Set Defaults for Custom Values in Emails

Learn how to use default values for custom fields to keep your emails personalized, polished, and free from awkward blanks when contact information is missing.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What is it?
• Benefits:
• How would this work?
  • Scenario 1: Missing First Name
  • Scenario 2: Subject Line Personalization
• How to Edit a Default Value
• FAQs

What is it?

Custom values make your emails feel more personal by automatically pulling information from a contact record — for example:

Hi {{contact.first_name}}

Without a default, if the contact record did not contain a first name, the email would display a blank space instead.

Now, you can set a default value for custom values directly inside the email editor. This ensures your emails always look polished and complete, even when contact information is missing.

Benefits:

• Keeps your emails sounding natural and complete, even when contact information is missing, so recipients never see awkward gaps or broken sentences in your messaging.
• Prevents blank spaces from appearing in subject lines, preview text, and email content, helping every email look polished, intentional, and professionally formatted before it reaches the recipient.
• Allows you to maintain personalization without depending on perfect CRM data, making it easier to send engaging emails to contacts who may have incomplete or partially filled records.

How would this work?

Scenario 1: Missing First Name

Custom value:
Hi {{contact.first_name}}

Default value:
there

Results:

• Hi Sarah (if first name exists)
• Hi there (if first name is missing)

Scenario 2: Subject Line Personalization

Subject:
{{contact.first_name}}, your appointment is confirmed

Default value:
there

Results:

• John, your appointment is confirmed
• There, your appointment is confirmed

How to Edit a Default Value

1. Create or edit an email, template, workflow email, or campaign email.
2. Add a custom value using the custom value picker, or simply type/paste the custom value key directly into the editor. 
3. Click on the custom value tag inside the editor.
4. The edit modal will open, allowing you to configure a default value.
5. Add, update, or remove the default value as needed.
   
6. Save your changes to apply the updated default value.