Reference Placeholder Fields
Last updated on Sep 19, 2026
Placeholder fields generate Invoice Line Item descriptions from Transaction data, so each description reflects the right Item, dates, amounts, and billing period without being written manually.
Where you can use a placeholder
A placeholder works in either of two fields:
- The Billing Description on an Item. See Create and Manage Billing Line Item Descriptions.
- The Invoice Line Item Description on a Transaction.
How substitution works
Maxio substitutes each placeholder when it generates the description, and leaves a placeholder blank when the underlying value is empty.
Important: Maxio validates your placeholders when you save the field. If you use a placeholder that does not exist, the save is rejected with the message Variable X is not valid. Please use only those variables listed in the help document. If the surrounding text has a formatting problem, such as an unmatched brace, you get a different error describing the format issue instead.
Transaction and Contract placeholders
These placeholders are available on every account.
| Placeholder | Inserts |
|---|---|
{contract_number} | The Contract number. |
{transaction_item} | The name of the Item on the Transaction. |
{transaction_number} | The Transaction number. |
{transaction_start_date} | The Transaction's Start Date. |
{transaction_end_date} | The Transaction's End Date. |
{transaction_amount} | The Transaction amount. |
{transaction_normalized_amount} | The Transaction's normalized (MRR) amount. |
{transaction_arr_amount} | The Transaction's ARR amount. |
{transaction_rate} | The Transaction's rate, to two decimal places. |
{transaction_mrryrr_rate} | The Transaction's normalized MRR/ARR rate, to two decimal places. |
{transaction_quantity} | The Transaction quantity, with trailing zeros removed. |
{transaction_order_number} | The Order Number. Blank if the Transaction has none. |
{transaction_order_date} | The Order Date. |
{transaction_billing_method} | The name of the Transaction's Billing Method. |
{transaction_notes} | The Transaction's Notes. Blank if empty. |
{transaction_monthyear} | The Transaction's Start Date as year and month, such as 2026-08. |
{invoice_billing_period_start_date} | The first day of the billing period the Invoice covers. |
{invoice_billing_period_end_date} | The last day of that billing period. |
{quickbooks_default_item_description} | The QuickBooks Item or Product description recorded on the Item. |
Billing method placeholders
Two placeholders describe the Item's Default Billing Method in wording suited to an Invoice. Both derive from the same billing method, so they always agree with each other.
| Billing Method | {billing_method_invoicing_frequency} | {billing_method_invoicing_period} |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Monthly | Month |
| Quarterly | Quarterly | Quarter |
| Semiannual | Semiannually | Semiannual |
| Annual | Annually | Annual |
| Any other billing method | One Time | Full Term |
Custom field placeholders
Every Transaction custom field on your account is also available as a placeholder, named {transaction_} plus that field's Reference Name. A custom field with the Reference Name renewal_owner gives you {transaction_renewal_owner}.
Because these depend on how your account is configured, they differ between accounts, and a placeholder for a custom field that is not set up on your account is rejected when you save. Custom fields that are configured but not in use are also unavailable.
Depending on your configuration, these commonly include {transaction_sales_rep} and {transaction_sales_manager}, along with placeholders for any text, number, date, or dropdown fields you have added.
Custom field values are inserted as follows:
- Boolean fields insert Yes or No.
- Date fields use your account's date display format.
- Number fields are inserted to two decimal places.
How dates are formatted
Date placeholders use the date display format configured for your account, so their output matches dates elsewhere in Maxio. The one exception is {transaction_monthyear}, which is always year then month, such as 2026-08.
Related information
To build a reusable description from these placeholders, see the Create and Manage Billing Line Item Descriptions help article.
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