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Variables & Prompt Structure in AI Calling Assistants

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AI variables allow your assistant to dynamically personalise conversations, summaries, and structured data. By defining and passing values correctly, you can make every call feel tailored and professional.

What is a variable? #

A variable is a placeholder written {{variable_name}} inside your AI Assistant prompt. When a call runs, the variable is merged with real data from your company profile or GoHighLevel (GHL).

Example:

Prompt: “Hello, {{contact_first_name}}, this is {{ai_bot_name}} from {{company_name}}.”
Call: “Hello, Sarah, this is Clara AI from Affordable Care Solutions.”

Types of Variables #

1. Core Variables (System & Company Information) #

Auto-available from your account and always ready to use.

Examples:

{{company_name}}
{{company_email}}
{{company_phone}}
{{company_hours_of_operation}}
{{company_description}}

You also get core contact variables auto-filled from the dialed record:

{{contact_first_name}}, {{contact_last_name}}
{{contact_email}}, {{contact_phone}}
{{contact_address}}, {{contact_city}}, {{contact_state}}

These core variables can be used anywhere: system prompts, messages, summaries, structured data, tools, etc.

2. Custom Variables (Up to 50) #

  • Defined by you.
  • Passed inside customData from GHL via webhook/API.
  • Used in prompts as {{custom_variable_name}}.
  • Whitespace inside curly brackets is ignored ({{agent_name}} = {{ agent_name }}).

Example payload:

{
“first_name”: “Sophia”,
“phone”: “+15551234567”,
“customData”: {
“campaign_id”: “JPTdTwMSCynA9V01dh6ARxvQEJe0azUvu”,
“agent_name”: “Mike Anderson”,
“ai_call_first_message”: “Hi {{contact_first_name}}, this is {{ai_bot_name}} with {{company_name}}.”,
“ai_followup_questions”: “What slows you down in ACA renewals? How do you track follow-ups?”
}
}

3. Default Variables (Date/Time & Customer Context) #

Always available, no need to define:

{{now}}, {{date}}, {{time}}, {{month}}, {{day}}, {{year}}
{{customer.number}} (recipient’s number)
Any {{customer.X}} property passed in API

Supports LiquidJS formatting:

{{“now” | date: “%A, %B %d, %Y, %I:%M %p”, “America/Chicago”}}
→ Monday, January 01, 2024, 03:45 PM

What If a Variable Is Missing (Null)? #

  • If no value is provided, the AI simply skips it.
  • The assistant does not hang up.
  • Conversation continues normally.

Example:
If it {{contact_email}} is missing, the assistant won’t mention email—it won’t break the call.

Where Can Variables Be Used? #

Variables can be used anywhere in the system:

  • System Prompt
  • Messages (first message, follow-up, confirmations)
  • Summaries
  • Structured Data
  • Tool Triggers or Responses

Outgoing vs Incoming Assistants #

  • Core Variables → work in both receptionist (incoming call) and outgoing caller.
  • Custom Variables (customData) → only work with outgoing callers (since data comes from GHL campaigns/webhooks).

Best Practice:

  • If you want to define and use your own variables from GHL, always create a separate AI Assistant for outgoing calls.
  • For incoming calls where you only need core variables, one AI receptionist assistant is enough.

Side-by-Side Example (JSON → Prompt Mapping) #

GHL Webhook Payload #

{
“first_name”: “Sophia”,
“phone”: “+15551234567”,
“customData”: {
“campaign_id”: “JPTdTwMSCynA9V01dh6ARxvQEJe0azUvu”,
“agent_name”: “Mike Anderson”,
“ai_call_first_message”: “Hi {{contact_first_name}}, this is {{ai_bot_name}} with {{company_name}}.”,
“ai_followup_questions”: “What slows you down in ACA renewals? How do you track follow-ups?”,
“preferred_timezone”: “America/Chicago”
}
}

Prompt Snippet #

First Message
{{ai_call_first_message}}

## Identity & Purpose
You are {{ai_bot_name}}, representing {{company_name}}.
You’re calling ACA agents to discuss ACA Flow benefits.

## Objectives
1. Greet {{contact_first_name}}.
2. Ask {{ai_followup_questions}}.
3. If interested, book with {{agent_name}}.

## Notes
Current Time: {{now}} ({{preferred_timezone}})

Live Call Output #

  • “Hi Sophia, this is Clara AI with Affordable Care Solutions.”
  • “Can I ask, what slows you down in ACA renewals? How do you track follow-ups?”
  • “If you’re interested, I’ll book a call with Mike Anderson.”
  • “Right now it’s Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 3:45 PM in your timezone.”

Best Practices for Prompt Writing with Variables #

  • Always define clear ## sections (Identity, Objectives, Tools, Guidelines).
  • Use variables in tools & summaries (e.g., structured data: “appointment_time”: “{{last_appointment_date}}”).
  • Define up to 50 custom variables in customData when calling from GHL.
  • Keep sentences short and ask one question at a time.
  • Don’t worry if some variables are null—the AI will gracefully skip.
  • Use separate assistants for outgoing campaigns that rely on custom data.

Quick Recap #

  • Core Variables (company/contact info) → auto available in all calls.
  • Custom Variables (defined in customData) → up to 50, work in outgoing callers only.
  • Default Variables (time/date) → always available.
  • Null-safe → AI skips missing variables gracefully.
  • Outgoing vs Incoming → Use separate assistants if you need custom variables from GHL.

With variables, your AI Assistant doesn’t just “talk”—it becomes data-aware, using company, contact, and campaign information to create natural, intelligent conversations.

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