# Smart tags and placeholders

> Leave fill-in-the-blank smart tags in templates so nothing is sent unfinished, and use placeholders that fill in the customer's name and other details for you.

Quoterium has two ways to put variable text into a quote. Smart tags are blanks that you fill in by hand before sending. Placeholders are filled in automatically.

## Smart tags

A smart tag is a name in angle brackets, such as *<site address>* or *<start date>*. They belong in templates and library components, for details that change every time; you fill them in on each quote made from them.

To add one, edit the component in the [Library](https://app.quoterium.com/library): **Insert smart tag** above the description puts *<tag>* where your cursor is and replaces any selected text, so a blank such as *Dear ________,* becomes *Dear <tag>,*, with *tag* selected, ready for you to name. The button is only in the library; templates and quotes have no button to insert a tag. A template keeps the tags of its components as they are, with no notice; they are filled in on each quote made from it.

When a quote contains smart tags (from its template or library components):

- a notice at the top reads "Fill in the smart tags before sending:" followed by the tags, with a **Fill smart tags** link;
- items that contain one are marked **Smart tag**;
- choosing **Preview & send** shows the message "Fill in the smart tags before sending." and opens the **Fill smart tags** dialog instead of the send dialog.

## Fill smart tags

1. Click **Fill smart tags** in the notice (or **Preview & send**). The **Fill smart tags** dialog opens.
2. Type a value for each tag. Every occurrence of that tag in the quote is replaced.
3. Click the **Fill … tags** button; it counts the values you have typed, for example **Fill 2 tags**. Tags you leave empty stay in place.

## Placeholders

Placeholders in curly brackets are replaced automatically. They work in text items, terms, notes and payment terms (on the customer page and in the PDF), and in quote emails.

| Placeholder | Becomes |
| --- | --- |
| {customer_first_name} | The recipient's first name |
| {customer_name} | The recipient's full name |
| {company_name} | Your organisation's name |
| {your_name} | The quote owner's name |
| {quote_number} | The quote number |
| {quote_title} | The quote title |
| {total} | The quote total |
| {valid_until} | The expiry date |
| {quote_url} | The recipient's link to the quote |

Because each recipient has their own link, "Dear {customer_first_name}" greets each person by name. In the editor you see the placeholder itself; the **Preview** tab shows it filled in.

## See also

- [Templates](https://quoterium.com/help/library-and-templates/templates)
- [Email sending settings](https://quoterium.com/help/team-and-settings/email-sending-settings)

Source: https://quoterium.com/help/writing-quotes/smart-tags-and-placeholders