What does 'unknown variables detected' mean in my email sequence?
"Unknown variables detected" means your email contains `{{variable}}` tags that don't match any recognized data fields.
"Unknown variables detected" appears when your email sequence contains {{variable}} placeholders that the system doesn't recognize. This warning helps prevent emails from being sent with unresolved variables that would appear as raw text to recipients.
Common Causes
Typos in variable names - Variables are case-sensitive. {{firstname}} won't work; it must be {{firstName}}.
Custom variables that don't exist - Using a variable like {{revenue}} when the system doesn't support it.
Copy-pasted from another tool - Variables from other platforms often use different naming conventions.
How to Fix It
- Open the Sequences tab in your campaign
- Open the Preview dialog for the step — the yellow Unknown variables detected banner lists every flagged variable, with a "did you mean…" suggestion where the name is close to a known one (e.g.,
{{firstname}}→{{firstName}}) - Go back to the editor and either:
- Replace the typo with the correct variable (use the Variables button to avoid typos entirely)
- Delete the variable if it's not needed
- Replace it with static text
If a toast appears while you're editing with the message "Unknown variables: …", that's the same check firing live.
Available Variables
The system supports 16 personalization variables:
Contact: {{firstName}}, {{lastName}}, {{jobTitle}}
Company: {{companyName}}, {{industry}}, {{companyDomain}}, {{companyDescription}}, {{employeeCount}}
Location: {{location}}, {{city}}, {{state}}, {{country}}
Social: {{linkedIn}}
Sender: {{sendingAccountName}}, {{sendingAccountFirstName}}, {{accountSignature}}
Use the Variables button (braces icon { }) in the editor toolbar to insert variables correctly - this prevents typos.