Help center

View helpful articles, tutorials and FAQs on the set-up and configuration

of the FocalScope omnichannel suite, according to best practice.

How to use FocalScope Placeholders

Agents can save time and increase their productivity with FocalScope Placeholders. These Placeholders automatically add details such as recipient / sender names, ticket numbers, SLA, time frames, and more into pre-compiled, zero-touch Standard / Auto Responses. This article details what each Placeholder represents as well as how they are embedded into FocalScope Standard / Auto Responses.

Please note: Placeholders only work when inserted into Standard Response templates (which are also used by the Auto Responder) or Signatures. Typing any Placeholder into a regular email will not insert the associated information and will only confuse the intended recipient.

Prerequisites

Tutorial

Examples and definitions of Placeholders

Placeholders are useful for:


  • Ticketboxes where multiple agents respond to tickets and you still want customers to have an individual contact person for their query
  • Embedding the ticket number into a Standard / Auto Response for future reference by either the customer or agent
  • Composing Standard / Auto Responses that have a natural feel to them and are addressed each customer, individually
  • Adding additional contact details such as the attending agent's office phone number
  • Displaying SLA time frames that may apply

The following is a detailed list of all Placeholders in FocalScope:

  • %TICKET NO% - inserts the associated root ticket number into the email response


Figure 1 - %TICKET NO% Placeholder in action


  • %USER FULLNAME% - inserts the display name for the FocalScope user account that sends the response. This Placeholder is especially useful for constructing group signatures that still reflect the name of the individual that responded to a ticket

Figure 2 - %USER FULLNAME% Placeholder in action



  • %USER PHONE% - inserts the office contact number of the agent who sends the response


Figure 3 - %USER PHONE% Placeholder in action


  • %RECIPIENT NAME% - inserts the display name of the intended recipient into the sends response


Figure 4 - %RECIPIENT NAME% Placeholder in action


  • %RECIPIENT ADDRESS%inserts the email address of the intended recipient into the outgoing response


Figure 5 - %RECIPIENT ADDRESS% Placeholder in action


  • %RECIPIENT NAME+ADDRESS% - combines the [%RECIPIENT NAME%] and [%RECIPIENT ADDRESS%] into one Placeholder
  • %SENDER NAME% - inserts the display name of the sender (in the From field)


Figure 6 - %SENDER NAME% Placeholder in action


  • %SENDER ADDRESS%inserts the email address of the sender (in the From field)


Figure 7 - %SENDER ADDRESS% Placeholder in action



Figure 8 - %SLA1% and %SLA2% Placeholders in action


  • %SUBJECT% - inserts the subject line of the topic email. This Placeholder is very useful if you want to insert the subject line of the topic email somewhere in the body of the response or when used in conjunction with %DISABLE AUTOSUBJECT% Placeholder


Figure 9 - %SUBJECT% Placeholder in action


  • %DISABLE AUTOSUBJECT% removes the subject line from responses that are sent out by the Auto Responder. Please note: this Placeholder only works with the Auto Responder, and, unlike the previous Placeholders, needs to be inserted into the subject line of a Standard Response to work


Figure 10 - %DISABLE AUTOSUBJECT% Placeholder in action



  • %ORIGINAL BODY% - inserts the body from the original message into the response sent out by the Auto Responder. Please note: this Placeholder only works with the Auto Responder


Figure 11 - %ORIGINAL BODY% Placeholder in action


  • %ORIGINAL DETAILS% - inserts the invisible headers from the original message into the response sent out by the Auto Responder. Please note: this Placeholder only works when placed in a Standard Response


Figure 12 - %ORIGINAL DETAILS% Placeholder in action


  • %CATEGORY X NAME% - inserts the category name at index X (1, 2, 3, ...) as assigned to the ticket
  •  %CATEGORY X VALUE% - inserts the category value at index X (1, 2, 3, ...) as assigned to the ticket


Figure 13 - %CATEGORY X NAME% / %CATEGORY X VALUE% Placeholders in action


Using placeholders in Standard Responses

It is advisable that you add Placeholders to most (if not all) of your repeatedly-used Standard Responses. Placeholders save agents a lot of time by automatically filling in personalized details of themselves, customers, and other pertinent information. While you are creating Standard Responses, you can add placeholders as follows:


  1. In the editor window, click [Insert > Placeholder]
  2. In the [Select Placeholder] pop up, select the placeholder best suited for your needs (multiple selections can be made by holding down Ctrl+left-clicking)
  3. Complete the rest of the response and put the Placeholders in their correct locations for maximum effect

Let us help

If you have any questions, or need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out.