Merge Tokens: Personalize Emails and Texts in Shape

What are merge tokens?

Merge tokens are placeholders you add to a template, script, or document to pull in information from each record. When Shape sends the message or fills in the document, it replaces each token with that record’s details, like the customer’s first name, the assigned user’s phone number, or a loan amount.

That means you can write one template and send it to hundreds of people, while every message still feels written just for them.

Example: You write “Hi {First Name}, thanks for reaching out!” in a template. When it goes to Maria Lopez, she sees “Hi Maria, thanks for reaching out!” When it goes to James Carter, he sees “Hi James, thanks for reaching out!”

You may also hear merge tokens called merge tags, merge fields, or tokens. They all mean the same thing.

In short:

• Merge tokens pull information from each record into your templates at send time
• They work in email and text templates, bulk sends, drip campaigns, triggers, call scripts, guidelines, eSignature documents, and editable documents like pre-approval letters
• You can use tokens for the customer, co-borrower, assigned user, loan or application details, and custom fields
• Tokens can also fill in who an email comes from and who receives it
• If a record doesn’t have a value for a token, that spot is left blank, so always test your templates

• Date tokens can fill in the day a message sends or the date and time a record reached a status

• Find tokens with the Tokens button, and always choose the version in curly brackets { }

Why use merge tokens?

Personalization at scale. A message that uses the customer’s name and details gets more attention than a generic one. Tokens let you personalize every message without typing each one by hand.

Fewer mistakes. Tokens pull details straight from the record, so you don’t risk copying the wrong name, number, or amount into a message.

One template, many uses. The same template works for every user and every customer. Assigned user tokens make sure each message shows the right loan officer or rep, with no need for separate templates for each person.

Automation that still feels personal. Drip campaigns and triggers send messages without anyone touching them. Tokens make sure those automated messages still speak to each customer directly.

Where can I use merge tokens?

You can add merge tokens anywhere you see a Tokens button, including:

Some tokens also work outside templates. For example, status date tokens can show the date and time a record reached a status in a Custom UI tab, so your team can see a record’s timeline at a glance.

Because drip campaign steps keep their own copy of a template, update the token in the drip step itself if you change it. See Drip Campaigns.

How to add a merge token

Any time you see a Tokens button in Shape, you can add a merge token there.

1. Open the template, bulk email, bulk text, or other message you’re writing.
2. Click where you want the personalized detail to appear, in the subject line or the message body.
3. Click the Tokens button. A searchable dropdown opens.
4. Search for the detail you want, such as “first name” or “loan amount.”
5. Choose the version in curly brackets { }, such as {First Name}. That’s the one Shape fills in when the message sends.
6. Write the words around it so the sentence reads naturally. For example: “Hi {First Name}, I’ll be reaching out today.”
7. Save the template, then send a test to a record you can check.

What information can tokens pull in?

The tokens available to you depend on your Shape system, your industry template, and the fields set up in your account, so the list can look very different from one system to another. To see what’s available to you, click the Tokens button and search.

Common kinds of tokens include:

• Contact details, like first name, last name, email address, and phone number
• Co-borrower details, like the co-borrower’s name and email (mortgage)
• Assigned user details, like the user’s name, email, phone number, and signature
• Loan and application details, like loan amount or property address (mortgage)
• Custom fields you’ve added to your system
• Dates, like the day of the week a message sends or the date and time a record reached a status

Day of the week

A day of week token fills in the day the message actually sends, so you never have to update it by hand. It’s especially useful for drip campaigns, triggers, and bulk messages.

Example: A template says “Happy {Day of Week}, {First Name}!” If it sends on a Monday, Joni sees “Happy Monday, Joni!” If the same template sends on a Thursday, she sees “Happy Thursday, Joni!”

Status dates

Status date tokens fill in the date and time a record reached a specific status, such as Application Started or Processing. Use them in templates, like “We received your application on {Application Started Date},” or in a Custom UI tab to show a record’s progress. If the record hasn’t reached that status yet, the token is left blank.

Token names in this guide are examples. Search the Tokens dropdown in your system to find the exact token you need.

Using tokens for who sends and receives an email

Tokens aren’t just for the message itself. In an email template’s To, From, CC, and BCC fields, tokens decide who the email comes from and who gets it.

• From: By default, templates send from the assigned user’s email. When a user sends an email one-to-one from a record, it comes from that user instead.
• To: By default, templates send to the email on file for the record. Use a co-borrower token to include the co-borrower too.
• CC and BCC: Add tokens or email addresses to copy the assigned user, a manager, or another contact. Separate multiple addresses with commas.

If a bulk email doesn’t reach the people you expected, check that the To and From fields use the right tokens.

What happens if a field is blank?

If a record doesn’t have a value for a token, Shape leaves that spot blank. The rest of the message still sends.

That can make a sentence read oddly. For example, “Hi {First Name},” becomes “Hi ,” for a record with no first name.

To avoid this:

• Use tokens for fields your records almost always have, like first name
• Write sentences that still make sense if an optional field is empty
• Keep important fields filled in on your records, especially for leads that enter drip campaigns
• Send a test to a record with missing fields to see how the message looks

Co-branding tokens in marketing designs

Marketing designs in Shape’s Content Management System use their own co-branding tokens, which pull in a Referral Partner’s details. These work differently from the merge tokens in email and text templates, and their names don’t match. See Content Management System for details.

Best practices for merge tokens

Test before you send. Send a test to a record you can check before using a template in a bulk send, drip campaign, or trigger. Make sure every token fills in the way you expect.

Keep it simple. A first name and the assigned user’s name go a long way. Too many tokens in one message can feel automated.

Plan for blank fields. Write sentences that still read well if an optional field is empty.

Use assigned user tokens instead of typing names. One template then works for every user, and messages always show the right contact.

Keep your records clean. Tokens are only as accurate as the data on the record. Correct misspelled names and outdated contact details.

Troubleshooting

A token showed up blank in my message

The record doesn’t have a value for that field. Open the record, fill in the field, and send again. For drip campaigns and triggers, make sure the field is filled in before the step or action runs.

The wrong person received my email

Check the template’s To, CC, and BCC fields and make sure they use the right tokens for the contacts you want to reach.

My email came from the wrong user

Check the template’s From field. Templates send from the assigned user by default, and one-to-one emails from a record come from the user who sends them.

I updated a token in a template, but my drip still sends the old version

Drip campaign steps keep their own copy of a template. Edit the step inside the drip campaign to update it.

A token shows up as text instead of filling in

If the message or Custom UI tab shows the token itself instead of the record’s details, make sure you used the version in curly brackets { } from the Tokens dropdown. The easiest fix is to delete the token and insert it again, choosing the curly-bracket option. If it still doesn’t fill in, reach out to Support with a screenshot.

Frequently asked questions

Need help?

If a token isn’t filling in the way you expect, Shape Support can take a look. Please include the template name, an example record, and a screenshot of the message.

Email: help@setshape.com · Phone: (888) 718-6344

Related guides: Email Templates · Drip Campaigns · Manage Triggers · Content Management System