When inserting variables in your campaign, you might notice that some variables are missing. This guide helps you diagnose and fix variable issues.
No Leads Uploaded Yet
If you created campaigns but haven't added leads, only the default variables are available.
Go to the Leads section of your campaign
Check if leads are present
Empty leads tab = only default variables available
Solution:
Upload leads to campaign
Map each column properly
Variables will appear after successful upload
If you uploaded leads but they don't appear in the Leads section of the campaign, it could be because duplicate leads are being skipped:
'Check for Duplicates' setting: When enabled during upload, leads that already exist in the campaign or list won't be uploaded again
If you want to add duplicate leads:
Re-upload your file
Uncheck "Check for Duplicates" during upload
Allows duplicate leads to be added
Variables will appear after upload
Variables Not Mapped Correctly
If leads have been uploaded successfully but custom variables still don't appear, columns may not be mapped properly during upload.
Check your leads' data
Go to the Leads tab
Click on a lead
View their data in Lead Details
If custom columns don't show in the Leads section
They weren't imported/mapped properly
Won't be available as variables
If custom columns show in the Leads section: Ensure that the inserted variable is in the correct format (double curly brackets)
Re-upload leads with proper mapping
Verify your file has the columns you want as variables, and column headers are clear.
Upload leads to campaign
Map variables carefully
Review mapping for each CSV column
Standard fields: Map to predefined variables (Email, First Name, etc.)
Custom fields: Select "Custom Variable"
Unused columns: Map to "Do Not Import"
Complete upload
Variables Not in the Correct Format
Best practice: To avoid incorrect formatting, use the Variable button to insert variables instead of typing them manually.
Go to the Editor section of the campaign
Select the email step to edit
Find the subject line field at the top
Variables in subject lines
Click the bolt icon (⚡) button
Dropdown shows all available variables
Click the variable you want to insert
Variables in email body
Click Variables button in the bottom toolbar
Dropdown shows all available variables
Click the variable to insert
Variable will be replaced with actual lead data when sent
Variable Not Working in Preview Mode
If you're in Preview mode:
Preview doesn't automatically know which lead to show
Must manually select a lead for preview
Must select a sending account for account variables
Solution:
Click the Preview button in the bottom toolbar
If your campaign is active, pause it first so the Preview button is clickable.
If the Preview button still isn't clickable after pausing, click anywhere within the email body to activate it.
Select lead:
Choose a lead from the 'Load data for lead' field
Preview shows how the email looks for that specific lead
Select sending account:
Choose a sending account to preview account variables
Updating Variables in Bulk
Uploading an updated CSV or Google Sheet with the same leads will not overwrite existing data. The system treats them as duplicates and skips them when the leads already exist in the campaign.
To properly update variables in bulk:
Update your original CSV or Google Sheet
Delete the existing leads from your campaign. Deleting leads and re-importing them may reset their campaign progress back to Step 1.
Re-import the updated file
This ensures the new variable data is updated correctly.