Support for Custom Values in Calendars

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Why this change matters for growing businesses

We run a small but growing operation. Every appointment, rental, or service booking is an opportunity to show professionalism and reduce friction. Until recently, calendar settings in our business software only let us pull a fixed set of system values into email and SMS templates, appointment titles, and meeting locations. That worked for basic personalization, but it left a gap between how we actually run the business and what the calendar could say automatically.

The platform now lets us use custom values—our own custom fields—directly inside calendar-related settings. That may sound small, but it changes how we craft reminders, how clear our appointment details are, and how much manual work we avoid when scaling. This improvement gives us more control over the customer experience with no extra tools or hacks.

What “custom values in calendars” actually gives us

In short, we can insert any custom field we’ve created—client nickname, membership level, specific rental item, preferred parking instructions, or staff notes—into calendar-driven text. That includes:

• Email templates for confirmations and follow-ups
• SMS templates for reminders and last-minute updates
• Appointment titles that appear on our team’s calendar
• Meeting locations for hybrid or multi-location businesses
• Service and rental listings where item-specific details matter

Where previously the selector only showed predefined system values like contact name or appointment start time, the selector now displays a section for custom values. It behaves the same way as other places in the app where we already used custom fields, so getting started is familiar.

Real-world benefits we’ve seen

When our calendar reminders include relevant custom details, several friction points disappear.

• Fewer missed appointments: reminders that include the specific service, staff member, or prep instructions reduce confusion and no-shows.
• More professional communications: using the client’s nickname and account details makes messages feel human and tailored.
• Less manual editing: we no longer copy-paste special notes into every booking message for irregular requests.
• Simpler onboarding for teammates: new hires can rely on consistent templates that auto-populate required details.
• Better rental logistics: embedding the rented item, pickup instructions, and deposit status reduces back-and-forth.

Common use cases and examples

Here are practical examples we applied quickly to our workflow. These show how a few custom fields can make calendar-driven messages far more useful.

Example 1: Personalized appointment confirmations

We added a custom field called Preferred Name for contacts. Our confirmation template now uses that value, which reduces the awkwardness of messages that previously defaulted to a full legal name.

Example template:

Hi {Preferred Name}, your appointment for {Service Name} with {Staff Member} is confirmed for {Start Time}.

Example 2: Clearer meeting locations

For hybrid meetings we added a custom field for Meeting Room and another for Parking Instructions. Now our calendar entry and reminder include the exact room and where to park, avoiding calls on arrival.

Example 3: Rentals that carry details

When renting equipment, we created custom fields for Item ID, Pickup Location, and Deposit Amount. The calendar reminders include these values so the customer knows what to bring and where to go.

Example 4: Staff-specific workflows

We added a custom field to tag appointments with the internal checklist a staff member needs. That checklist appears in the appointment title for the team view so everyone knows at a glance what prep is required.

How we implemented custom values in our calendars

The rollout was straightforward because the platform already supports custom fields elsewhere. Our approach followed a simple plan:

1. Identify the repeating information we manually typed into messages.
2. Create matching custom fields in contacts, services, or rentals.
3. Open calendar settings and update templates to include the new custom values.
4. Test with sample appointments to ensure placeholders resolve correctly.
5. Train the team so everyone knows where those values come from and how to keep them up to date.

The platform’s selector shows custom values in a dedicated section, making it easy to spot and add the exact placeholder we need into any template or calendar field.

Best practices for naming and organizing custom fields

Custom fields are powerful. A little discipline makes them easier to manage.

• Use consistent naming: choose readable, short names like Preferred Name or Pickup Location instead of cryptic abbreviations.
• Group by purpose: keep client-facing fields separate from internal checklists or staff notes.
• Limit number of fields: too many fields complicate templates and introduce empty placeholders.
• Document required fields: note which fields should be filled during onboarding so templates always have content.
• Consider default values: for optional fields, define defaults to avoid blanks in messages.

Template tips that make messages work better

When using custom values inside calendar templates, use these practical tips we adopted:

• Keep subject lines short: put the most important info up front, like Service Name or Staff Member.
• Use plain language for prep instructions: reminders should be easy to skim—use bullets in the body if your template supports it.
• Test fallback scenarios: check how templates look when optional custom fields are empty.
• Limit SMS length: SMS messages should be concise; include only the most critical custom values.
• Align appointment title and calendar view: what the team sees on the calendar should be actionable at a glance.

How this reduces tool sprawl and saves time

Before we could inject custom values into calendars, we patched processes with external spreadsheets, manual copy-pastes, or separate messaging apps. Every new hire had to learn where the right context lived. Now we keep everything in the platform and rely on templates that pull the right custom values automatically.

The time savings add up:

• Fewer manual edits for recurring appointment types
• Less back-and-forth with clients about logistics
• Smoother handoffs between team members

Training the team and maintaining data quality

Templates only work if the underlying fields are populated. We made data quality a small part of our intake and handoff process:

• Require specific fields during onboarding or booking forms
• Train staff to update fields when a client requests a special arrangement
• Schedule a weekly review to catch empty or outdated fields
• Create a short onboarding guide that explains which fields matter for calendar messages

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

We encountered a few common issues early on. Here are the problems and practical fixes:

Empty placeholders

Problem: Templates displayed blank spots when optional custom fields were not filled.

Fix: Use default text where possible, and make critical fields required at booking time. Also update templates to read smoothly without the optional fields.

Mismatched field locations

Problem: Some custom fields were stored at the contact level, others at the appointment or service level, causing confusion about which placeholder to use.

Fix: Create a simple map of where each value should live and train the team to store it in the correct place.

Too many custom fields

Problem: Overuse of custom fields made templates hard to manage and increased the chance of leaving something blank.

Fix: Review fields quarterly and remove or consolidate those that aren’t used frequently.

Checklist before you roll this out

Use this checklist to avoid surprises when adding custom values to calendar templates:

• Decide which custom fields will be included in calendar messages
• Create or update those fields in the platform
• Update email, SMS, appointment title, and location templates to include new placeholders
• Test templates with sample appointments across different scenarios
• Train staff and document which fields are required vs optional
• Monitor and clean data regularly

Measuring success

We track a few simple indicators to judge whether adding custom values improved operations:

• No-show rate for appointments
• Customer reply rate to confirmation messages
• Time spent editing messages per week
• Support tickets or client questions about logistics

Small improvements in these metrics show that clearer, more personalized calendar messaging reduces friction and saves time.

Examples of template snippets we use

Here are a few practical snippets that work well in calendar-driven emails and SMS messages. Replace the placeholders with your custom field names as needed.

Hi {Preferred Name}, this is a reminder for your {Service Name} on {Start Date} at {Start Time}. Please bring {Required Items}. Your appointment will be with {Staff Member} at {Meeting Room}.

Your rental for {Item Name} is ready for pickup at {Pickup Location}. Please bring ID and the deposit of {Deposit Amount}.

Keep SMS content minimal:

Reminder: {Service Name} with {Staff Member} on {Start Date} at {Start Time}. Reply C to confirm.

When to avoid putting too much in calendar text

There is value in conciseness. If a message becomes a long instruction manual, consider linking the essentials in the calendar and providing a separate, more detailed message or document. For SMS especially, keep the calendar-driven text focused on the who, what, when, and where. Use email for longer instructions and attachments.

Final thoughts from our experience

Adding custom values to calendar settings felt like a small change that unlocked a lot of practical improvements. We now send clearer reminders, reduce last-minute calls, and give the team what they need to prepare for every appointment without digging through notes or spreadsheets.

If your business relies on bookings, services, or rentals, taking a few hours to define useful custom fields and update calendar templates pays off quickly. It simplifies communication, improves the customer experience, and reduces the daily friction that slows growth.

FAQ

What exactly counts as a custom value in the calendar?

A custom value is any custom field you create in the platform that stores information specific to contacts, services, or rentals. These values can now be inserted into calendar-related templates and appointment fields so messages reflect the unique details of each booking.

Where can custom values be used within calendar settings?

Custom values can be used in email templates, SMS templates, appointment titles, meeting locations, and service or rental descriptions. They appear in the selector under a custom values section, just like other placeholder fields.

How do I prevent blank fields from showing in messages?

Make critical fields required at booking time, provide default values where appropriate, and design templates to read clearly even when optional fields are empty. Test templates with sample records to ensure they look right.

Will adding custom values affect existing templates?

Adding new custom values does not change existing templates unless you insert the new placeholders. You can update templates progressively and test before rolling changes to the entire team.

Can custom values be used for staff-only notes?

Yes. Create internal-only custom fields for staff checklists or prep notes and place them in appointment titles or calendar notes so the team sees them without exposing them to customers.

How do I test that placeholders resolve correctly?

Create a test contact, fill in the custom fields, and book a sample appointment. Send test emails and SMS to yourself or a teammate and verify that each placeholder displays the expected value.

Is there a performance impact when using many custom values?

There is no noticeable performance hit from using custom values in templates. The practical issue is maintainability; keep the number of fields reasonable to avoid complexity.

What should we monitor after enabling custom values?

Track no-show rates, customer replies, time spent editing messages, and any increase or decrease in support questions related to bookings. These indicators show whether messages are clearer and whether the change reduces operational friction.