Merge fields are used in PPS to auto-populate relevant details into Activity Templates that can then be sent out to the client without the need for you to write them manually.
PPS provides a whole host of merge fields that can be used in a variety of activities including letters, E-mails, and SMS messages along with custom forms and their associated Word documents.
You can access the merge fields button when setting up templates via Tools > Activity Templates.
Clicking on the Merge Field button will open the merge field list.
The most commonly utilised merge fields are displayed at the top of the list. Below these, further merge fields are separated into categories. Clicking one of the categories will further expand the list with more merge field options.
Clicking on any merge field selection from the menu will copy it to your clipboard ready to paste (Ctrl + V is the windows shortcut to paste if you are pasting the merge field into an external Word or Kingsoft document). If you are in an Activity Template then simply click on where you want to add the merge field and it will paste automatically.
Using a merge field all in lowercase will display merge field information as normal, however if there is no information for that merge field to pickup, it will not display at all in the template, compared to the normal “INFORMATION NOT FOUND” message if the field is in uppercase.
Appointment Merge Fields
The prefixes used for these merge fields dictate which appointment the system pulls information from.
'This Appointment' - This will source information from the selected appointment. Use this prefix for automatically generated confirmations and reminders. When sending individual emails with this merge field you will be prompted to choose the appointment to get the information from, unless the appointment was selected when you entered the Activities screen. Using E-Mail as an example, if I single-clicked an appointment on 27/10 for Mr Smith on my diary and went to Activities > Send an E-Mail and chose a template with 'This Appointment' fields then details of the 27/10 appointment would be populated.
'Next Appointment' - Will always choose the next appointment that has been booked, including the current days date.
'Last Appointment' - Will choose the last appointment prior to today’s date.
Third-Party Merge Fields
The third party merge fields are arranged according to the categories of third-parties available in your PPS system. (Categories can be renamed from within General options, but their merge field will continue to be named by its default name)
Choose the relevant category and merge field selection to populate the details of that third party.
Custom forms
The custom forms merge fields allow you to include the answer to any custom form questions the client has answered. Any question you've created within a custom form will have its own unique merge field that you can use.
Treatment Episodes
Treatment episodes merge fields work in the same way as those for appointments. These merge fields always refer to the current open treatment episode. If you need to use the merge fields in regards to a different treatment episode you will need to open that Treatment Episode first and then select the activity template with the relevant merge fields.