Variables help you personalize your messages when addressing more than one recipient. This is very handy when editing automatic messages or sending ad-hoc messages to multiple recipients.
What are variables?
Variables are dynamic fields that get populated with your recipient's data at the moment of sending.
How can I use variables?
Variables are available both when editing automatic messages and when sending ad-hoc messages. The type of variables at your disposal varies depending on several factors:
- Type of message (automatic vs ad-hoc)
- Status of the message
- Sub-status of the message
So if you see some variables available in some instances but not others, don't worry, that's to be expected.
1. To use a variable in your message, you can either type {{ in either SMS or email message areas, or click on the variables button in the email editor.
2. Select the variable you want to use from the dropdown. Recent variables will be sorted to the top as you make use of them. You can also type it if you already know it.
3. If the variable is invalid or has only been partially entered, it will be highlighted in red. But don't worry, Avela won't send any messages with invalid variables.
4. If you're drafting automatic messages with variables, you can preview this on the next screen by clicking "preview". Variable fields will be populated with mock data.
Which variables can I use in automatic messages?
That depends on the automatic message. The main difference is message templates for Lottery & Offers always have a school event associated with them, whereas the other message templates do not. This means Lottery & Offers have school variables you can make use of while General templates don't. This is because at the time General messages are sent, we don't necessarily know of a single school they're associated with.
General messages variables
| Variable | Description |
| {{applyUrl}} | Inserts the URL for the organization’s Apply page |
| {{enrollmentPeriod.name}} | Inserts enrollment period name |
| {{form.closeDate}} | Inserts the date the form closes if specified |
| {{form.id}} | Inserts the ID of the form |
| {{form.name}} | Inserts form name |
| {{form.offerDate}} | Inserts the date for offers if specified |
| {{form.shortId}} | Inserts the first 8 characters of the form ID |
| {{grade}} | Inserts the grade the form is associated with if specified |
| {{organization.name}} | Inserts organization name |
| {{parent.name}} | Inserts the name of the recipient Parent |
| {{schools.name}} | Inserts the school names chosen on the form if specified |
| {{student.name}} | Inserts the name of the student on the form |
| {{supportEmail}} | Inserts support email |
Lottery & offers messages variables
These messages have all of the variables from General templates, plus:
| {{waitlist.schoolName}} | School name of waitlist (only for waitlist related messages) |
| {{offer.schoolName}} | School name of offer (only for offer-related messages) |
Which variables can I use in ad-hoc messages?
Similar to the differences in automatic messages, fewer variables are available when sending messages ad-hoc, because you can send ad-hoc messages for any form in any state. So you may try to send a message with a variable that we have no content for, because the associated event hasn't happened yet (e.g. ranking a school or specifying a grade).
Ad-hoc messages variables
These are the same as the variables for General templates. Depending on the state of the form you're sending a message on, certain variables may have no content once sent, such as grade and school related variables.
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