Using macros in emails
A macro is a special code that is substituted (replaced) with information for each specific recipient from your database. So when sending mass emails macros allow you to send specific info about each member, by replacing the macro with each member's info.
Like a mail merge in Word, macros simply "pull" from data that has already been defined elsewhere (e.g. organization and contact information). This makes sure that all emails have the right information for the recipient and aren't marred by any typos made from re-typing information that has already been entered (like event dates).
For example the macro {Contact First Name} will be replaced with your actual first name when you open the email.
Macro names
Macros can take information from different parts of Wild Apricot. All macros follow a naming convention so you can tell where the information is coming from.
| From |
Macro |
| Contact database |
{ContactField Fieldname} |
| Member database |
{MemberField Fieldname} |
| Event database |
{EventField Fieldname} and {Event Fieldname} |
| Donation database |
{DonationField Fieldname} |
Organization / Association information
(Information like Organization name etc) |
{Organization Fieldname} |
 | Please note that there are some duplicated macros - they display the same information but have different names, for example {Contact Email} and {ContactField e-Mail}. This will be cleaned in future updates, for now use either one. |
Custom fields macros
You can use the custom fields you create in different areas of Wild Apricot in different emails. The following table shows which types of custom macros will be available for which emails:
| Email |
Macro availability |
| Contact e-mail blast |
All contact system fields
All contact custom fields excluding Admin-only ones |
| Membership registration and renewal e-mails |
All contact system fields
All contact custom fields excluding Admin-only ones
All membership fields allowed to this particular Membership Level only and excluding Internal-use ones
{MemberField All} - this will include all field titles and values for a member email is related to. |
| Event registration and reminder |
All Registration system fields
All Event system fields
All Registration custom fields from ALL future events. If there are no future event then it will take latest passed one.
{EventField All} - this will include all field titles and values for this event (system Registration, system Event and custom Registration fields) |
| Event announcement |
All system Registration and Event fields
All Event Registration custom fields
All Contact custom fields without admin-only ones
|
| Event attendees of a particular Event newsletter |
All system Registration and Event fields
All Event registration custom fields
All Contact custom fields |
| Donation confirmation e-mail |
All contact custom fields
All donation custom fields |
Accessing Macro List
To access the list of available macros for the email you are editing click on the {Macro} button:
Example
Lets say we want to customize the automatic member activation email so it notifies the member about their membership level, renewal due date and how to change the hobbies they listed on their profile.
 | Note: Certain Macros are only available in specific emails only. For example Membership level and Renewal date are available in the activation e-mail template but are not available for regular e-mail blasts templates. |
First select and insert the appropriate macros:
Then place the macros in the appropriate sections of the email template:
When each member opens the email they will not see the macros, instead they will see their own name, hobbies, renewal date etc.
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