Personalization variables let you insert dynamic, recipient-specific content, such as a customer's first name, membership tier, or checkout link, directly into your email and SMS messages. With variables, every message your store sends can feel tailored to the individual receiving it.
This guide explains how to understand the available variable types, insert variables into your campaigns and automation flows, set fallback values so messages are never broken when data is missing, and manage event-specific variables tied to automation triggers.
| Note: This article is for SHOPLINE merchants only. |
Understanding Variable Types
SmartPush supports three categories of personalization variables. Which variables are available depends on the type of message you're creating and the trigger you've selected.
| Variable Type | What It Contains | Available In |
| Store Info |
Store URL: Your store's homepage link Store Name: Your store's display name |
All campaigns and automation flows |
| Contact Attributes |
Standard: first name, last name, full name, email, phone Membership: membership tier, points balance (SHOPLINE merchants only) Custom: attributes collected via forms or synced from Klaviyo |
All campaigns and automation flows (text fields only; not available in URL fields) |
| Event Attributes | Trigger-specific data — for example, the number of expiring points, a discount code, or a checkout URL — mapped to the trigger you've selected. | Automation flows only. Not available in regular campaign editors. |
| Note: Membership tier and points balance variables are only available to SHOPLINE merchants. They are not shown for other platform types. |
Where You Can Insert Variables
You can insert personalization variables in the following locations within the email and SMS editors:
- Email subject line: Text variables only
- Email body — text blocks: Text variables (store info, contact attributes, event attributes)
- Email body — button and image URL fields: URL-type variables only (Store URL, Checkout URL, Order URL, Cart URL)
- SMS/MMS content editor: Text and URL variables
| Note: Event attribute variables are hidden in the campaign SMS/MMS editor. They are only available inside automation flow SMS/MMS nodes. |
Inserting a Variable into Your Message
To insert a personalization variable into an email or SMS message:
- Open the email or SMS editor from your campaign or automation flow.
- Click inside the text block, subject line, or URL field where you want to insert the variable.
- Click [x], then select Event.
- Select a variable category: Store Info, Contact Attributes, or Event Attributes.
- Select the specific variable you want to insert.
- If this is the first time you're using this variable (or no fallback value has been saved), a prompt appears asking you to set a Fallback Value. Enter a value and click Confirm, or click Skip to insert without a fallback (the variable will be hidden for recipients who don't have this data).
- The variable is inserted into your message and displayed as a placeholder tag, for example: [[firstName or default: there]].
| Note: If you have previously saved a fallback value for this variable, the saved value is applied automatically. You won't be prompted again unless you choose to update it. |
Setting and Managing Fallback Values
A fallback value is the text shown to a recipient when SmartPush cannot find data for a variable — for example, if a contact's first name is not on record. Setting fallback values ensures your messages always read naturally.
How Fallback Values Work
When a message is sent, SmartPush fills in each variable using the following priority order:
- Recipient's actual data (if available)
- Merchant-set fallback value (if configured)
- System default (if no fallback is set) — the variable is hidden from the final message
Saving a Fallback Value for Future Use
When setting a fallback value in the Insert Variable panel, you can choose to save it so it applies automatically across future campaigns and flows:
- Check Save to Data Metrics before confirming to store the value globally.
- Leave it unchecked to apply the fallback to the current message only. You will be prompted again next time.
Managing Fallback Values from the Data Metrics Page
You can view and update all saved fallback values in one place from the Data Metrics page. To access it, click Manage Variable Defaults at the bottom of the Insert Variable panel. This opens the Understanding SmartPush Metrics (for SHOPLINE Merchants) page in a new tab, where each event code has an expandable list of its attributes and their configured fallback values.
| Note: For a full guide to the Data Metrics page and event attributes, refer to "Understanding SmartPush Metrics (for SHOPLINE Merchants)" |
Using Event Variables in Automation Flows
Event variables are available exclusively in automation flows. When you select a trigger for your flow, SmartPush automatically surfaces only the variables that are relevant to that trigger — so you only see data that will actually be available when the flow runs.
How Event Variables Are Mapped to Triggers
Each automation trigger maps to a specific set of event attributes. For example:
- Entered Checkout: surfaces [[checkoutUrl]]
- Order Created / Order Fulfilled: surfaces [[orderUrl]]
- Metrics triggers (such as Member System, Subscription Commerce, or Wishlist events): surface all event attributes defined in the event's metadata — including attributes from parent and child events combined
| Note: Event variables from app integrations — including the Member System app, Subscription Commerce app, and Wishlist app — are only available to SHOPLINE merchants. Merchants on other platforms will not see these variables. |
Triggers that do not produce event attributes — such as Customer Subscribed, Contact Enters Segment, and Date-Based triggers — do not surface any event variables. The event attributes section is hidden for these triggers.
Switching Triggers After Configuring Messages
If you change the trigger on a flow after you have already added email or SMS messages containing variables, a warning dialog appears.
The dialog confirms that any variables which are no longer available under the new trigger will fall back to their configured default values. If no default has been set, those variables will be hidden in the sent message. Review your variable defaults before confirming the trigger change.
| Note: If you apply an automation template to a regular campaign, any event-specific variables in that template will use their fallback values, since event data is not available in campaigns. |
Important Notes for Personalization Variables
- URL fields only accept URL-type variables. Inserting a text variable (such as first name) into a button URL or image URL field will trigger an error. Only Store URL, Checkout URL, Order URL, and Cart URL are valid in URL fields.
- Event attributes are hidden in campaign editors. The Insert Variable panel in campaign SMS/MMS editors does not show event attributes — these only appear inside automation flow nodes.
- Custom attributes from forms are text-type only. They can be used in text fields but not in URL fields.
- Klaviyo-synced attributes follow the same display and fallback rules as other custom attributes. Only attributes prefixed with "kla_" are shown (excluding kla_list_ and kla_segment_ attributes).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if a recipient doesn't have the data for a variable I've inserted?
SmartPush will first check for a merchant-set fallback value. If one is saved, it will be used instead. If no fallback is configured, the variable and its surrounding text will be hidden from the final message — the rest of the content will still send normally.
Q: Can I use event variables in a regular campaign (not an automation flow)?
No. Event variables are only available in automation flows. In a regular campaign, the Insert Variable panel only shows Store Info and Contact Attributes. If you apply an automation template to a campaign, any event variables in it will use their fallback values.
Q: What happens to my variables if I switch the trigger on an existing automation flow?
Variables that are not supported by the new trigger will fall back to their saved default values. If no default is set, those variables will be hidden when the message is sent. A confirmation dialog will remind you of this before you commit to the trigger change.
Q: Where can I see and manage all my saved fallback values in one place?
Go to the Data Metrics page and expand any event to view and edit fallback values for its attributes. You can also reach this page by clicking Manage Variable Defaults at the bottom of the Insert Variable panel in any editor. For more on the Data Metrics page, see Understanding SmartPush Metrics (for SHOPLINE Merchants) .
Q: Why don't I see membership tier or points balance variables?
These variables are only available to SHOPLINE merchants. If you are using Shopify or another platform, these variables are not displayed.