. This allows you to easily manage message templates and signatures at the company level.

When you set up a message template or signature with variables and use them in a reply, Front will automatically scan and pull from the saved contact details of your recipient or any custom field data.

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Variable options

Default variables

Front has default variables that will populate from the fields of your saved Contacts. To use a variable, simply type two double curly brackets {{ when composing a new message template or signature. The list of variables will appear, and you can select the one you'd like to use.

 The current list of default variables are:

• account.name: name of the contact currently tied to the account
• conversation.id: numeric version of the conversation's id
• conversation.public_id: id available in app menus (eg. cnv_123abc)
• message.id: numeric version of the message's id
• message.public_id: id available in app menus (eg. cnv_123abc)
• recipient.handle: contact's handle (ie. email, phone, etc.) dependent on message type
• recipient.email: contact's email address
• recipient.twitter: contact's Twitter handle
• recipient.phone: contact's phone number
• recipient.name: contact's full name
• recipient.first_name: first part of contact's name, split on the first space
• recipient.last_name: remaining portion of contact's name following the first space
• recipient.link: contact's link attribute
• survey: inserts Front's CSAT feature
• user.id: current Front user's numeric id
• user.name: current Front user's full name (first + last)
• user.first_name: current Front user's first name
• user.last_name: current Front user's last name
• user.email: current Front user's email

Custom contact variables

Front's Contact Manager allows you to add your own custom fields for your contacts, such as a Customer ID or a Job Title.

To use custom contact fields in your message templates or signatures, type the two double curly brackets {{ and recipient.custom in the message template/signature composer. You will see any custom contact fields you have created. For example, the custom contact field named Customer ID will appear as recipient.custom.customer_id.

Custom account variables

Front allows you to add your own custom fields to your accounts, such as an Account Manager or an Account Tier.

To use custom account fields in your message templates or signatures, type the two double curly brackets {{ and account.custom in the message template/signature composer. You will see any custom account fields you have created. For example, the custom account field named Account Manager will appear as account.custom.account_manager.

Custom teammate variables

Front allows you to add your own custom fields to your teammates, such as a Manager or Job Title.

To use custom teammate fields in your message templates or signatures, type the two double curly brackets {{ and user.custom in the message template/signature composer. You will see any custom account fields you have created. For example, the custom account field named Job Title will appear as user.custom.job_title.

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FAQ

What if the contact or field doesn't exist?

If the recipient name does not exist in your Contacts, the variable will not populate in your message template, in which case you should define a fallback. When defining a fallback, make sure you surround it with single quotes:

        {{recipient.first_name | 'there'}}

How does Front populate custom account variables?

Front will populate the custom account data for the recipient in the From field of your composer. The recipient needs to exist in your Contact Manager and be connected to an account. If there are multiple recipients, Front will populate the account data based on the logic described below.

Do variables work with automatic replies?

If you are using message templates in rules to send automatic replies, the {{user...}} variables, which is the Front teammate sending the message, will be blank because no user is actually tied to the reply, as it is automatic.

Do variables work in the subject line?

When you insert a message template manually in your message, the variable will work in the body, but not in the subject if you have one set up in the subject.

However, when a rule automatically sends a message template with a variable in the subject line, the variable will work in the subject.

Do recipient variables work for multiple recipients?

If you have multiple recipients you're writing to, dynamic variables will only populate the first recipient in the list, rather than separate copies to each recipient with their name populated. If you need to send separate copies with unique variables for each recipient, you should use Sequences.