---
title: "Automate Customer Emails with Dynamic Fields | Helcim Learn"
slug: "dynamic-fields-email-personalization"
description: "Learn how to use dynamic fields to automatically add customer and transaction details to your email subjects and templates."
updated: 2025-09-18T22:22:51Z
published: 2025-09-18T22:22:51Z
canonical: "learn.helcim.com/dynamic-fields-email-personalization"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.helcim.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Personalize customer emails with dynamic fields

Adding a personal touch to your automated emails can make a big difference in your customer relationships. Helcim makes this easy with a powerful feature called dynamic fields.

This guide will explain what they are and show you how to use them to create clearer, more professional communications—no coding required!

## What are dynamic fields?

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Think of a dynamic field as a smart placeholder. It's a short tag (like %_CONTACT_NAME_%) that you can place in your email's **Subject** or **Body**. When Helcim sends the email, our system automatically replaces that tag with the real, specific information for that customer or transaction.

| ![](https://cdn.document360.io/4e721329-1a9d-4ef0-8d2f-497e0c1f185a/Images/Documentation/chat.png) | It’s the difference between a subject line that says "Your Receipt" and one that says "Thanks for your order, Jane!" |
| --- | --- |

## How to find and use dynamic fields

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You don't have to memorize any tags. For every email template you edit, we provide a list of all the available fields for that specific context.

1. Select the email you wish to edit in your **Communications** settings.
2. Scroll down to the **Email template** section.
3. Below the **Body** editor, you will find the **Dynamic fields** table. This table shows every field you can use for that specific email, along with its description.
4. To use a field, simply click on its name in the list, and it will be inserted wherever your cursor is placed in the **Subject** or **Body**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/4e721329-1a9d-4ef0-8d2f-497e0c1f185a/Images/Documentation/dynamic-fields-communications.png)

## A practical example

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Let's see it in action. Imagine you want to make your 'Invoice paid' notification friendlier.

The default subject line might be something like this.

| **Input with dynamic fields** | **Final result** |
| --- | --- |
| Invoice Paid - %_INVOICE_NUMBER_% | Invoice Paid - INV54321 |

By using the dynamic fields list, you could easily change it to something more personal.

| **Input with dynamic fields** | **Final result** |
| --- | --- |
| Thank you, %_CONTACT_NAME_%! Your invoice from %_MERCHANT_DBA_% has been paid. | Thank you, Jane! Your invoice from Audiofyle Records has been paid. |

This simple change confirms the payment, includes your business name, and addresses the customer directly, which helps build trust and brand recognition.

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### Remember: you're not starting from scratch

We've pre-filled each template with a clear, friendly message that's ready to go. You can use it as-is or tweak it to perfectly match your brand's voice.

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## Tips for editing your templates

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Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you customize your emails:

- **Be careful with essential fields:** For a transaction update email, make sure you keep the %_TRANSACTION_RECEIPT_% field, or the transaction details won't be included!
- **Use fields in the subject line:** Adding your business name (%_MERCHANT_DBA_%) to the subject can increase open rates and clarity.
- **Keep it simple:** A little personalization goes a long way. The most effective emails are often the ones that are clear, simple, and helpful.

## Next steps

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- **Put it into practice:** Now that you know how dynamic fields work, head back to your settings to customize your templates. You can find them all here: [Customer email notifications](/v1/docs/customer-email-notifications).

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### FAQs

**Can I create my own custom dynamic fields?**

No, you can only use the dynamic fields provided in the list for each email template.

**What happens if I type a dynamic field incorrectly?**

If a dynamic field is **misspelled** or contains extra characters, our system won't recognize it. It will likely appear as plain text (e.g. “%_CONATCT_NAME_%”) in the final email sent to the customer. It's always best to click the field from the list to ensure it's entered correctly.

**Are the dynamic fields the same for every email template?**

No. The list of available fields changes depending on the context of the email. For example, an invoice email will have invoice-specific fields (like %_INVOICE_NUMBER_%) that a transaction receipt email won't have.