Personalizing Emails with Merge Fields

Use merge fields in your email body to personalize messages for each recipient. Instructions vary by recipient method.

Before You Start

Ensure you have reviewed these articles:

• Understanding Merge Fields: Setup & Prerequisites
• Merge Field Data Sources

Recipient Methods

Individual Email Addresses or Distribution Lists

1. In the Email Builder, drag a text-based content block to your email
2. Enter your text, then position your cursor where you want the merge field to appear
3. In the text editor, click Merge tags
4. Select your desired merge field
5. The merge field automatically pastes at your cursor location

Merge Fields for CSV Uploads or Contact Lists

1. In the Email Builder, drag a text-based content block to your email
2. Enter your text, then position your cursor where you want the merge field to appear
3. Type the merge field manually
4. Ensure the spelling and capitalization match your CSV header or contact list field exactly
5. Remove any spaces from the field name

Continue to add as many merge fields as needed throughout your email.

Merge Field Tag Format

All merge fields use this format:

{{FieldName}}

Formatting rules:

• Use double curly brackets: {{ and }}
• No spaces inside the brackets
• Match spelling and capitalization exactly to your data source

Examples:

• ✅ Correct: {{FirstName}}
• ❌ Incorrect: {{ FirstName }} (spaces inside brackets)
• ❌ Incorrect: {FirstName} (single brackets)
• ❌ Incorrect: {{firstname}} (if source uses 'FirstName')

Example: Building a Personalized Email

What you write in the Email Builder:

Hello {{FirstName}},

Thank you for joining the {{Department}} team on {{StartDate}}.

Your manager {{ManagerName}} will reach out to schedule your onboarding.

We're excited to have you at {{Company}}!

Best regards,
HR Team

What Bob receives:

Hello Bob,

Thank you for joining the Marketing team on January 15, 2025.

Your manager Sarah Johnson will reach out to schedule your onboarding.

We're excited to have you at ContactMonkey!

Best regards,
HR Team

What Sarah receives:

Hello Sarah,

Thank you for joining the Sales team on February 1, 2025.

Your manager James Lee will reach out to schedule your onboarding.

We're excited to have you at ContactMonkey!

Best regards,
HR Team

Tips for Email Body Merge Fields

Placement:

• Position your cursor before clicking Merge tags
• Merge fields can appear anywhere in your text content
• Use multiple merge fields in the same sentence

Formatting:

• Merge fields inherit the formatting of the surrounding text
• Apply bold, italics, colors, or other styling as needed
• Personalized data will match your formatting

Spacing:

• Add spaces around merge fields: Hello {{FirstName}},
• Do not add spaces inside braces: {{FirstName}} not {{ FirstName }}

Combining merge fields:

• Full names: {{FirstName}} {{LastName}}
• Locations: {{City}}, {{State}}
• Formal address: {{Title}} {{FirstName}} {{LastName}}

Next Steps

• Personalizing Subject Lines with Merge Fields
• Testing and Sending Emails with Merge Fields