diff --git a/doc/development/api/general.rst b/doc/development/api/general.rst
index 800c97096..caae7ffee 100644
--- a/doc/development/api/general.rst
+++ b/doc/development/api/general.rst
@@ -64,3 +64,9 @@ Dashboards
 
 .. automodule:: pretix.control.signals
    :members: event_dashboard_widgets, user_dashboard_widgets
+
+Ticket designs
+""""""""""""""
+
+.. automodule:: pretix.plugins.ticketoutputpdf.signals
+   :members: layout_text_variables
diff --git a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/signals.py b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/signals.py
index 3cd8af5e7..b37f86cdf 100644
--- a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/signals.py
+++ b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/signals.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from django.template.loader import get_template
 from django.urls import resolve
 
 from pretix.base.signals import (
-    register_data_exporters, register_ticket_outputs,
+    EventPluginSignal, register_data_exporters, register_ticket_outputs,
 )
 from pretix.control.signals import html_head
 from pretix.presale.style import (  # NOQA: legacy import
@@ -33,3 +33,22 @@ def html_head_presale(sender, request=None, **kwargs):
         })
     else:
         return ""
+
+
+layout_text_variables = EventPluginSignal()
+"""
+This signal is sent out to collect variables that can be used to display text in PDF ticket layouts.
+Receivers are expected to return a dictionary with globally unique identifiers as keys and more
+dictionaries as values that contain keys like in the following example::
+
+    return {
+        "product": {
+            "label": _("Product name"),
+            "editor_sample": _("Sample product"),
+            "evaluate": lambda orderposition, order, event: str(orderposition.item)
+        }
+    }
+
+The evaluate member will be called with the order position, order and event as arguments. The event might
+also be a subevent, if applicable.
+"""
diff --git a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/static/pretixplugins/ticketoutputpdf/editor.js b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/static/pretixplugins/ticketoutputpdf/editor.js
index da431a5ff..c1cc5c97f 100644
--- a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/static/pretixplugins/ticketoutputpdf/editor.js
+++ b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/static/pretixplugins/ticketoutputpdf/editor.js
@@ -158,35 +158,11 @@ var editor = {
         editor._update_toolbox_values();
     },
 
-    text_samples: {
-        "secret": "tdmruoekvkpbv1o2mv8xccvqcikvr58u",
-        "order": "A1B2C",
-        "item": gettext("Sample product"),
-        "variation": gettext("Sample variation"),
-        "itemvar": gettext("Sample product – sample variation"),
-        "item_description": gettext("Sample product description"),
-        "price": gettext("123.45 EUR"),
-        "attendee_name": gettext("John Doe"),
-        "invoice_name": gettext("John Doe"),
-        "invoice_company": gettext("Sample company"),
-        "event_name": gettext("Sample event name"),
-        "event_date": gettext("May 31st, 2017"),
-        "event_date_range": gettext("May 31st – June 4th, 2017"),
-        "event_begin_time": gettext("20:00"),
-        "event_admission_time": gettext("19:00"),
-        "event_begin": gettext("2017-05-31 20:00"),
-        "event_admission": gettext("2017-05-31 19:00"),
-        "event_location": gettext("Random City"),
-        "organizer": gettext("Event organizer company"),
-        "organizer_info_text": gettext("Event organizer info text"),
-        "addons": gettext("Addon 1\nAddon 2"),
-    },
-
     _get_text_sample: function (key) {
         if (key.startsWith('meta:')) {
             return key.substr(5);
         }
-        return editor.text_samples[key];
+        return $('#toolbox-content option[value='+key+']').attr('data-sample');
     },
 
     _load_pdf: function (dump) {
@@ -406,7 +382,7 @@ var editor = {
     },
 
     _add_text: function () {
-        var text = new fabric.Textarea(editor.text_samples['item'], {
+        var text = new fabric.Textarea(editor._get_text_sample('item'), {
             left: 100,
             top: 100,
             width: editor._mm2px(50),
diff --git a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/templates/pretixplugins/ticketoutputpdf/index.html b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/templates/pretixplugins/ticketoutputpdf/index.html
index fc45a5142..64aff7ec1 100644
--- a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/templates/pretixplugins/ticketoutputpdf/index.html
+++ b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/templates/pretixplugins/ticketoutputpdf/index.html
@@ -279,27 +279,9 @@
                         <div class="col-sm-12">
                             <label>{% trans "Text content" %}</label><br>
                             <select class="input-block-level form-control" id="toolbox-content">
-                                <option value="secret">{% trans "Ticket code (barcode content)" %}</option>
-                                <option value="order">{% trans "Order code" %}</option>
-                                <option value="item">{% trans "Product name" %}</option>
-                                <option value="variation">{% trans "Variation name" %}</option>
-                                <option value="item_description">{% trans "Product description" %}</option>
-                                <option value="itemvar">{% trans "Product name and variation" %}</option>
-                                <option value="price">{% trans "Price" %}</option>
-                                <option value="attendee_name">{% trans "Attendee name" %}</option>
-                                <option value="event_name">{% trans "Event name" %}</option>
-                                <option value="event_date">{% trans "Event date" %}</option>
-                                <option value="event_date_range">{% trans "Event date range" %}</option>
-                                <option value="event_begin">{% trans "Event begin date and time" %}</option>
-                                <option value="event_begin_time">{% trans "Event begin time" %}</option>
-                                <option value="event_admission">{% trans "Event admission date and time" %}</option>
-                                <option value="event_admission_time">{% trans "Event admission time" %}</option>
-                                <option value="event_location">{% trans "Event location" %}</option>
-                                <option value="invoice_name">{% trans "Invoice address: name" %}</option>
-                                <option value="invoice_company">{% trans "Invoice address: company" %}</option>
-                                <option value="addons">{% trans "List of Add-Ons" %}</option>
-                                <option value="organizer">{% trans "Organizer name" %}</option>
-                                <option value="organizer_info_text">{% trans "Organizer info text" %}</option>
+                                {% for varname, var in variables.items %}
+                                    <option data-sample="{{ var.editor_sample }}" value="{{ varname }}">{{ var.label }}</option>
+                                {% endfor %}
                                 {% for p in request.organizer.meta_properties.all %}
                                     <option value="meta:{{ p.name }}">
                                         {% trans "Event attribute:" %} {{ p.name }}
diff --git a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/ticketoutput.py b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/ticketoutput.py
index de13139e1..b39462b32 100644
--- a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/ticketoutput.py
+++ b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/ticketoutput.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import copy
 import logging
 import uuid
+from collections import OrderedDict
 from io import BytesIO
 
 from django.contrib.staticfiles import finders
@@ -26,11 +27,141 @@ from reportlab.platypus import Paragraph
 
 from pretix.base.models import Order, OrderPosition
 from pretix.base.ticketoutput import BaseTicketOutput
-from pretix.plugins.ticketoutputpdf.signals import get_fonts
+from pretix.plugins.ticketoutputpdf.signals import (
+    get_fonts, layout_text_variables,
+)
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('pretix.plugins.ticketoutputpdf')
 
 
+DEFAULT_VARIABLES = OrderedDict((
+    ("secret", {
+        "label": _("Ticket code (barcode content)"),
+        "editor_sample": "tdmruoekvkpbv1o2mv8xccvqcikvr58u",
+        "evaluate": lambda orderposition, order, event: orderposition.secret
+    }),
+    ("order", {
+        "label": _("Order code"),
+        "editor_sample": "A1B2C",
+        "evaluate": lambda orderposition, order, event: orderposition.order.code
+    }),
+    ("item", {
+        "label": _("Product name"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Sample product"),
+        "evaluate": lambda orderposition, order, event: str(orderposition.item)
+    }),
+    ("variation", {
+        "label": _("Variation name"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Sample variation"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, event: str(op.variation) if op.variation else ''
+    }),
+    ("item_description", {
+        "label": _("Product description"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Sample product – sample variation"),
+        "evaluate": lambda orderposition, order, event: (
+            '{} - {}'.format(orderposition.item, orderposition.variation)
+            if orderposition.variation else str(orderposition.item)
+        )
+    }),
+    ("itemvar", {
+        "label": _("Product name and variation"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Sample product description"),
+        "evaluate": lambda orderposition, order, event: str(orderposition.item.description)
+    }),
+    ("price", {
+        "label": _("Price"),
+        "editor_sample": _("123.45 EUR"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, event: '{} {}'.format(event.currency, localize(op.price))
+    }),
+    ("attendee_name", {
+        "label": _("Attendee name"),
+        "editor_sample": _("John Doe"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: op.attendee_name or (op.addon_to.attendee_name if op.addon_to else '')
+    }),
+    ("event_name", {
+        "label": _("Event name"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Sample event name"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: str(ev.name)
+    }),
+    ("event_date", {
+        "label": _("Event date"),
+        "editor_sample": _("May 31st, 2017"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: ev.get_date_from_display(show_times=False)
+    }),
+    ("event_date_range", {
+        "label": _("Event date range"),
+        "editor_sample": _("May 31st – June 4th, 2017"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: ev.get_date_range_display()
+    }),
+    ("event_begin", {
+        "label": _("Event begin date and time"),
+        "editor_sample": _("2017-05-31 20:00"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: ev.get_date_from_display(show_times=True)
+    }),
+    ("event_begin_time", {
+        "label": _("Event begin time"),
+        "editor_sample": _("20:00"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: ev.get_time_from_display()
+    }),
+    ("event_admission", {
+        "label": _("Event admission date and time"),
+        "editor_sample": _("2017-05-31 19:00"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: date_format(
+            ev.date_admission.astimezone(timezone(ev.settings.timezone)),
+            "SHORT_DATETIME_FORMAT"
+        ) if ev.date_admission else ""
+    }),
+    ("event_admission_time", {
+        "label": _("Event admission time"),
+        "editor_sample": _("19:00"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: date_format(
+            ev.date_admission.astimezone(timezone(ev.settings.timezone)),
+            "TIME_FORMAT"
+        ) if ev.date_admission else ""
+    }),
+    ("event_location", {
+        "label": _("Event location"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Random City"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: str(ev.location).replace("\n", "<br/>\n")
+    }),
+    ("invoice_name", {
+        "label": _("Invoice address: name"),
+        "editor_sample": _("John Doe"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: order.invoice_address.name if getattr(order, 'invoice_address') else ''
+    }),
+    ("invoice_company", {
+        "label": _("Invocie address: company"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Sample company"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: order.invoice_address.company if getattr(order, 'invoice_address') else ''
+    }),
+    ("addons", {
+        "label": _("List of Add-Ons"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Addon 1\nAddon 2"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: "<br/>".join([
+            '{} - {}'.format(p.item, p.variation) if p.variation else str(p.item)
+            for p in op.addons.select_related('item', 'variation')
+        ])
+    }),
+    ("organizer", {
+        "label": _("Organizer name"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Event organizer company"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: str(order.event.organizer.name)
+    }),
+    ("organizer_info_text", {
+        "label": _("Organizer info text"),
+        "editor_sample": _("Event organizer info text"),
+        "evaluate": lambda op, order, ev: str(order.event.settings.organizer_info_text)
+    }),
+))
+
+
+def get_variables(event):
+    v = copy.copy(DEFAULT_VARIABLES)
+    for recv, res in layout_text_variables.send(sender=event):
+        v.update(res)
+    return v
+
+
 class PdfTicketOutput(BaseTicketOutput):
     identifier = 'pdf'
     verbose_name = _('PDF output')
@@ -39,6 +170,7 @@ class PdfTicketOutput(BaseTicketOutput):
     def __init__(self, event, override_layout=None, override_background=None):
         self.override_layout = override_layout
         self.override_background = override_background
+        self.variables = get_variables(event)
         super().__init__(event)
 
     def _register_fonts(self):
@@ -71,61 +203,12 @@ class PdfTicketOutput(BaseTicketOutput):
             return o['text'].replace("\n", "<br/>\n")
         elif o['content'].startswith('meta:'):
             return ev.meta_data.get(o['content'][5:]) or ''
-        elif o['content'] == 'order':
-            return order.code
-        elif o['content'] == 'item':
-            return str(op.item)
-        elif o['content'] == 'item_description':
-            return str(op.item.description)
-        elif o['content'] == 'organizer':
-            return str(order.event.organizer.name)
-        elif o['content'] == 'organizer_info_text':
-            return str(order.event.settings.organizer_info_text)
-        elif o['content'] == 'secret':
-            return op.secret
-        elif o['content'] == 'variation':
-            return str(op.variation) if op.variation else ''
-        elif o['content'] == 'itemvar':
-            return '{} - {}'.format(op.item, op.variation) if op.variation else str(op.item)
-        elif o['content'] == 'price':
-            return '{} {}'.format(order.event.currency, localize(op.price))
-        elif o['content'] == 'attendee_name':
-            return op.attendee_name or (op.addon_to.attendee_name if op.addon_to else '')
-        elif o['content'] == 'event_name':
-            return str(ev.name)
-        elif o['content'] == 'event_location':
-            return str(ev.location).replace("\n", "<br/>\n")
-        elif o['content'] == 'event_date':
-            return ev.get_date_from_display(show_times=False)
-        elif o['content'] == 'event_date_range':
-            return ev.get_date_range_display()
-        elif o['content'] == 'event_begin':
-            return ev.get_date_from_display(show_times=True)
-        elif o['content'] == 'event_begin_time':
-            return ev.get_time_from_display()
-        elif o['content'] == 'event_admission':
-            if ev.date_admission:
-                tz = timezone(order.event.settings.timezone)
-                return date_format(ev.date_admission.astimezone(tz), "SHORT_DATETIME_FORMAT")
-        elif o['content'] == 'event_admission_time':
-            if ev.date_admission:
-                tz = timezone(order.event.settings.timezone)
-                return date_format(ev.date_admission.astimezone(tz), "TIME_FORMAT")
-        elif o['content'] == 'invoice_name':
+        elif o['content'] in self.variables:
             try:
-                return order.invoice_address.name
+                self.variables[o['content']]['evaluate'](op, order, ev)
             except:
-                return ""
-        elif o['content'] == 'invoice_company':
-            try:
-                return order.invoice_address.company
-            except:
-                return ""
-        elif o['content'] == 'addons':
-            return "<br/>".join([
-                '{} - {}'.format(p.item, p.variation) if p.variation else str(p.item)
-                for p in op.addons.select_related('item', 'variation')
-            ])
+                logger.exception('Failed to process variable.')
+                return '(error)'
         return ''
 
     def _draw_textarea(self, canvas: Canvas, op: OrderPosition, order: Order, o: dict):
diff --git a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/views.py b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/views.py
index d942a86bb..ed9b5cf1a 100644
--- a/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/views.py
+++ b/src/pretix/plugins/ticketoutputpdf/views.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ from pretix.control.permissions import EventPermissionRequiredMixin
 from pretix.helpers.database import rolledback_transaction
 from pretix.plugins.ticketoutputpdf.signals import get_fonts
 
-from .ticketoutput import PdfTicketOutput
+from .ticketoutput import PdfTicketOutput, get_variables
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ class EditorView(EventPermissionRequiredMixin, TemplateView):
             if self.request.event.settings.get('ticketoutput_{}_background'.format(self.identifier))
             else static('pretixpresale/pdf/ticket_default_a4.pdf')
         )
+        ctx['variables'] = get_variables(self.request.event)
         ctx['layout'] = json.dumps(
             self.request.event.settings.get('ticketoutput_{}_layout'.format(self.identifier), as_type=list)
             or prov._default_layout()
diff --git a/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/scss/_forms.scss b/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/scss/_forms.scss
index 8f9d90539..609de0f3d 100644
--- a/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/scss/_forms.scss
+++ b/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/scss/_forms.scss
@@ -183,3 +183,10 @@ pre.mail-preview {
     padding-top: 7px;
   }
 }
+.inline-multiple-choice {
+  .checkbox {
+    display: inline-block;
+    margin-top: 0;
+    margin-right: 10px;
+  }
+}