Smart Variables Reference
Smart variables are placeholders that automatically fill with actual data. Use them in quotes, contracts, invoices, and email templates.
How to Use Variables
Type the variable name with curly braces:
Dear {clientContact},
Please find attached the invoice for {projectName}.
Becomes:
Dear John Smith,
Please find attached the invoice for Website Redesign.
Client Variables
| Variable | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{clientName} | Client's company name | Acme Corporation |
{clientContact} | Primary contact's full name | John Smith |
{clientEmail} | Primary contact's email | john@acme.com |
{clientPhone} | Primary contact's phone | +1 (555) 123-4567 |
{clientAddress} | Company address | 123 Business St, City, ST 12345 |
{clientWebsite} | Company website | https://acme.com |
{clientIndustry} | Industry category | Technology |
{clientSize} | Company size | Medium (50-200 employees) |
Quote Variables
| Variable | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{projectName} | Project/quote title | Website Redesign |
{quoteNumber} | Generated quote number | QT-2025-001 |
{quoteDate} | Quote issue date | January 15, 2025 |
{expiryDate} | Quote expiration date | February 14, 2025 |
{acceptanceDate} | When quote was approved | January 20, 2025 |
{totalAmount} | Quote total (formatted) | $10,000.00 |
Invoice Variables
| Variable | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{invoiceNumber} | Generated invoice number | INV-2025-001 |
{issueDate} | Invoice issue date | January 15, 2025 |
{dueDate} | Invoice due date | January 31, 2025 |
{amount} | Invoice amount (formatted) | $2,500.00 |
{daysOverdue} | Days past due date | 7 |
Date Variables
| Variable | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{month} | Current month name | January |
{year} | Current year | 2025 |
{monthYear} | Month and year | January 2025 |
{nextMonthYear} | Next month and year | February 2025 |
{nextYear} | Next year | 2026 |
{quarter} | Current quarter | Q1 |
Contract Variables
| Variable | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{contractNumber} | Contract reference number | CON-2025-001 |
{contractDate} | Contract creation date | January 15, 2025 |
{effectiveDate} | Contract start/effective date | February 1, 2025 |
{paymentTerms} | Payment terms description | Net 30 days |
Service/Retainer Variables
| Variable | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{serviceName} | Service name | Site Care & Support |
{serviceDescription} | Service description | Monthly maintenance |
{serviceRate} | Service rate (formatted) | $400.00 |
{serviceBillingFrequency} | Billing frequency | Monthly |
{serviceStartDate} | Service start date | March 1, 2025 |
{serviceEndDate} | Service end date | March 1, 2026 |
{recurringFrequency} | Recurring interval | Monthly |
{recurringTotal} | Recurring amount | $500.00 |
{firstInvoiceDate} | First invoice date | March 1, 2025 |
Payment Variables
| Variable | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{sequence} | Payment sequence number | 2 |
{totalCount} | Total number of payments | 5 |
{milestoneName} | Milestone description | Design Phase Complete |
{frequency} | Payment frequency | month |
Business Variables
| Variable | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{businessName} | Your company name | Your Agency LLC |
{businessPhone} | Your business phone | +1 (555) 987-6543 |
{businessEmail} | Your business email | hello@youragency.com |
{businessAddress} | Your business address | 456 Agency Blvd, Suite 100 |
Common Use Cases
Recurring Invoice Title
{clientName} - {month} {year} Retainer
→ "Acme Corporation - January 2025 Retainer"
Email Subject Line
Invoice {invoiceNumber} for {projectName}
→ "Invoice INV-2025-001 for Website Redesign"
Contract Introduction
This Statement of Work is entered into as of {contractDate} between {businessName} ("Provider") and {clientName} ("Client").
Payment Reminder
Dear {clientContact},
This is a reminder that invoice {invoiceNumber} is now {daysOverdue} days overdue.
Amount due: {amount}
Due date: {dueDate}
Milestone Payment Name
{projectName} - Payment {sequence} of {totalCount}
→ "Website Redesign - Payment 2 of 4"
Service Agreement Title
{serviceName} Agreement - {clientName}
→ "Site Care & Support Agreement - Acme Corporation"
Variable Formatting
Currency Variables
Currency variables ({amount}, {totalAmount}, {serviceRate}, etc.) automatically format based on your team's currency settings:
- USD: $1,234.56
- EUR: €1.234,56
- GBP: £1,234.56
Date Variables
Date variables format according to your locale settings:
- US: January 15, 2025
- UK: 15 January 2025
- ISO: 2025-01-15
Where Variables Work
| Location | Supported |
|---|---|
| Quote descriptions | ✓ |
| Quote intro/signature | ✓ |
| Contract text blocks | ✓ |
| Invoice titles | ✓ |
| Email subjects | ✓ |
| Email body | ✓ |
| Service templates | ✓ |
| Payment instance names | ✓ |
Tips
- Test before sending - Preview to see variable replacement
- Use for consistency - Same format across all documents
- Combine variables -
{month} {year}for "January 2025" - Check for missing data - Variables show empty if data missing
- Case sensitive - Use exact variable names as shown
Troubleshooting
Variable not replacing?
- Check spelling (case-sensitive)
- Ensure curly braces are correct:
{and} - Verify the data exists (e.g., primary contact set)
Empty output?
- Check if the source data is populated
- For client variables, ensure primary contact exists
- For date variables, check if dates are set
Wrong format?
- Check team settings for currency/date format
- Variables use your configured locale
Related: Glossary | Invoicing | Contract Templates