Make sure to check out the instructional video at the bottom of this article!

Shortcodes are placeholders for information. Shortcodes allow hosts to automatically insert dynamic information into message templates.

Instead of manually adding guest or reservation details, Hospitable replaces these placeholders with real data when the message is sent.

Using shortcodes helps personalize automated messages while ensuring the correct information is always included.

Shortcodes can include details such as:

Guest names
Check-in and check-out dates
Reservation totals
Listing information
Other booking details

When Hospitable sends a message, it retrieves the latest data from the relevant source (property, listing, reservation, etc.) ensuring the relevance of the information to the message.

What are shortcodes?

Shortcodes are placeholders used inside message templates. They represent variable information related to a reservation, inquiry, guest, or listing.

Shortcodes always start and end with the % symbol.

Example shortcodes:

%guest_first_name%
%check_in_date%
%listing_name%
%total%

When a message is sent, Hospitable replaces the shortcode with the appropriate value from the booking.

Example template text:

Hi %guest_first_name%, we’re looking forward to welcoming you on %check_in_date%.

Example message received by the guest:

Hi Sarah, we’re looking forward to welcoming you on May 12.

How to add shortcodes to a message template

You can insert shortcodes while editing a messaging rule.

Click Guest experience in the sidebar.
Select Messaging.
Select the rule you want to edit or create a new one.
Click inside the message template editor.
Type % to open the shortcode list.
Continue typing to search for a specific shortcode.
Click the shortcode or press Enter to insert it into the message.

Shortcode availability

The shortcodes available to you may vary depending on the messaging rule you are editing.

Some information can only be shared after certain events occur in the booking process.

Some shortcodes only become available after a reservation is confirmed. If the information is not yet available for that stage of the booking, the shortcode will not appear in the list.

You can view the full list of shortcodes available here.

Short Code restrictions

Using the shortcode to include your detailed address (%listing_full_address%) is not possible until a reservation has been accepted.
The shortcode to include directions to the listing (%listing_directions%) is only available for Airbnb guests and only after a reservation has been accepted.
Task-related shortcodes are only available in task-related notification rules (task assigned, task updated, task cancelled).
Task- or teammate-related shortcodes are only available in notification rules, not in guest messaging rules or rental agreements.
- This refers to shortcodes suchs as %task_start_time%.

Automatic language translation

Shortcodes automatically adapt to the language used in the template.

This allows them to work seamlessly with multilingual messaging rules without requiring separate versions of the shortcode.

Testing shortcodes with template preview

You can test how shortcodes will appear in a message by previewing it.

Previews show you how a template will populate using real reservation data from past conversations.

Previewing a messaging rule does not send any messages to guests.

You need to have at least one inquiry, request to book, or accepted reservation on your account in order to preview the relevant messaging rule. This can also be a manual booking.

To preview your message:

Open the messaging rule you want to test.
Scroll to the template editor.
Click the simulation option below the template.
Select a previous reservation or conversation.
Review how the shortcodes are populated.

Understanding the `%total%` shortcode

The %total% shortcode inserts the reservation price shown to the guest on the booking platform.

This value reflects the price the guest paid, and the currency they paid in, in cases where that information is available in the booking platform's API. If Hospitable does not receive the amount and currency that the guest was shown and paid in, we default to using the total price that the host sees on their end; in the property's amount and currency.

Example:

If a guest from the United States books a listing in Italy, and has their Vrbo account set to display and pay in US dollars, the reservation total will appear in US dollars. The currency symbol is automatically included when the shortcode is populated.

If a guest from the United States books a listing in Italy, and has their Airbnb account set to display amounts in US dollars, the reservation total will remain in EUR, the host's and property's currency.

The %total% shortcode shows the total price displayed to the guest on the booking platform. This amount may not match the host payout because platforms may include service fees or taxes that are not shown to hosts.

FAQs

Why didn’t a shortcode appear in my message template when typing it out?

Shortcodes only appear if they are available for that specific messaging rule and stage of the reservation.

If a shortcode is not available yet (for example, address details before a booking is confirmed), it will not appear in the shortcode list.

Example: the %listing_full_address% shortcode cannot be used in the "New inquiry" messaging rule.

Can I preview how a shortcode will appear before sending messages?

Yes. You can use the Preview option in the messaging rule editor to preview how shortcodes populate using real reservation data. Previewing the messaging rule does not send messages to guests.