Notification placeholders
  • 23 May 2023
  • 7 minutes to read

Notification placeholders


Article Summary

You can create notifications for different notifiable events at the site level, and configure notifications for individual instances.

You can add content in multiple languages within a single notification if required.

When adding content to your notifications you can also use placeholders to automatically add information to each notification. For example, you could add the Certification full name placeholder to one of your certification notifications at the site level - whenever this notification is sent out, it would then include the full name of the certification.

Shared placeholders

There are some user fields that are shared across all notification types. These user fields are repeated for the notification recipient, the subject of the notification, and any managers associated with the notification subject. 

Recipient placeholders

Below is a table showing all of the available recipient placeholders. These placeholders are available for all notifications. 

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntaxPlaceholder meaning

Recipient First name

[recipient:first_name] 

The recipient's first name.

Recipient Surname

[recipient:last_name] 

The recipient's last name.

Recipient Full name

[recipient:full_name]

The recipient's full name.

Recipient Full name (with link)[recipient:full_name_link]The recipient's full name with a link to their profile.
Recipient Username[recipient:username]The recipient's username.
Recipient ID number[recipient:id_number]The recipient's ID number.
Recipient Address[recipient:address]The recipient's address.
Recipient Description[recipient:description]The recipient's description (as listed in their profile).
Recipient Institution[recipient:institution]The recipient's institution.
Recipient Language[recipient:language]The recipient's language.
Recipient Skype ID[recipient:skype]The recipient's Skype ID.
Recipient Phone[recipient:phone1]The recipient's phone number.
Recipient Mobile phone[recipient:phone2]The recipient's mobile phone number.
Recipient URL[recipient:url]The recipient's URL.
Recipient Email address[recipient:email_address]The recipient's email address.

Recipient City/town

[recipient:city] 

The recipient's town or city.

Recipient Country

[recipient:country] 

The recipient's country.

Recipient Department

[recipient:department] 

The recipient's department.

Recipient First name - phonetic

[recipient:first_name_phonetic] 

Phonetic spelling of the recipient's first name.

Recipient Surname - phonetic

[recipient:last_name_phonetic] 

Phonetic spelling of the recipient's last name.

Recipient Middle name

[recipient:middle_name] 

The recipient's middle name.

Recipient Alternate name

[recipient:alternate_name] 

An alternate name the recipient is known by.

Recipient User timezone

[recipient:timezone] 

The recipient's time zone.

Subject placeholders

Below is a table showing all of the available subject placeholders. These placeholders are available for all notifications. 

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntaxPlaceholder meaning

Subject First name

[subject:first_name] 

The subject's first name.

Subject Surname

[subject:last_name] 

The subject's last name.

Subject Full name

[subject:full_name]

The subject's full name.

Subject Full name (with link)[subject:full_name_link]The subject's full name with a link to their profile.
Subject Username[subject:username]The subject's username.
Subject ID number[subject:id_number]The subject's ID number.
Subject Address[subject:address]The subject's address.
Subject Description[subject:description]The subject's description (as listed in their profile).
SubjectInstitution[subject:institution]The subject's institution.
SubjectLanguage[subject:language]The subject's language.
SubjectSkype ID[subject:skype]The subject's Skype ID.
SubjectPhone[subject:phone1]The subject's phone number.
Subject Mobile phone[subject:phone2]The subject's mobile phone number.
Subject URL[subject:url]The subject's URL.
Subject Email address[subject:email_address]The subject's email address.

Subject City/town

[subject:city] 

The subject's town or city.

Subject Country

[subject:country] 

The subject's country.

Subject Department

[subject:department] 

The subject's department.

Subject First name - phonetic

[subject:first_name_phonetic] 

Phonetic spelling of the subject's first name.

Subject Surname - phonetic

[subject:last_name_phonetic] 

Phonetic spelling of the subject's last name.

Subject Middle name

[subject:middle_name] 

The subject's middle name.

Subject Alternate name

[subject:alternate_name] 

An alternate name the subject is known by.

Subject User timezone

[subject:timezone] 

The subject's time zone.

All managers placeholders

Below is a table showing all of the available manager placeholders. These placeholders are available for all notifications. 

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntaxPlaceholder meaning

All managers First name

[manager:first_name] 

The first name of any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers Surname

[manager:last_name] 

The last name of any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers Full name

[manager:full_name]

The full name of any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers Full name (with link)[manager:full_name_link]The full name with a link to their profile for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Username[manager:username]The username for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers ID number[manager:id_number]The ID number for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Address[manager:address]The address for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Description[manager:description]The description for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Institution[manager:institution]The institution for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Language[manager:language]The language for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Skype ID[manager:skype]The Skype ID for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Phone[manager:phone1]The phone number for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Mobile phone[manager:phone2]The mobile phone number for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers URL[manager:url]The URL for any manager(s) associated with the subject.
All managers Email address[manager:email_address]The email address for any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers City/town

[manager:city] 

The town or city for any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers Country

[manager:country] 

The country for any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers Department

[manager:department] 

The department for any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers First name - phonetic

[manager:first_name_phonetic] 

Phonetic spelling of the first name of any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers Surname - phonetic

[manager:last_name_phonetic] 

Phonetic spelling of the last name of any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers Middle name

[manager:middle_name] 

The middle name of any manager(s) associated with the subject.

All managers Alternate name

[manager:alternate_name] 

An alternate name that any manager associated with the subject is known by.

All managers User timezone

[manager:timezone] 

The time zone for any manager(s) associated with the subject.

Course placeholders

Below is a table showing the specific placeholders for courses.

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntaxPlaceholder meaning
Course Fullname[course:full_name]The full name of the course.
Course Fullname (with link)[course:full_name_link]The full name of a course with a link to that course.
Course completion date[course_completion:completion_date]The set course completion date.
Course completion: Due date[course_completion:due_date]The set course due date.

Course activity placeholders

Below is a table showing the specific placeholders for course activities.

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntaxPlaceholder meaning
Course Fullname[course:full_name]The full name of the course.
Course Fullname (with link)[course:full_name_link]The full name of a course with a link to that course.
Activity name[activity:name]The name of the course activity.
Activity name (with link)[activity:name_link]The name of the course activity with a link to that activity.
Activity type[activity:type]The type of course activity e.g. assignment, quiz, etc. 
Activity completion date[activity_completion:completion_date]The completion date set for the course activity.

Seminar placeholders

Below is a table showing the specific placeholders for seminar activities. These placeholders are available for all seminar notifications.

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntax
Placeholder meaning
Course Full name[course:full_name]The full name of the course in which the seminar activity is contained.
Activity Name[activity:name]The name of the seminar activity.
Event Cost[event:cost]The cost (if applicable) of attending the seminar event.
Event Reminder period[event:reminder_period]The amount of time before the event that the reminder message is sent.
Event Event date[event:session_date]Date of the event on which the user is booked.
Event Start date[event:start_date]Date of the start of the event. If there are multiple sessions it will use the first one.
Event Start time[event:start_time]
Start time of the event. If there are multiple sessions it will use the first one.
Event Finish date[event:finish_date]
Date at the end of the event. If there are multiple sessions it will use the first one.
Event Finish time[event:finish_time]
Finish time of the event. If there are multiple sessions it will use the first one.
Event Duration[event:duration]Length of the event.
Event Details[event:details]Details about the event. 
Event Attendees (with link)[event:attendees_link]Link to the attendees page for the event.
Event Latest start date[event:latest_start_date]Date at the start of the event. If there are multiple sessions it will use the last one.
Event Latest start time[event:latest_start_time]
Start time of the event. If there are multiple sessions it will use the last one. 
Event Latest finish date[event:latest_finish_date]
Date at the end of the event. If there are multiple sessions it will use the last one.
Event Latest finish time[event:latest_finish_time]
Finish time of the event. If there are multiple sessions it will use the last one.
Event Registration cutoff[event:registration_cutoff]The deadline for registrations. If not set, this will default to the event start time.
Event Booked[event:booked]The number of attendees booked on the event.
Event Capacity[event:capacity]The total number of available bookings for the event.
Event Minimum Capacity[event:minimum_capacity]The minimum number of required attendees for the event to go ahead.
Course Full name (with link)[course:full_name_link]The name of the course in which the seminar activity is contained, which also links to the course page.
Event Event (with link)[event:event_page_link]A URL linking to the seminar event page.
Activity Name (with link)[activity:name_link]The name of the seminar activity, which also links to the activity.
Event All sessions[event:all_sessions]See the Session placeholders section below for more information on editing this placeholder.

Session placeholders

Session information can be added using the All sessions placeholder, with the syntax [event:all_sessions]. This placeholder content can be modified by editing the following language pack string:
notification_placeholder_event_all_sessions_layout

By editing this string you can configure how the All sessions placeholder is displayed using the following placeholders.

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntaxPlaceholder meaning

Start session loop

[#sessions]

To start the loop. The notification_placeholder_event_all_sessions_layout string must always start with this placeholder.
End session loop[/sessions]To end the loop. The notification_placeholder_event_all_sessions_layout string must always end with this placeholder.
Session timezone[session:timezone]Time zone of the session.
Session asset name[session:asset:name]Name of the asset assigned to this session.    
Session asset link[session:asset:link]       Link to the details page for this asset.
Session facilitator name[session:facilitator:name]    Name of the facilitator assigned to this session.    
Session facilitator link[session:facilitator:link]    Link to the details page for this facilitator.    
Session room name[session:room:name]    Name of the room assigned to this session.
Session room link[session:room:link]    Link to the details page for this room.

Program placeholders

Below is a table showing the specific placeholders for programs. 

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntaxPlaceholder meaning

Program title

[program:full_name] 

The program title.

Link to program

[program:full_name_link] 

The program name with a link to the program overview page.

Assignment Due date criteria
[assignment:due_date_criteria]
The rule used to calculate the due date, e.g. 'Complete within 4 Week(s) of First login'.
Assignment Due date
[assignment:due_date]
The due date of the program.
Assignment Full name (with link)
[assignment:program_full_name_manager_link]
The program name with a link to the program on the user's RoL/Required learning page.

Certification placeholders

Below is a table showing the specific placeholders for certifications.

Placeholder titlePlaceholder syntaxPlaceholder meaning

Certification title

[certification:full_name] 

The certification title.

Link to certification

[certification:full_name_link] 

The certification name with a link to the certification overview page.

Assignment Due date criteria
[assignment:due_date_criteria]
The rule used to calculate the due date, e.g. 'Complete within 4 Week(s) of First login'.
Assignment Due date
[assignment:due_date]
The due date of the certification.
Assignment Full name (with link)
[assignment:program_full_name_manager_link]
The certification name with a link to the certification on the user's RoL/Required learning page.


© Copyright 2024 Totara Learning Solutions. All rights reserved.


Was this article helpful?

Changing your password will log you out immediately. Use the new password to log back in.
First name must have atleast 2 characters. Numbers and special characters are not allowed.
Last name must have atleast 1 characters. Numbers and special characters are not allowed.
Enter a valid email
Enter a valid password
Your profile has been successfully updated.