If your email or SMS template isn’t showing placeholder content, like the guest’s name or check-in date, it’s usually because the placeholder code isn’t formatted or spelled correctly.

Placeholder codes are specially formatted text that are automatically replaced by booking details. For example, including %firstname% in a message will insert the guest’s first name there when the email is sent. You can find a full list of placeholders and how to use them in our guide to creating and customizing message templates.

If the code is spelled wrong, has extra characters, or the formatting is off, it won’t work.

Here’s how to troubleshoot placeholder code:

1. Go to Settings > Communications
2. Click the Edit button in the same row as the template
3. Highlight the paragraph with the placeholder code
4. Click the Tx (Clear formatting) icon in the editor toolbar to remove any hidden formatting. You can reapply bold, italics, or other styling afterward if needed
5. Check that the placeholder code is spelled and capitalized exactly right
6. Click Save