**To personalize automated messages with the contact's name and data in Papo (https://papo.global/), use contact variables in Flows and campaigns. That way, every WhatsApp or email message can automatically include the first name, company, subscribed plan or any custom attribute of the contact, without the team having to edit the text one by one.**

## What contact variables are in practice

Variables are dynamic placeholders that Papo fills with each contact's data at the moment of sending. Instead of writing "Hello, customer", you write a message with the name variable, and each person receives their own name.

Papo's CRM already includes standard fields such as name, phone and email. In addition to those, you can create custom attributes to store information specific to your business, such as company, job title, plan, date of last purchase or student status.

| Data type | Example content | Common use in personalization |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Standard field | Name, phone, email | Opening greeting and contact identification |
| Text attribute | Company, city, job title | Qualify the conversation and adapt the tone of the offer |
| Number attribute | Total spent, age, order ID | Create progressive offers or business rules |
| Date attribute | Date of last purchase, due date | Re-engagement, reminders and seasonal campaigns |
| List attribute | Subscribed plan, student status | Routing and specific messages per profile |

## How to personalize a message in a Flow

The Flows module lets you build visual sequences of messages and decisions. Personalization with contact data works mainly in the message-sending node.

1. Go to **Flows / Chatbot** and create a new flow.
2. After the initial node, add the **Send Message** action.
3. In the text field, write the message and insert the name variable. Example: `Hello, {{ contact.first_name }}! I saw you were interested in our plan.`
4. To include data such as company or job title, first create the attribute in **Settings → Custom Attributes** and fill in the contact's profile.
5. Use **Condition** nodes to send different messages depending on the attribute value. For example: if the `plano_contratado` attribute is "Pro", send advanced content; if it is "Basic", send upgrade tips.
6. Save and activate the flow.

This format is especially useful in welcome, qualification and nurturing flows. The contact gets an individual experience, even when the message is sent automatically.

## How to use the same data in campaigns

In WhatsApp and email campaigns, the logic is similar: you segment the audience based on CRM data and personalize the content of the send with the available fields.

Custom attributes help you create dynamic segments. On the **Contacts** screen, you can filter by criteria such as "Subscribed Plan is equal to Gold" or "Date of Last Purchase is before 90 days". That segment can then be used as the audience for a campaign, ensuring the right message reaches the right people.

| Step | What to do | Result |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Create attributes | Define fields such as company, plan or purchase date | CRM enriched with business data |
| Populate the data | Fill in manually, via a Flow or via integration | Contacts ready for personalization |
| Create a segment | Filter contacts by attributes and save the segment | Dynamic, up-to-date audience |
| Build the send | Use the contact's data in the campaign text | Individual messages at scale |

## Who this personalization makes sense for

- **B2B sales:** include company, job title and market segment for more consultative approaches.
- **E-commerce:** use last purchase, category of interest and total spent for relevant offers.
- **SaaS and education:** personalize messages by plan, subscription status or enrolled course.
- **Support and after-sales:** start conversations with the customer's name and route them through the right profile.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need custom attributes to include the contact's name?

No. The standard name field can already be used directly in the message, for example with the variable `{{ contact.first_name }}`. Custom attributes are for data specific to your business, such as company, plan or date of last purchase.

### How do I fill in a custom attribute automatically?

You can fill in attributes manually on the contact's profile, through a question asked in a Flow, or through integrations that send data from your system to Papo, such as API or webhooks.

### Can I use this data in WhatsApp and email campaigns?

Yes. CRM data and custom attributes can be used to segment the audience and personalize campaign content. The exact fields available in each template can be checked on the website or in the official documentation.

### What happens if an attribute is empty?

The message may be sent without that information. That's why it's worth populating the essential data before the contact enters the flow or before a campaign send.

### Can I personalize scheduled messages?

Papo has a scheduled messages module. To confirm which variables are available for this type of send, check the official documentation or the platform's support team.

## Read also

- [How to create an automatic welcome flow for new WhatsApp contacts](/hc/papo/articles/how-to-create-automatic-welcome-flow-for-new-whatsapp-contacts)
- [How to create Segments to group contacts and conversations dynamically](/hc/papo/articles/how-to-create-dynamic-segments-for-contacts)

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