# Filling in client details automatically

> Use variables to fill in client names in emails and client, booking and invoice details in contracts, and add blanks your client fills in when signing.

Source: https://help.corehue.co/docs/getting-started/smart-fields/

Write something once and have every client see their own details in it. CoreHue has two kinds of variable, a small set for emails and a bigger set for contracts, plus blanks your client fills in themselves when they sign.

## Variables in emails and messages

Anywhere you write to a client, open **Variables** in the toolbar above the text box and pick one. A tag drops into your text and fills in when the email goes out.

| Variable | Becomes |
| --- | --- |
| **Client's first name** | Their first name, like "Kate" |
| **Business name** | Your business name from settings |
| **Business email** | Your business email |
| **Today's date** | The date it's sent |
| **Current year** | This year |

So "Hi **Client's first name**, thanks for getting in touch" reaches Kate as "Hi Kate, thanks for getting in touch."

### Where they work

- Every send screen, for invoices, proposals, contracts, questionnaires, bookings, receipts and reminders. They work in the subject line too.
- Saved [email templates](/docs/templates/email-templates) under **Templates → Emails**.
- Booking confirmations and inquiry auto-replies under **Bookings → Settings → Emails**. See [Booking confirmation and reminder emails](/docs/online-booking/booking-emails).
- The confirmation message on a [contact form](/docs/contact-forms/building-your-form).
- **Messages**, where the tag shows your client's real name straight away because you already know who you're writing to.

The gallery email is the exception for **Client's first name**, because you can send one gallery to several people at once. Write that greeting out yourself.

### When there's no first name

Some contacts arrive with only an email address. Then **Client's first name** reads "there", so "Hi there" still works. "Thanks, there!" doesn't, so it's worth writing greetings that work either way.

## Variables in contracts

Contracts have a much bigger set: 28 variables in six groups, inserted from the contract editor's toolbar.

| Group | Examples |
| --- | --- |
| **Client** | Client Name, Client Email, Client Phone, Client Address |
| **Business** | Business Name, Business Email, Business Phone, Business Address, Registration Number |
| **Contract** | Contract Number, Contract Date, Expiry Date |
| **Booking** | Booking Date, Booking End Date, Service Name, Venue, Booking Duration, Start Time, End Time, Package, Add-ons |
| **Invoice** | Invoice Number, Invoice Total, Currency, Deposit, Balance |
| **Dates** | Today's Date, Current Year |

Write your contract once with **Client Name** and **Booking Date** in it, and every contract you send carries the right details.

A variable needs something to fill it. If a contract isn't linked to a booking, or you haven't added your business phone, CoreHue won't send a half-filled contract. A **Cannot send contract** box lists each variable it couldn't fill and why, so you can link the booking, fill in the missing detail, or take the variable out. See [Variables and blanks in contracts](/docs/contracts/smart-fields-and-blanks).

## Blanks your client fills in

Some details only your client knows, like an emergency contact or the name of their venue coordinator. For those, add a client field to the contract. It's a blank line your client types into while they sign.

- Fields are **text** or **date**, with a date picker for dates.
- A contract can have up to 50, and each can be required or optional.
- Once signed, the answers are locked into the finished contract.

Give each one a clear label. "Name of your day-of coordinator" is much easier to answer on a phone than "Coordinator".

## Which one to use

Ask yourself: do I already know this?

| | Variable | Client field |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Who fills it in | CoreHue | Your client |
| When | When you send | While they sign |
| Where the answer comes from | Your settings, the contact, the booking, the invoice | Your client |
| If it can't be filled | The send is blocked and CoreHue tells you why | Your client sees a blank to complete |

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I add the service name or price to an email?

Not with a variable. Email variables cover the client's first name, your business name and email, today's date and the year. Type other details in yourself, or use a contract variable inside a contract.

### Do questionnaire answers fill into a contract?

No. Questionnaire answers stay with the questionnaire. Add a client field to the contract, or copy the detail in before you send.

### What does my client see if a variable is empty?

They don't see an empty variable, because CoreHue stops the contract from sending until every variable can be filled.

### Can I edit a template without changing emails I've already sent?

Yes. Using a template copies it, so later edits never change anything you've already sent.