Template variables must use square-bracket notation
The requirementstatement
Personalisation placeholders in samples should use [square brackets] rather than code syntax.
- Severityseverity
- MediumMEDIUMUsually survives review, but lowers your trust score or invites a manual look you would rather avoid.
- When it bitesphase
- Gates approvalapprovalGet this wrong and the brand or campaign is refused at registration.
- What is checkedobject
- campaign.sample[]
- Where it liveslayer
- Message contentMESSAGE_CONTENT
- How Ekas settles itdetectability
- AI · formAI_FORM
- A semantic question about what you wrote: whether a description matches a use case, whether a name looks like a filed entity. Judged by a model against written criteria.
- What the fix involvesfailureClass
- Fix the fieldRETRY_FIELD
- A better value in the form fixes it. Ekas can rewrite it and re-check.
- Who requires itauthorities
- TCRTwilio
- When it appliesapplicabilityText
- Applies to every 10DLC registration.
Why this rule existsrationale
Square brackets are the convention reviewers expect, and they make clear which parts vary at send time. Raw code syntax reads as an unfinished integration and invites the reviewer to treat the sample as a placeholder rather than a real message.
How to fix itremediation
Convert placeholders to square-bracket notation and give them readable names describing the value.
A compliant exampleexample
Acme Coffee: hi [first name], your order [order number] ships today. Reply STOP to opt out.
Common mistakespitfalls
- Bracket placeholders belong in samples only — never send them in live traffic.
Rules you will hit next
6 other rules read campaign.sample[]. Fixing one field to satisfy a single rule is how a resubmission trades one rejection for another, so read these before you change anything.
CMP-SAMPLE-COUNTAt least two sample messages are requiredBlockingBLOCKINGCMP-SAMPLE-LENEach sample message must be 20–1024 charactersBlockingBLOCKINGMSG-031Sample messages must be in EnglishBlockingBLOCKINGMSG-042Every message must identify who is sending itBlockingBLOCKINGMSG-171Messages must not harass, intimidate or threaten the recipientBlockingBLOCKINGMSG-210A political donation programme may not include gaming-related fundraisingBlockingBLOCKING
MSG-VARIABLES is one of 122 message content rules in the 915-rule 10DLC registry. Free to cite under CC BY 4.0.