Placeholders you can use in automation messages
Last updated: Aug 24, 2026
Placeholders are tokens in curly braces — like {first_name} or {date} —
that Dispatch Bros swaps for the real customer and job details the moment
each automation message sends. You'll find them in every workflow editor
under Automations → Workflows → Configure: clickable chips below the
Message Template box insert them, and a live preview shows the result.
The full placeholder list
| Placeholder | What it inserts |
|---|---|
{first_name} | Customer first name |
{last_name} | Customer last name |
{company_name} | Your company name |
{job_source} | Job source name |
{job_number} | Job number |
{date} | Scheduled date |
{time_frame} | Arrival window (e.g. 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM) |
{tech_name} | Assigned technician |
{invoice_number} | Invoice number |
{estimate_number} | Estimate number |
{amount} | Dollar amount |
{review_link} | Smart review link for the job source |
{recipient_name} | Recipient display name (team workflows only) |
{job_status} | Job status snapshot at queue time |
{address} | Job service address (customer address fallback) |
{business_name} | Business name of the line the customer called (falls back to job source, then company) |
{phone_name} | The phone number's Name — the Google Maps listing of the line the customer called (same value as business_name) |
{time} also works as a backward-compatible alias for {time_frame}.
Using placeholders in the editor
- Open Automations → Workflows and click Configure on any automation.
- Type your message in the Message Template box, or click the placeholder chips underneath to insert tokens.
- Check the block labeled "Preview with sample data:" — it renders your template with realistic sample values so you can see the finished text before anything sends.
- Press Save Changes.
The same chips and preview appear on the Follow-up message box in the Resend if no response section, so reminders can be personalized too (resend details).
Which placeholders fit which automation
- Customer messages (confirmations, reminders, review requests,
missed-call text-back): stick to the customer/job group —
{first_name},{company_name},{date},{time_frame},{tech_name},{job_number},{address},{review_link}. - Multi-brand phone setups:
{business_name}and{phone_name}insert the name of the specific line the customer called, so one automation can speak for many listings (how that works). - Team Notifications:
{recipient_name}and{job_status}resolve only in team workflows that message your own staff or partners.
Troubleshooting
- A warning saying "Unknown variable" appears under the box — you typed
a token the engine doesn't know (a typo like
{first_nane}). The warning lists the offenders and notes they "will be replaced with empty text." Fix the spelling before saving, or your customers get a message with a hole in it. - A valid placeholder came out empty in a real send — the job simply
had no value for it (for example
{tech_name}on a job with no assigned technician, or{review_link}when the source has no review link). Check the job's data, and see the run's expanded details in the Runs tab. - The preview looks right but you want different wording per job source — make a copy of the automation per source (scope to a source).
FAQ
How do I insert a placeholder without typing it?
In the workflow editor, click any placeholder chip under the message box — it appends the token to your template. A live preview with sample data shows exactly how the finished text reads.
What happens if I type a placeholder that doesn't exist?
The editor warns you immediately, and unknown variables are replaced with empty text when the message sends — so always fix them before saving.
Is {time} the same as {time_frame}?
Yes — {time} is a backward-compatible alias for {time_frame}, the customer's arrival window. New templates should use {time_frame}.
Why are {recipient_name} and {job_status} not filling in my customer message?
They're team-workflow placeholders — they resolve for Team Notification automations that text your own staff, not for customer-facing messages.