Dynamic text lets one survey speak to each respondent personally. You write a placeholder once, and every generated copy, printed or web, replaces it with that row's value from your prefill list. This article covers the placeholder syntax and its layout rules; for the full workflow see the complete Prefill Forms guide.
How placeholders work
Wrap a column name in double curly braces anywhere in a question, heading, or description:
Thanks for visiting _{{location}}_ on _{{date}}_. Would you mind answering a few questions?
Combined with this list uploaded to Prefill Forms:
| ID | location | date |
|---|---|---|
| 123 | XYZ Restaurant | 2026-01-10 |
| 124 | ABC Exhibition | 2026-02-01 |
Each generated copy carries its own wording:
- "Thanks for visiting XYZ Restaurant on 2026-01-10. Would you mind answering..."
- "Thanks for visiting ABC Exhibition on 2026-02-01. Would you mind answering..."
The placeholder uses the column's name as typed. Spaces just inside the braces are fine ({{ location }} works), and matching tolerates formatting differences in the name itself.
Keep the layout stable on paper
On printed surveys, replaced text that runs longer or shorter than the placeholder shifts everything after it, and a layout that moves between copies hurts recognition. Wrap dynamic text in a height box so every copy occupies exactly the same space:
[height=2cm]Thanks for visiting {{location}} on {{date}}.[/height]
In tight layouts, constrain the width as well: [width=10cm][height=2cm]{{variable}}[/height][/width]. Sizes accept centimeters (cm) or inches (in). Web forms reflow naturally, so this only matters for paper.
Placeholders on web links
Personal web links replace placeholders the same way the printed copies do. One extra convenience: if your survey text contains the survey's plain web address, each generated copy swaps it for that row's personal link, so "complete this online at ..." always points the respondent at their own pre-filled form. See Generating Prefill Links in Bulk for expiration dates and submission rules.
Beyond wording
Dynamic text is one of three ways a column can reach the survey. A column can also fill a matching question's answer field directly, or ride along invisibly as a Prefill Data question for filtering and exports. All three, plus printing, identifiers, and return tracking, are covered in the complete guide.