Knowledge Base Article

Complete Guide to Using Email Merge Tags in Argenta

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Overview

Email merge tags are personalization placeholders you can insert into email templates. When an email is sent, each tag is automatically replaced with the real data for that specific recipient. For example, [FirstName] becomes the recipient's actual first name. Merge tags work in both the email body and the subject line, and they work for single-recipient sends as well as batch sends to entire mail room lists.

Where to Find It

  1. Navigate to the Mail Room from the main menu
  2. Click Email Templates
  3. Click on any template, or create a new one
  4. You are now in the Email Template Workspace
  5. The merge tag button (tags icon) is in the editor toolbar

Step 1: Open Your Email Template

From the Email Template Workspace, you will see the editor with your template content. The editor has a toolbar across the top with formatting buttons, image/document upload, and the merge tag button (looks like a tag/label icon).

Step 2: Insert Merge Tags in the Body

  1. Click inside the editor where you want personalized text to appear
  2. Click the tags icon in the toolbar
  3. A modal opens showing all 18 available merge tags organized into 5 categories:
    • Contact Info: [FirstName], [LastName], [ConstituentName], [Nickname], [Salutation], [Email], [Phone]
    • Mailing Address: [MailingAddress], [MailingCity], [MailingState], [MailingZip]
    • Donations: [TotalDonated], [LastDonationDate], [LastDonationAmount]
    • Membership: [MembershipNumber], [MembershipLevel], [RenewalDate]
    • Organization: [OrganizationName]
  4. Click the tag you want. It is inserted at your cursor position and the modal closes.
  5. Repeat for additional tags as needed.

Step 3: Insert Merge Tags in the Subject Line

The merge tag picker is only in the editor toolbar, so for the subject line you type the tag manually. Just enter the exact tag name with square brackets into the Subject field. Examples:

  • [FirstName], your membership renewal is approaching
  • Thank you for your support, [FirstName]!
  • An update from [OrganizationName]

Step 4: Save Your Template

Click Save All Changes. Your tags are stored as literal text in the template. They are not replaced until the email is actually sent.

Step 5: Send to a Single Recipient

  1. Click Send To A Single Recipient
  2. In the modal, search for and select a constituent
  3. Click Continue
  4. A confirmation panel appears showing who will receive the email
  5. Optionally check team members in the CC list
  6. Click SEND
  7. Argenta replaces all merge tags with the selected recipient's actual data and queues the email

Step 6: Send to a Mail Room List (Batch)

  1. Click Send To A Mail Room List
  2. Select a mail list and choose a send date and time
  3. A confirmation panel appears with the list name and scheduled time
  4. Click SEND
  5. Argenta loops through every recipient on the list, replaces merge tags individually for each person, and queues each personalized email
  6. Recipients who have opted out of email or have no email address are automatically skipped

Available Merge Tags Complete Reference

Contact Info:

  • [FirstName] First name (e.g., Sarah)
  • [LastName] Last name (e.g., Johnson)
  • [ConstituentName] Full display name (e.g., Johnson, Sarah)
  • [Nickname] Nickname if entered on their record
  • [Salutation] Formal salutation (e.g., Mr., Ms., Dr.)
  • [Email] Email address on file
  • [Phone] Formatted phone number (e.g., (555) 123-4567)

Mailing Address:

  • [MailingAddress] Street address line
  • [MailingCity] City name
  • [MailingState] State abbreviation (e.g., TX)
  • [MailingZip] Zip code

Donations:

  • [TotalDonated] Lifetime total donations, formatted as currency (e.g., $1,234.56)
  • [LastDonationDate] Date of most recent donation (e.g., 01/15/2026)
  • [LastDonationAmount] Most recent donation amount as currency

Membership:

  • [MembershipNumber] Membership ID number
  • [MembershipLevel] Membership tier name (e.g., Gold, Silver)
  • [RenewalDate] Next renewal date (e.g., 06/30/2026)

Organization:

  • [OrganizationName] Your organization's name from your account settings

Tips and Best Practices

  • Always test first. Before sending to a large list, send a test email to yourself or a colleague to verify tags display correctly.
  • Write for blank tags. If a recipient is missing data, the tag becomes blank. Write sentences that still make sense if a tag value is empty. For example, "Dear [FirstName]," degrades gracefully to "Dear ," which may look odd. Consider a fallback like "Dear [FirstName] [LastName]," or "Dear Friend,".
  • [FirstName] is the most reliable tag because almost every constituent has a first name on file. Donation and membership tags should only be used when you know the recipients are donors or members.
  • [OrganizationName] always has a value because it comes from your account settings, not individual recipient data. Use it freely in signatures and footers.
  • CC'd team members receive the raw template with visible tags like [FirstName] rather than the personalized version. This is by design so they can review the template structure.
  • Tags work everywhere. You can place tags in headings, paragraphs, bullet points, table cells, button text, or any other part of your email content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happens if I misspell a tag?

A: If you type [Firstname] instead of [FirstName], the system will not recognize it and the misspelled text will appear as-is in the sent email. Always use the merge tag picker to ensure correct spelling, or refer to the tag list above.

Q: Can I use the same tag multiple times?

A: Yes. You can use [FirstName] or any other tag as many times as you want throughout your email. Each instance is replaced independently.

Q: Are merge tags case-sensitive?

A: Yes. [FirstName] works, but [firstname] or [FIRSTNAME] will not be replaced. Always match the exact casing shown in the tag picker.