How to Handle Missing Recipient Details in Video Personalization

Start by finding the missing values

Before you generate personalized videos, check which recipient fields are blank and decide whether each row is usable. BHuman validates that every required variable is mapped and that each row has a value; if a mapped column is missing or its mapping is blank, generation stops before the render request is sent.

List the variables your template uses, such as first_name, company, or booking_url. Compare those with the columns in your CSV or the fields in your API data, then inspect the values row by row.

Decide what to do with each blank

Choose a policy for each field before sending data. A missing value is not the same as a value you can safely guess: use a substitute only if it keeps the message accurate and still sounds natural.

For example, imagine a template says, “Hi {first_name}, I noticed your team at {company}…” If the name is blank, you might use a greeting that does not need a name. If the company is blank, remove or rewrite that personalized sentence in the template, or hold the row until you have a verified company value. Do not put a guessed detail into the data.

• Use a safe generic version when the template can still make sense without the detail.
• Hold the row when the missing value is essential to the message or its destination link.
• Skip the row if you cannot supply a reliable value and do not have a suitable generic version.

Prepare your CSV or API data

Keep the template variables and your source data aligned. BHuman uses variable names to connect template content with campaign rows and API payloads; the same variable name should appear in the template and the corresponding data mapping. Use clear, stable names such as first_name or cta_url.

For CSV campaigns, headers become mapping options. For API campaigns, provide values in the structure your API workflow uses. Check that every required variable has a mapped source and that each row includes a value for every mapped variable you intend to use.

• Use lowercase snake_case for variable names, and avoid duplicate names that differ only by capitalization.
• Send only the replacement text for a spoken variable. If “Hi” is already fixed in the template, use “Erada,” not “Hi Erada.”
• Check links and media values separately from spoken text; a missing or unsuitable destination should not be replaced with a guessed URL.

Map, test, and review before generating

In the campaign setup, select your data source and map each template variable to a column or payload field. Exact header matches may be selected automatically when possible, but review the mappings rather than assuming they are correct.

Test a few rows and check the replacement wording, pronunciation, timing, subtitles, and any background assets. BHuman’s campaign checks include whether each row has values for mapped variables; generation is asynchronous, and the generated videos page shows statuses such as queued, processing, succeeded, failed, and needs review.

Use this preflight checklist

Run through this short review before you submit a batch. It helps catch incomplete data and template problems without assuming missing recipient details will be automatically detected or filled in.

• Every template variable has a clear purpose and a source field.
• Required columns or API fields are present and mapped.
• Each row has a usable value for every mapped variable.
• Blank values have been handled by a safe generic version, a verified replacement, or removing the row.
• Personalized wording does not repeat text already fixed in the template.
• A small test batch has been reviewed for wording, pronunciation, timing, subtitles, and media.

Choose a clear rule for edge cases

A simple decision rule keeps your campaign consistent: personalize when the value is reliable, use a generic version when the message still works without it, and hold or skip the row when the missing detail is essential. If a missing value affects a URL, media asset, or other required input, do not treat a blank as a harmless personalization choice.

BHuman supports CSV and Excel campaign data as well as API-based generation. The data source changes how you supply values, but you still need to map variables and provide row-level values for the campaign.