How to Personalize WhatsApp Templates with Names and Custom Fields

Why Personalization Matters

Imagine receiving two messages. The first says "Hi! Your appointment is tomorrow." The second says "Hi Sarah! Your appointment is tomorrow at 2 PM at Downtown Dental." Which one feels better?

Personalization makes your messages feel like they're written specifically for each person, not blasted to hundreds of people at once. It shows you pay attention to details and care about your customers. Best of all, it's easy to do with template variables.

If you haven't created templates before, start with our guide on what WhatsApp templates areThis guide assumes you understand the basics and are ready to add personalization.

How Template Variables Work

Variables are placeholders in your template that get replaced with real information when you send the message. You write the template once with {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}, etc., and then you fill in different values for each person when you send it.

Think of it as a template, but more intelligent. You set up the framework initially, then tailor the specifics for each individual.

Creating a Template with Variables

When you write your template, use double curly braces with numbers to indicate where personalized information should be inserted:

Example template: "Hi {{1}}! This is {{2}} from {{3}}. Your appointment is confirmed for {{4}} at {{5}}. See you then!"

When you send this template, you'll provide the actual values:

• {{1}} = Sarah (customer's name)
• {{2}} = Mike (your name)
• {{3}} = Downtown Dental (business name)
• {{4}} = Thursday (appointment day)
• {{5}} = 2 PM (appointment time)

The customer receives: "Hi Sarah! This is Mike from Downtown Dental. Your appointment is confirmed for Thursday at 2 PM. See you then!"

What Can You Customize?

You can include variables for any information that varies from person to person. Here are the most common elements to customize:

Customer's name makes every message feel personal. Even if you don't customize anything else, adding their first name makes a huge difference. "Hi {{1}}" is much friendlier than "Hi there" or "Dear customer."

Dates and times are essential for appointments, events, and deadlines. Instead of sending everyone the same time, each person gets their specific schedule. This is especially important for appointment reminders where everyone has a different time slot.

Order details Order numbers, product names, or tracking numbers help customers know exactly which order you're referring to. "Your order #{{1}}" is clearer than "Your recent order."

Location information helps when you have multiple stores or service areas. "Your appointment is at our {{1}} location" tells them exactly where to go.

Custom amounts Work great for bills, estimates, or personalized offers. "Your quote for {{1}} service is ${{2}}" shows them their specific information.

Event details Allow you to send one template to multiple events with different dates, times, or locations. Each person receives the correct information for their specific event.

Variable Numbering Rules

Variables must be numbered sequentially starting from 1. You can't skip numbers or start from 0.

Correct: "Hi {{1}}! Your order {{2}} will be shipped on {{3}}."

Wrong: "Hi {{1}}! Your order {{3}} ships on {{5}}."

Wrong: "Hi {{0}}! Your order {{1}} ships on {{2}}." (starts from 0)

The numbers indicate the sequence in which you'll supply the information when completing the template. Maintain the order, and it will all become clear as you fill in the values.

How Many Variables Should You Use?

WhatsApp allows up to 10 variables per template ({{1}} through {{10}}), but that doesn't mean you should use them all. Too many variables make your template complicated to manage and easier to mess up when sending.

A good guideline: Use 3-5 variables for most templates. This provides sufficient flexibility for personalization without making it complex.

Simple template (2 variables): "Hi {{1}}! Your order has shipped and will arrive on {{2}}."

Moderate template (4 variables): "Hi {{1}}! Your appointment at {{2}} is confirmed for {{3}} at {{4}}."

Complex template (6 variables): "Hi {{1}}! Your order #{{2}} for {{3}} has shipped via {{4}}. Expected delivery: {{5}}. Track it here: {{6}}"

The complex template works, but you need to track six pieces of information for each person you message. Keep it as simple as possible while including everything important.

Preparing Your Data for Sending

When you're ready to send your personalized template, you need to organize your data correctly. The format is simple: each line contains one phone number followed by the variable values, separated by commas.

Format:

phone_number,value1,value2,value3
phone_number,value1,value2,value3

Example for appointment reminders:

0523737233,Sarah,Thursday,2 PM
0542345678,Mike,Friday,10 AM
0549876543,Lisa,Monday,3 PM

Each line sends one message. The phone number comes first, followed by the values in order ({{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}, etc.). Use commas to separate the values, and place each person on their own line.

Handling Commas and Special Characters

What if your variable value contains a comma? For example, a location like "123 Main Street, Suite 5" or a name like "Johnson, DDS"?

When your data includes commas, enclose that value in quotes:

0523737233,Sarah,"123 Main Street, Suite 5",Thursday
0542345678,Mike,"Johnson, DDS",Friday

This indicates to the system that everything within the quotes is a single value, even if it includes commas.

Real Examples That Work

Let's examine full examples that illustrate the template and the data for sending:

Example 1: Event invitations

"Hi {{1}}! You're invited to {{2}} on {{3}}. We'd love to see you there! RSVP here: {{4}}"

Send data:

0523737233,David,Summer BBQ,June 15th,boti360.com/rsvp/123
0542345678,Rachel,Summer BBQ,June 15th,boti360.com/rsvp/124
0549876543,Tom,Networking Mixer,June 20th,boti360.com/rsvp/125

Notice how David and Rachel are getting invited to the same event but with different RSVP links. Tom is getting invited to a different event entirely. One template handles multiple scenarios.

Example 2: Order confirmations

Hi {{1}}! Your order #{{2}} for {{3}} is confirmed. Total: ${{4}}. Expected delivery: {{5}}.

Send data:

0523737233,Sarah,12345,Blue Widget,$29.99,May 10th
0542345678,John,12346,Red Gadget,$49.99,May 12th
0549876543,Emily,12347,Green Tool,$19.99,May 9th

Each customer views their unique order number, product, price, and delivery date. Personal and professional.

Example 3: Appointment reminders

Hi {{1}}! Reminder from {{2}}: Your {{3}} appointment is {{4}} at {{5}}. Reply 1 to confirm, 2 to reschedule.

Send data:

0523737233,Lisa,Downtown Dental,dental cleaning,tomorrow,10 AM
0542345678,Mark,Downtown Dental,consultation,Thursday,2 PM
0549876543,Amy,City Clinic,check-up,Friday,9 AM

Same template works for various types of appointments, different days, different times, and even different businesses.

Tips for Managing Your Data

Use a spreadsheet To organize your data before sending, create columns for phone number and each variable, then export as CSV. This makes it easier to review and edit before sending.

Double-check phone numbers Before sending, ensure accuracy. Incorrect numbers waste money (as you're paying for each template sent) and cannot be unsent once they're dispatched.

Test with yourself first by sending it to your own phone number. Verify that all variables appear correctly and the message reads well.

Keep track of what you sent By keeping a copy of your data, you can ensure that if customers have questions later, you'll know precisely what message they received.

Watch out for typos In names and details, spell-checking personalizations shows you care about getting it right.

Variables in Different Languages

If you're sending templates in different languages, remember that variables work the same way, but the text around them changes.

English template: "Hi {{1}}! Your order arrives {{2}}."

Hebrew template (written right-to-left): שלום {{1}}! ההזמנה שלך מגיעה {{2}}.

The {{1}} and {{2}} variables remain unchanged—you're still inserting the name and date—but the message text is in the correct language. Each language requires its own template, yet the variable system functions the same way.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mixing up variable order: If your template says "Hi {{1}}, your appointment on {{2}} at {{3}}" but you send "0523737233,2 PM,Thursday,Sarah", the message will say "Hi Sarah, your appointment on Thursday at 2 PM." Keep the order consistent.

Forgetting a variable: If your template has three variables but you only provide two values, the third variable won't be replaced. Always provide values for all variables.

Using variables in the wrong place: Don't use variables for fixed text that's the same for everyone. Variables are for information that changes, not for standard parts of your message.

Making variables excessively long: While you can technically store lengthy text in variables, it's advisable to keep them reasonably short. Long blocks of text in variables are harder to manage and can appear awkward in messages.

What's Next?

Now that you know how to customize your templates with variables, you're prepared to:

• Send your templates through the broadcast screen
• Learn how bots can automatically send personalized templates.
• Create templates that receive swift approval.

Personalization transforms generic announcements into messages that seem tailor-made for each customer. Spend a few extra minutes setting up variables—your customers will notice and appreciate it.