Using macros in client emails and reminders

You can customize client emails and reminders by adding macros, which automatically fill in information from your SimplePractice account. This guide explains what macros are, how to add them to templates, where each macro pulls information from, and when different client email templates are sent.

Below, we’ll cover:

• What are macros?
• Using macros
• Understanding macro categories
• When are different email templates sent to clients?

What are macros?

Macros let you personalize emails and reminders by inserting a code that’s replaced with information specific to each recipient.

For example:

• The macro {client_first_name} is replaced with the client’s first name
• The macro {practice_client_portal_login_link} is replaced with your unique Client Portal login link

Using macros

You can insert macros directly into an email, text, or voice template.

To add a macro to an email template:

1. Navigate to Settings > Client notifications > Email
2. Click the pencil icon next to the template you want to customize

3. Click in the Subject or Message, placing your cursor where you want the macro to appear
4. Under Macros, select a macro category dropdown, then choose the macro you want to insert
   • The macro is added at your cursor location

To add a macro to a text template:

1. Navigate to Settings > Client notifications > Text
2. Select the template you want to edit

3. Click in the message field where you want the macro to appear

4. Click Add information

4. Choose the information you want to insert
   • The macro is added at your cursor location

To add a macro to a voice template:

1. Navigate to Settings > Client notifications > Voice
2. Click Edit next to the template you want to customize

3. Click in the Subject or Message, placing your cursor where you want the macro to appear
4. Under Macros, select a macro category dropdown, then choose the macro you want to insert
   • The macro is added at your cursor location

Important: Some macros are only available within certain types of templates. For example, {practice_client_portal_login_link} is only available in Client Portal email templates and can’t be used in appointment reminder templates.

Understanding macro categories

Each macro category pulls information from a specific area of your account. There are 6 macro categories: Clinician, Practice, Client, Appointment, Links, and Recipient.

Clinician macros

Clinician macros automatically populate clinician details in client emails and reminders.

Practice macros

Practice macros automatically populate practice details, such as your practice name, address, phone number, and email, in client reminders and email templates.

For appointment reminders, practice address macros populate the location assigned to the appointment. Practice address macros aren’t available for telehealth reminders.

For other reminders and email templates, practice address macros populate the client’s default location. If a client’s default location is telehealth, Available via telehealth populates instead of a physical address.

Client macros

Client macros automatically populate client-specific details in client emails and reminders.

Note: All name-related macros populate the preferred name instead of the legal first name, if a preferred name is entered in the client's profile.

Appointment macros

Appointment macros populate appointment-specific details in client emails and reminders.

Links macros

Link macros insert links into client emails, such as Client Portal or calendar links.

Note: Available Link macros depend on the template type.

Recipient macro

The Recipient macro populates the first name of a contact in client emails and reminders.

Note: This macro is only available for Contact and Couple Client templates.

When are different email templates sent to clients?

SimplePractice includes multiple client email templates, each sent automatically based on specific actions or events. All client email templates can be customized at Settings > Client notifications > Email.

Note: Email, voice, and text templates and reminders aren’t customizable for trial customers. To customize templates and reminders during your trial, add a credit card by navigating to Settings > Practice > Plan info.

Below is an overview of when each email template is sent:

• Client Portal emails
  • Welcome: Sent when you grant Client Portal access and send intake paperwork to a new client
  • Client Portal activation: Sent when you grant an existing client access to the Client Portal
• Appointment confirmation emails
  • Appointment confirmation: Sent when you approve an appointment requested by a client requested
  • Appointment confirmation with documents: Sent when you approve an appointment requested by a client who has incomplete documents in the Client Portal
  • Video appointment confirmation: Sent when you approve a telehealth appointment requested by a client
  • Video appointment confirmation with documents: Sent when you approve a telehealth appointment requested by a client who has incomplete documents in the Client Portal
• Appointment decline emails
  • Appointment declined (new client): Sent when you decline an appointment requested by a new client
  • Appointment declined (existing client): Sent when you decline an appointment requested by an existing client
• Appointment request and contact form emails
  • Appointment request received: Sent when a client requests an appointment through the Client Portal
  • Pending appointment request: Sent when a client requests an appointment scheduled two or more weeks in the future and the request hasn’t been approved after one week
  • Contact form inquiry confirmation: Sent when a prospective client submits an inquiry through the contact form
• Document emails
  • Document request: Sent when you share documents with a client through the Client Portal
  • Recurring measure request: Sent when a recurring scored measure is shared automatically with a client
  • Ad hoc document reminder: Sent when you manually send a reminder to a client to complete shared documents in the Client Portal
• Billing emails
  • New billing document available: Sent when a client has a new billing document available in their Client Portal from the previous day and billing notifications are enabled for that client
  • Invoice past due: Sent once a week for four weeks after an invoice is marked past due, or until the invoice is paid or deleted
    • You can adjust when an invoice is considered past due by navigating to Settings > Client billing and insurance > Client billing documents