---
title: "Automation Placeholders"
slug: "automation-placeholders"
updated: 2026-05-28T08:10:59Z
published: 2026-05-28T08:10:59Z
canonical: "learn.servitly.com/automation-placeholders"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.servitly.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Automation Placeholders

When defining an automation action, you can use the following placeholders to make actions dynamically dependent on the automation context.

The placeholder must be included by using this syntax:

```http
// URL
PUT https://my-backend.com/api/customers/${customer.id}

// URL
DELETE https://my-backend.com/api/customers?customerId=${customer.id}

// Header
X-Product: ${thing.serialNumber}

// mail message
WARNING: High temperature detected on ${thing.name} (${metrics.temperature.value} ${metrics.temperature.unit})
```

Here below you can find the full list of placeholders that can be used into an automation's action.

| **PLACEHOLDER** | **DESCRIPTION** | **SAMPLE VALUE** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| *timestamp* | The timestamp at which the automation has been triggered | 1476271832909 |
| *metrics.<METRIC_NAME>.value* | The value of the <METRIC_NAME> metric | 101, true, 12.77, LOW_WATER |
| *metrics.<METRIC_NAME>.unit* | The measuring unit of the <METRIC_NAME> metric | Kg, m |
| *metrics.<METRIC_NAME>.valueLabel* | The label associated with the value in case of [dictionary and thresholds](/docs/dictionary-and-thresholds-1). | HIGH |
| *metrics.<METRIC_NAME>.valueSeverity* | The severity associated with the value in case of [dictionary and thresholds](/docs/dictionary-and-thresholds-1). | CRITICAL |
| *thing.id* | The thing identifier | asdg2354346tsdggd3456356 |
| *thing.name* | The thing's name | Printer-floor1 |
| *thing.serialNumber* | The thing serial number | XY000001 |
| *thing.properties.<PROP_NAME>* | The value of the property named <PROP_NAME>. |  |
| *thing.serviceLevel* | The Service Level name associated with the Thing | GOLD |
| *thingDefinition.id* | The thing definition identifier | asdg2354346tsdggd3456356 |
| *thingDefinition.name* | The thing definition model name | Mod123 |
| *thingDefinition.properties.<PROP_NAME>* | The value of the property named <PROP_NAME>. |  |
| *workSession.name* | The name of the started/completed work-session | CLEANUP |
| *workSession.data* | The JSON describing the entire started/completed work-session. | { "id":"2gh4h45h54", "startTimestamp":12343, .... } |
| *partner* | The JSON describing the partner where the event has been detected. | { "id" : "6w3e4r5t6y7ujh" "name": "Service 24h", ...... } |
| *customer* | The JSON describing the customer where the event has been detected. | { "id" : "6w3e4r5t6y7ujh" "name": "Abon Metal", ...... } |
| *location* | The JSON describing the location where the event has been detected. | { "id" : "6w3e4r5t6y7ujh" "name": "Plant A", ...... } |
| *thing* | The JSON describing the thing where the event has been detected. | { "id" : "6w3e4r5t6y7ujh" "name": "Sawing-123", ...... } |
| *user* | The JSON describing the user where the event has been detected. | { "id" : "6w3e4r5t6y7ujh" "email": "mark.hamill@acme.com", ...... } |
| *order* | The JSON that describes the order in which the event has been detected. | { "id" : "6w3e4r5t6y7ujh" "buyer": {...}, "items": [{...}, {...}] } |
| *executor.email* | In case of a user-performed event, the email of the user who operated. |  |
| *subscription* | The full JSON of the updated subscription object. |  |
| *payment* | The full JSON of the updated payment object. |  |

[DEPRECATED] In case of command execution or parameter update events, you also have the following placeholders:

| **PLACEHOLDER** | **DESCRIPTION** |
| --- | --- |
| *parameter.name* | The name of the updated parameter. (DEPRECATED) |
| *parameter.value* | The value of the updated parameter. (DEPRECATED) |
| *command.name* | The name of the executed command. (DEPRECATED) |
| *command.data* | The parameters of the executed command. (DEPRECATED) |

## Formatting date/times

By default, timestamp values are replaced with the time value in milliseconds, but it is possible to use the following placeholder suffixes to format date/time in a friendly way:

### toUTCFormat

Formats the date/time using the UTC timezone.

```plaintext
thing.activationTimestamp.toUTCFormat → 2018-03-25 10:34:22 UTC
```

### toLocaleFormat

Formats the date/time using the user preferred timezone.

```plaintext
thing.activationTimestamp.toLocaleFormat → 2018-03-25 11:34:22
```