If you spend too much time rewriting the same proposal content or hunting for the right company details, you’re not alone. Sales teams, agencies, and anyone sending lots of proposals all face the same grind: repetitive edits, boring copy-paste, and little mistakes that slip through. If you’re using Proposify to manage your proposals, you’ve got tools to fix this—variables and snippets. They’re not magic, but when you use them right, they save hours and make you look a lot more buttoned-up.
This guide is for folks who actually work in Proposify, not just the person who set it up. You’ll learn practical ways to use variables and snippets, how to avoid their pitfalls, and what to skip.
Why bother with variables and snippets?
You could keep copying last month’s proposal and search-replacing client names, but that’s how you end up with “Dear {FirstName}” in a sent doc. Variables and snippets exist to:
- Save time by reusing chunks of content or auto-filling details.
- Cut down on errors (no more wrong company names).
- Keep your branding and wording consistent across every deal.
If your team’s sending more than a couple proposals a month, this is worth setting up.
Step 1: Understand what variables and snippets actually do
Before you dive in, let’s set expectations.
What are variables?
Variables are placeholders—fields like {Client Name} or {Project Amount}—that pull info from your proposal or client record. When you send or preview the proposal, Proposify swaps in the real details.
What works:
- Client names, addresses, dates, project numbers, prices—anything you might fill in more than once.
What doesn’t:
- Variables don’t do math, format paragraphs, or update after you’ve exported to PDF. They’re not spreadsheets.
What are snippets?
Snippets are reusable blocks of text, images, or even tables. Think of them as mini-templates you can drop into any proposal section.
What works:
- Standard “About Us” blurbs, product descriptions, legal clauses, pricing tables.
What doesn’t:
- Snippets don’t automatically update everywhere if you edit one later. They’re not “linked.” Edit a snippet, and only new uses get the change.
Step 2: Setting up variables in Proposify
Variables only help if you set them up right. Here’s how to get started.
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Make a list of what changes in every proposal.
Typical variables: client name, company, contact info, project title, start/end dates, pricing. -
Find Proposify’s variable options.
In the proposal editor, look for the variables button (usually a curly-brace icon{}) in text fields. Click it to see which variables are available—these are tied to your proposal’s fields and your client/contact database. -
Add variables to your templates and sections.
Anywhere you want a detail to update per client, insert a variable. For example:
Dear {Client First Name},
We’re excited to work with {Client Company} on {Project Name}.
- Fill in proposal details before sending.
Variables pull from what you enter in the proposal setup. If you leave these blank, you’ll get an ugly “{Project Amount}” in your final doc. Always double-check.
Pro tip:
Don’t get cute with variable names—use what Proposify offers out of the box. Creating custom fields sounds nice until you have to train everyone to use them.
Step 3: Build and use snippets to avoid repeat work
If you find yourself typing the same sentences (or paragraphs) over and over, it’s time to build snippets.
- Identify your reusable content.
Look at your last 5–10 proposals. What keeps showing up? - Company bios
- Service descriptions
- Testimonials
- Case study blurbs
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Legal text (payment terms, NDAs)
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Create your snippets.
In Proposify, find the “Snippets” section (it might be under Content Library or similar). Hit “Create Snippet.” - Give it a clear, boring name: “Web Design About Us” beats “Our Awesome Story.”
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Include variables where you’d otherwise personalize for each client.
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Insert snippets into your templates or on the fly.
When editing a proposal, look for the snippets button (usually looks like a paragraph icon). Drop your snippet where you want it. -
Keep snippets updated.
Once a quarter, review your snippets. If your team or services change, update the snippet for future use. Old proposals won’t update, which is both a feature and a bug.
What to ignore:
Don’t make snippets for tiny one-liners or stuff you rarely use. That’s just clutter.
Step 4: Combine variables and snippets for supercharged speed
Here’s where things get good—using variables inside snippets.
- Add variables directly to your snippet text. For example:
At {Your Company Name}, we deliver results for clients like {Client Company}.
- When you drop this snippet into a proposal, Proposify swaps in the real company names automatically.
Why bother?
- You write a snippet once, and it personalizes itself for each proposal.
- Less chance of forgetting to update a client’s details.
Heads up:
If you ever see a snippet with a variable that doesn’t fill in, check that the variable matches what Proposify expects. Typos matter here.
Step 5: Build templates that actually save time
Templates are where snippets and variables pay off. But templates only help if they’re clean, simple, and actually used.
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Start with your best-performing proposal.
Don’t make a template from scratch if you’ve already got a winner. -
Replace unique info with variables.
Anywhere you see a client or project name, swap in a variable. -
Drop in snippets for standard sections.
Services, bios, testimonials—use snippets so you can update these in one place. -
Test your template.
Make a dummy proposal using your template. Check that all variables fill in, and none are left blank. -
Get feedback from your team.
If they’re skipping the template or copy-pasting outside Proposify, ask why. Templates are only good if people actually use them.
Don’t overdo it:
It’s tempting to make a template for every scenario. Start with one or two, and improve as you go.
Step 6: Train your team—and yourself
Even the best setup falls apart if nobody knows how to use it.
- Run a quick walkthrough: Show where to find variables and snippets. Five minutes is enough.
- Make a cheat sheet: List the variables your team actually uses. Pin it in Slack, or wherever you chat.
- Encourage double-checking: Before sending, always preview the proposal. Spot-check for unfilled variables or broken snippets.
- Fix mistakes publicly: If someone finds a leftover
{Client Name}in a sent proposal, talk about it. It’s not about blame—it’s about not repeating it.
What to watch out for (and what to skip)
Variables: - Can’t pull info you haven’t added to Proposify (garbage in, garbage out). - Don’t help if your CRM or client data is messy. - Won’t update if you export to Word or PDF before sending.
Snippets: - Won’t update in old proposals if you edit the snippet later. - Can get out of hand—hundreds of snippets is just another mess. - Don’t try to “nest” snippets inside other snippets. You’ll just confuse yourself.
General tip:
Keep it simple. The more variables and snippets you make, the more you have to maintain. Start small and only add what you need.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, tweak as you go
Variables and snippets in Proposify aren’t magic, but they’re solid tools for teams tired of redoing the same work. Don’t aim for perfection—just make your next proposal a little faster and less error-prone than the last. As you spot repeat work, add a snippet. If you see a pattern of missed details, make a variable.
Start simple, get feedback, and refine as you go. You’ll spend less time formatting and more time actually winning deals.