Reusable templates and variables

Open Templates to browse built-in starters and your workspace’s custom templates. Choose Use this template to create a new message without changing the template.

Save a custom template

Write a message in Compose, add an action button if needed, then open Save as a workspace template. Add an optional description and choose Save template. The message title, body, sender name and button are saved. Your audience and variable values are chosen separately for each send.

Everyone in the workspace can use a custom template. Its creator and Slack administrators can edit or delete it, subject to workspace sender permissions. Deleting a template leaves existing drafts and sent messages intact.

Fill in update details

Add named placeholders such as {application}, {version}, {deadline} and {instructions_url} to your message. Compose creates a value field for each custom placeholder and shows the filled message in the live preview. Repeated placeholders use the same value. Variable names are case-insensitive; spaces and underscores are equivalent.

For example:

Hey {first_name}!

Please update {application} to version {version} by {deadline}.
Save your work and choose a convenient time before the deadline.
Instructions: {instructions_url}

A template keeps its placeholders so the next security update can use a different title, version or deadline. Drafts retain the values entered for that send. Missing custom values block Slack previews, audience sends and scheduling; you can still save an incomplete draft or template.

Personalize names

Use Insert variable → First name or Full name to insert {first_name} or {full_name}. {first name} also works. Each recipient’s name is filled from their stored Slack name at delivery time. First name uses the first word; if a name is unavailable, the greeting uses “there”.

The live preview and Send preview to me use your own name. Audience delivery and acknowledgment updates use each recipient’s name. Names are not shared between recipients.

Variable values are plain text. Formatting belongs in the message itself, for example **{application}**. Variables are supported in the message body, rather than button URLs or sender names.

Before sending, check the current deadline, version and instructions, then send a preview to yourself in Slack. Scheduled and recurring messages retain the configured custom values; review dates before reusing a send.

Templates and message variables are available on Team and Business. Free workspaces can preview templates and view the plan required to use them.