When Cliniko sends automated appointment reminders and confirmation emails, you'll want them to have unique information about each appointment! The same holds true for letters and invoices —although these are based from unique templates, they'll need to be customised for each patient! Doing these customisations one at a time, though, and editing each communication before it goes out would be insanely time consuming—and not really worth the effort!

That's where placeholders come in!

Where are placeholders used?

You'll find placeholders in multiple places in Cliniko:

What are placeholders?

Placeholders "pull" information into specific fields. They show up in various templates in Cliniko as highlighted text. For example, a confirmation email template might look something like this:

You'll see that things like Patient.FirstName and Appointment.Date are highlighted. This looks a bit funny, but don't worry—your patients won't see these! We'll explain below.

How do placeholders work?

As mentioned, placeholders "pull" information into an email, SMS reminder, or letter. Cliniko is pretty smart, and it knows that what's in the highlighted text (such as Patient.FirstName) should be replaced with actual information! So, while your template will display the placeholders, the actual message that the patient sees will include all the details that make sense to them (and you!):

Available Placeholders

Here's a breakdown of each placeholder available in Cliniko and where it "pulls" information from:

Cliniko Placeholder	Cliniko Field/Setting
`Appointment.CancellationLink`	Unique Online booking link/URL to cancel appointment
`Appointment.Date`	Appointment date including day of the week, date, month, and year
`Appointment.DateShort`	Appointment date in MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY format
`Appointment.End Time24h`	Appointment end time in 24-hour clock format
`Appointment.EndTime`	Appointment end time
`Appointment.EndTime24hWithZone`	Appointment end time in 24-hour clock format with time zone
`Appointment.EndTimeWithZone`	Appointment end time with business or patient's time zone
`Appointment.StartTime`	Appointment start time
`Appointment.StartTime24h`	Appointment start time in 24-hour clock format
`Appointment.StartTime24hWithZone`	Appointment start time in 24-hour clock format and time zone
`Appointment.StartTimeWithZone`	Appointment start time with business or patient's time zone
`Appointment.TelehealthLink`	Unique Link/URL for patient to join telehealth appointment
`Appointment.Type`	Appointment type booked
`Business.AdditionalInformation`	Settings → Business information → Additional communication information
`Business.Address1`	Settings → Business information → Address 1
`Business.Address2`	Settings → Business information → Address 2
`Business.City`	Settings → Business information → City
`Business.ContactInformation`	Settings → Business information → Business contact information
`Business.Country`	Settings → Business information → Country
`Business.FullAddress`	Settings → Business information → Address 1, Address 2, City, State (Post code not included)
`Business.Name`	Settings → Business information → Business name
`Business.PostCode`	Settings → Business information → Post code or Zip code
`Business.RegistrationName`	Settings → Business information → Business reg. name
`Business.RegistrationValue`	Settings → Business information → Business reg. number
`Business.State`	Settings → Business information → State
`Business.WebsiteAddress`	Settings → Business information → Business website address
`Contact.Address1`	Contacts → Address → Address 1
`Contact.Address2`	Contacts → Address → Address 2
`Contact.Address3`	Contacts → Address → Address 3
`Contact.City`	Contacts → Address → City
`Contact.CompanyName`	Contacts → Personal information → Company name
`Contact.Country`	Contacts → Address → Country
`Contact.Email`	Contacts → Contact information → Email
`Contact.FaxNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Fax number
`Contact.FirstName`	Contacts → Personal information → First name
`Contact.FullName`	Contacts → Personal information → First and Last name
`Contact.HomeNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Home number
`Contact.LastName`	Contacts → Personal information → Last name
`Contact.MobileNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Mobile number
`Contact.Notes`	Contacts → Other → Notes
`Contact.Occupation`	Contacts → Personal information → Occupation
`Contact.OtherNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Other number
`Contact.PostCode`	Contacts → Address → Post code (or Zip code)
`Contact.PreferredName`	Contacts → Personal information → Preffered name
`Contact.ProviderNumber`	Contacts → Doctor information → Provider number
`Contact.State`	Contacts → Address → State
`Contact.Title`	Contacts → Personal information → Title
`Contact.WorkNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Work number
`CreditNote.IssueDate`	Invoices → Credit Note → Issued date
`CreditNote.IssuedTo`	Invoices → Credit Note → Issued to/Billed to
`CreditNote.NetAmount`	Invoices → Credit Note → Net amount
`CreditNote.Notes`	Invoices → Credit Note → Notes
`CreditNote.OutstandingBalance`	Total from all outstanding/open invoices
`CreditNote.ReferenceNumber`	Invoices → Credit Note → Reference number
`CreditNote.Status`	Invoices → Credit Note → Status (Open/Paid)
`CreditNote.TaxAmount`	Invoices → Credit Note → Tax amount
`CreditNote.TotalAmount`	Invoices → Credit Note → Total amount
`General.CurrentDate`	Current date (month abbreviated)
`General.CurrentDateLong`	Current date
`Invoice.IssueDate`	Invoices → Patient Invoice → Issue date
`Invoice.IssuedTo`	Invoices → Patient Invoice → Issued to/Billed to
`Invoice.NetAmount`	Invoices → Patient Invoice → Net amount
`Invoice.Notes`	Invoices → Patient Invoice → Notes
`Invoice.OutstandingBalance`	Total from all outstanding/open invoices
`Invoice.ReferenceNumber`	Invoices → Patient Invoice → Reference Number
`Invoice.Status`	Invoices → Patient Invoice → Status (Open/Paid)
`Invoice.TaxAmount`	Invoices → Patient Invoice → Tax amount
`Invoice.Total`	Invoices → Patient Invoice → Total amount
`Patient.Address1`	Patient details → Address → Address 1 line
`Patient.Address2`	Patient details → Address → Address 2 line
`Patient.Address3`	Patient details → Address → Address 3 line
`Patient.City`	Patient details → City
`Patient.Country`	Patient details → Country
`Patient.CurrentAge`	Calculated from Patient details → Date of birth
`Patient.CustomPatientFields`	Settings → Custom patient fields
`Patient.DateOfBirth`	Patient details → Date of birth
`Patient.DVACardNumber`	Patient details → Other information → DVA card number
`Patient.Email`	Patient details → Email
`Patient.EmergencyContact`	Patient details → Other informatino → Emergency contact
`Patient.FaxNumber`	Patient details → Contact information → Fax number
`Patient.FirstAppointmentDate`	Patient details → Appointments → First appointment date
`Patient.FirstAppointmentTime`	Patient details → Appointments → First appointment time
`Patient.FirstAppointmentTime24h`	Patient details → Appointments → First appointment time in 24-hour clock format
`Patient.FirstAppointmentTime24hWithZone`	Patient details → Appointments → First appointment time in 24-hour clock format with time zone
`Patient.FirstAppointmentTimeWithZone`	Patient details → Appointments → First appointment time with time zone
`Patient.FirstName`	Patient details → First name
`Patient.FullName`	Patient details → Full name (title, first, and last name)
`Patient.Genderldentity`	Patient details → Gender identity
`Patient.HomeNumber`	Patient details → Contact information → Home number
`Patient.IdentificationNumber`	Assigned Cliniko Patient ID (found in the patient details URL)
Patient.InvoiceExtralnfo	Patient details → Billing information → Invoice extra information
`Patient.InvoiceTo`	Patient details → Billing information → Invoice to
`Patient.LastName`	Patient details → Last name
`Patient.MedicareNumber`	Patient details → Other information → Medicare number
`Patient.MedicareReferenceNumber`	Patient details → Other information → Medicare reference number
`Patient.MobileNumber`	Patient details → Contact information → Mobile number
`Patient.MostRecentAppointmentDate`	Patient details → Appointments → Most recent appointment date
`Patient.MostRecentAppointmentTime`	Patient details → Appointments → Most recent appointment time
`Patient.MostRecentAppointmentTime24h`	Patient details → Appointments → Most recent appointment time in 24-hour clock format
`Patient.MostRecentAppointmentTime24hWithZone`	Patient details → Appointments → Most recent appointment time in 24-hour clock format with time zone
`Patient.MostRecentAppointmentTimeWithZone`	Patient details → Appointments → Most recent appointment time with time zone
`Patient.NextAppointmentDate`	Patient details → Appointments → Next appointment date
`Patient.NextAppointmentTime`	Patient details → Appointments → Next appointment time
`Patient.NextAppointmentTime24h`	Patient details → Appointments → Next appointment time in 24-hour clock format
`Patient.NextAppointmentTime24hWithZone`	Patient details → Appointments → Next appointment time in 24-hour clock format with time zone
`Patient.NextAppointmentTimeWithZone`	Patient details → Appointments → Next appointment time with time zone
`Patient.Notes`	Patient details → Extra information
`Patient.Occupation`	Patient details → Other information → Occupation
`Patient.OldReferenceld`	Patient details → Other information → Reference number
`Patient.OtherNumber`	Patient details → Contact information → Other number
`Patient.PostCode`	Patient details → Post code or Zip code
`Patient.PreferredFirstName`	Patient details → Preferred first name
`Patient.PreferredFullName`	Patient details → Preferred name (title, preferred first name, and last name)
`Patient.Pronoun.their`	Patient details → Pronouns → Possessive (pronominal)
`Patient.Pronoun.theirs`	Patient details → Pronouns → Poessesive (predicative)
`Patient.Pronoun.them`	Patient details → Pronouns → Accusative (object)
`Patient.Pronoun.themselves`	Patient details → Pronouns → Reflexive
`Patient.Pronoun.they`	Patient details → Pronouns → Nominative (subject)
`Patient.ReferralExtrainfo`	Patient details → Referral source → Extra information
`Patient.ReferralType`	Patient details → Referral source → Referral Type
`Patient.ReferredBy`	Patient details → Referral source → Referrer
`Patient.Sex`	Patient details → Sex
`Patient.State`	Patient details → State
`Patient.Title`	Patient details → Title
`Patient.WorkNumber`	Patient details → Contact information → Work number
`PatientForm.PatientFormName`	Settings → Patient form templates
`Practitioner.Description`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Practitioner settings → Description
`Practitioner.Designation`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Practitioner settings → Designation
`Practitioner.Email`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Email
`Practitioner.FaxNumber`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Fax number
`Practitioner.FirstName`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → First name
`Practitioner.FullName`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → First and last name
`Practitioner.FullNameWithTitle`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → First and last name with title
`Practitioner.HomeNumber`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Home number
`Practitioner.LastName`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Last name
`Practitioner.MobileNumber`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Mobile number
`Practitioner.OtherNumber`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Other number
`Practitioner.Signature`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Signature
`Practitioner.Title`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Title
`Practitioner.WorkNumber`	Settings → Users & Practitioners → Practitioner → Work number
`ReferringDoctor.Address1`	Contacts → Address → Address 1
`ReferringDoctor.Address2`	Contacts → Address → Address 2
`ReferringDoctor.Address3`	Contacts → Address → Address 3
`ReferringDoctor.City`	Contacts → Address → City
`ReferringDoctor.CompanyName`	Contacts → Personal information → Company name
`ReferringDoctor.Country`	Contacts → Address → Country
`ReferringDoctor.Email`	Contacts → Contact information → Email
`ReferringDoctor.FaxNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Fax number
`ReferringDoctor.FirstName`	Contacts → Personal information → First name
`ReferringDoctor.FullName`	Contacts → Personal information → First and Last name
`ReferringDoctor.HomeNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Home number
`ReferringDoctor.LastName`	Contacts → Personal information → Last name
`ReferringDoctor.MobileNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Mobile number
`ReferringDoctor.Notes`	Contacts → Other → Notes
`ReferringDoctor.Occupation`	Contacts → Personal information → Occupation
`ReferringDoctor.OtherNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Other number
`ReferringDoctor.PostCode`	Contacts → Address → Post code (or Zip code)
`ReferringDoctor.PreferredName`	Contacts → Personal information → Preffered name
`ReferringDoctor.ProviderNumber`	Contacts → Doctor information → Provider number
`ReferringDoctor.State`	Contacts → Address → State
`ReferringDoctor.Title`	Contacts → Personal information → Title
`ReferringDoctor.WorkNumber`	Contacts → Contact information → Work number

Overall, placeholders are a really powerful little feature of Cliniko that should help to reduce your workload of manually entering certain types of information over and over again, when it comes to communicating with your patients!

Understanding placeholders

Where are placeholders used?

What are placeholders?

How do placeholders work?

Available Placeholders