parse error unexpected token invalid token merge field error placeholder error curly braces column name wrong syntax error
Why am I seeing "ParseError: unexpected token"?
Learn how to resolve the "ParseError: unexpected token" in SecureMailMerge caused by invalid merge fields or incorrect placeholder syntax in Outlook.
Contents
What This Error Means
One of your personalization tokens (the {ColumnName} placeholders) is invalid. This usually means there’s a typo or formatting issue.
How to Fix It
Check your token syntax
Every personalization token needs:
- Two curly braces on each side:
{{FirstName}}not{FirstName} - Exact column name spelling — must match your spreadsheet exactly, including capitalization
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Correct |
|---|---|
{FirstName} | {{FirstName}} |
{{firstname}} | {{FirstName}} (if your column is “FirstName”) |
{{ FirstName }} | {{FirstName}} (no spaces inside braces) |
{{First Name}} | {{FirstName}} (no spaces in column names) |
How to check your column names
- Open your spreadsheet
- Look at the first row — these are your column names
- Make sure each token in your email matches a column name exactly
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