Overview
Merge fields allow you to personalise emails, letters, SMS messages and reports by automatically inserting information from Box+Dice into your template.
Instead of manually entering details such as a contact's name or a listing address, merge fields pull this information directly from the relevant Contact or Listing record each time the template is generated.
Summary
In this article we will cover
Before you begin
When creating a template, you must first choose the correct Context. The context determines:
- Which merge fields are available.
- Where the template can be used within Box+Dice.
Template Contexts
Contact
Use the Contact context when creating a template for a single contact.
Templates created with this context can only be generated from an individual Contact record.
Available merge fields include information stored on the contact profile, such as:
- Name
- Residential and postal address
- Email address
- Phone and mobile numbers
- Company
- Categories
- Buying criteria
Contact Search
Use Contact Search when creating templates that will be generated for multiple contacts.
Templates created with this context are available from the Contact Search screen and can be run against one or more selected contacts.
This context provides access to each selected contact, allowing the template to generate personalised content for every recipient.
Typical uses include:
- Bulk letters
- Marketing emails
- Mailing labels
- Contact reports
Listing
Use the Listing context when creating a template for a single listing.
Templates created with this context can only be generated from an individual Listing.
Available merge fields include information related to the listing, such as:
- Listing information
- Property details
- Vendors
- Purchasers
- Consultants
- Inspections
- Campaign information
- Sale information
- Custom fields
Listing Search
Use Listing Search when creating templates that will be generated for multiple listings.
Templates created with this context are available from the Listing Search screen and can be run against one or more selected listings.
This context allows the template to iterate through each selected listing, making it ideal for reports and bulk listing documents.
Typical uses include:
- Listing reports
- Stock lists
- Auction schedules
- Sales registers
Add merge fields to a template
- Open or create a Library template.
- Select the appropriate Context.
- Position your cursor where you want the information to appear.
- Double-click the required merge field from the list displayed on the right-hand side of the Template Editor.
- Repeat this process for any additional merge fields required.
- Save your template.
When the template is generated, Box+Dice automatically replaces each merge field with information from the relevant Contact or Listing record.
Example
A letter containing the merge field Contact First Name will automatically display the recipient's first name when generated, allowing the same template to be used for multiple recipients while remaining personalised.
Tips
- Choose the correct Context before building your template, as this determines which merge fields are available.
- Use Contact or Listing when generating a document for a single record.
- Use Contact Search or Listing Search when generating documents for multiple selected records.
- If a merge field does not appear in the list, check that you have selected the correct context for your template.
Where to next?