diff --git a/src/pretix/base/forms/widgets.py b/src/pretix/base/forms/widgets.py
index 3903b6e95..b35329557 100644
--- a/src/pretix/base/forms/widgets.py
+++ b/src/pretix/base/forms/widgets.py
@@ -60,6 +60,18 @@ def replace_arabic_numbers(inp):
     return inp.translate(table)
 
 
+def format_placeholders_help_text(placeholders, event=None):
+    placeholders = [(k, v.render_sample(event) if event else v) for k, v in placeholders.items()]
+    placeholders.sort(key=lambda x: x[0])
+    phs = [
+        '<button type="button" class="content-placeholder" title="%s">{%s}</button>' % (_("Sample: %s") % v if v else "", k)
+        for k, v in placeholders
+    ]
+    return _('Available placeholders: {list}').format(
+        list=' '.join(phs)
+    )
+
+
 class DatePickerWidget(forms.DateInput):
     def __init__(self, attrs=None, date_format=None):
         attrs = attrs or {}
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/forms/event.py b/src/pretix/control/forms/event.py
index 837243bd2..ead65a519 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/forms/event.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/forms/event.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ from pytz import common_timezones
 from pretix.base.channels import get_all_sales_channels
 from pretix.base.email import get_available_placeholders
 from pretix.base.forms import I18nModelForm, PlaceholderValidator, SettingsForm
+from pretix.base.forms.widgets import format_placeholders_help_text
 from pretix.base.models import Event, Organizer, TaxRule, Team
 from pretix.base.models.event import EventFooterLink, EventMetaValue, SubEvent
 from pretix.base.reldate import RelativeDateField, RelativeDateTimeField
@@ -1340,19 +1341,14 @@ class MailSettingsForm(SettingsForm):
     }
 
     def _set_field_placeholders(self, fn, base_parameters):
-        phs = [
-            '{%s}' % p
-            for p in sorted(get_available_placeholders(self.event, base_parameters).keys())
-        ]
-        ht = _('Available placeholders: {list}').format(
-            list=', '.join(phs)
-        )
+        placeholders = get_available_placeholders(self.event, base_parameters)
+        ht = format_placeholders_help_text(placeholders, self.event)
         if self.fields[fn].help_text:
             self.fields[fn].help_text += ' ' + str(ht)
         else:
             self.fields[fn].help_text = ht
         self.fields[fn].validators.append(
-            PlaceholderValidator(phs)
+            PlaceholderValidator(['{%s}' % p for p in placeholders.keys()])
         )
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/forms/orders.py b/src/pretix/control/forms/orders.py
index 811003138..47e52b541 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/forms/orders.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/forms/orders.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ from pretix.base.email import get_available_placeholders
 from pretix.base.forms import I18nModelForm, PlaceholderValidator
 from pretix.base.forms.questions import WrappedPhoneNumberPrefixWidget
 from pretix.base.forms.widgets import (
-    DatePickerWidget, SplitDateTimePickerWidget,
+    DatePickerWidget, SplitDateTimePickerWidget, format_placeholders_help_text,
 )
 from pretix.base.models import (
     Invoice, InvoiceAddress, ItemAddOn, Order, OrderFee, OrderPosition,
@@ -677,19 +677,14 @@ class OrderMailForm(forms.Form):
     )
 
     def _set_field_placeholders(self, fn, base_parameters):
-        phs = [
-            '{%s}' % p
-            for p in sorted(get_available_placeholders(self.order.event, base_parameters).keys())
-        ]
-        ht = _('Available placeholders: {list}').format(
-            list=', '.join(phs)
-        )
+        placeholders = get_available_placeholders(self.order.event, base_parameters)
+        ht = format_placeholders_help_text(placeholders, self.order.event)
         if self.fields[fn].help_text:
             self.fields[fn].help_text += ' ' + str(ht)
         else:
             self.fields[fn].help_text = ht
         self.fields[fn].validators.append(
-            PlaceholderValidator(phs)
+            PlaceholderValidator(['{%s}' % p for p in placeholders.keys()])
         )
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -872,19 +867,14 @@ class EventCancelForm(forms.Form):
     send_waitinglist_message = forms.CharField()
 
     def _set_field_placeholders(self, fn, base_parameters):
-        phs = [
-            '{%s}' % p
-            for p in sorted(get_available_placeholders(self.event, base_parameters).keys())
-        ]
-        ht = _('Available placeholders: {list}').format(
-            list=', '.join(phs)
-        )
+        placeholders = get_available_placeholders(self.event, base_parameters)
+        ht = format_placeholders_help_text(placeholders, self.event)
         if self.fields[fn].help_text:
             self.fields[fn].help_text += ' ' + str(ht)
         else:
             self.fields[fn].help_text = ht
         self.fields[fn].validators.append(
-            PlaceholderValidator(phs)
+            PlaceholderValidator(['{%s}' % p for p in placeholders.keys()])
         )
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/forms/organizer.py b/src/pretix/control/forms/organizer.py
index e357f442b..1b4b22478 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/forms/organizer.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/forms/organizer.py
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ from pretix.base.forms.questions import (
     NamePartsFormField, WrappedPhoneNumberPrefixWidget, get_country_by_locale,
     get_phone_prefix,
 )
-from pretix.base.forms.widgets import SplitDateTimePickerWidget
+from pretix.base.forms.widgets import (
+    SplitDateTimePickerWidget, format_placeholders_help_text,
+)
 from pretix.base.models import (
     Customer, Device, EventMetaProperty, Gate, GiftCard, GiftCardAcceptance,
     Membership, MembershipType, OrderPosition, Organizer, ReusableMedium, Team,
@@ -568,19 +570,14 @@ class MailSettingsForm(SettingsForm):
         return placeholders
 
     def _set_field_placeholders(self, fn, base_parameters):
-        phs = [
-            '{%s}' % p
-            for p in sorted(self._get_sample_context(base_parameters).keys())
-        ]
-        ht = _('Available placeholders: {list}').format(
-            list=', '.join(phs)
-        )
+        placeholders = self._get_sample_context(base_parameters)
+        ht = format_placeholders_help_text(placeholders)
         if self.fields[fn].help_text:
             self.fields[fn].help_text += ' ' + str(ht)
         else:
             self.fields[fn].help_text = ht
         self.fields[fn].validators.append(
-            PlaceholderValidator(phs)
+            PlaceholderValidator(['{%s}' % p for p in placeholders.keys()])
         )
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/forms/vouchers.py b/src/pretix/control/forms/vouchers.py
index b315b0946..1bcbfaa48 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/forms/vouchers.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/forms/vouchers.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ from django_scopes.forms import SafeModelChoiceField
 
 from pretix.base.email import get_available_placeholders
 from pretix.base.forms import I18nModelForm, PlaceholderValidator
+from pretix.base.forms.widgets import format_placeholders_help_text
 from pretix.base.models import Item, Voucher
 from pretix.control.forms import SplitDateTimeField, SplitDateTimePickerWidget
 from pretix.control.forms.widgets import Select2, Select2ItemVarQuota
@@ -289,19 +290,15 @@ class VoucherBulkForm(VoucherForm):
     Recipient = namedtuple('Recipient', 'email number name tag')
 
     def _set_field_placeholders(self, fn, base_parameters):
-        phs = [
-            '{%s}' % p
-            for p in sorted(get_available_placeholders(self.instance.event, base_parameters).keys())
-        ]
-        ht = _('Available placeholders: {list}').format(
-            list=', '.join(phs)
-        )
+        placeholders = get_available_placeholders(self.instance.event, base_parameters)
+        ht = format_placeholders_help_text(placeholders, self.instance.event)
+
         if self.fields[fn].help_text:
             self.fields[fn].help_text += ' ' + str(ht)
         else:
             self.fields[fn].help_text = ht
         self.fields[fn].validators.append(
-            PlaceholderValidator(phs)
+            PlaceholderValidator(['{%s}' % p for p in placeholders.keys()])
         )
 
     class Meta:
diff --git a/src/pretix/plugins/banktransfer/payment.py b/src/pretix/plugins/banktransfer/payment.py
index b53bb5e9a..9bfe4585f 100644
--- a/src/pretix/plugins/banktransfer/payment.py
+++ b/src/pretix/plugins/banktransfer/payment.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ from text_unidecode import unidecode
 
 from pretix.base.email import get_available_placeholders, get_email_context
 from pretix.base.forms import PlaceholderValidator
+from pretix.base.forms.widgets import format_placeholders_help_text
 from pretix.base.i18n import language
 from pretix.base.models import InvoiceAddress, Order, OrderPayment, OrderRefund
 from pretix.base.payment import BasePaymentProvider
@@ -205,13 +206,10 @@ class BankTransfer(BasePaymentProvider):
 
     @property
     def settings_form_fields(self):
-        phs = [
-            '{%s}' % p
-            for p in sorted(get_available_placeholders(self.event, ['event', 'order', 'invoice']).keys())
-        ]
-        phs_ht = _('Available placeholders: {list}').format(
-            list=', '.join(phs)
-        )
+        placeholders = get_available_placeholders(self.event, ['event', 'order', 'invoice'])
+        phs_ht = format_placeholders_help_text(placeholders, self.event)
+
+        phs = ['{%s}' % p for p in placeholders]
         more_fields = OrderedDict([
             ('invoice_email',
              forms.BooleanField(
diff --git a/src/pretix/plugins/sendmail/forms.py b/src/pretix/plugins/sendmail/forms.py
index 4f7fbe466..52dff3e92 100644
--- a/src/pretix/plugins/sendmail/forms.py
+++ b/src/pretix/plugins/sendmail/forms.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ from i18nfield.forms import I18nFormField, I18nTextarea, I18nTextInput
 from pretix.base.email import get_available_placeholders
 from pretix.base.forms import I18nModelForm, PlaceholderValidator
 from pretix.base.forms.widgets import (
-    SplitDateTimePickerWidget, TimePickerWidget,
+    SplitDateTimePickerWidget, TimePickerWidget, format_placeholders_help_text,
 )
 from pretix.base.models import CheckinList, Item, Order, SubEvent
 from pretix.control.forms import CachedFileField, SplitDateTimeField
@@ -54,19 +54,14 @@ from pretix.plugins.sendmail.models import Rule
 
 class FormPlaceholderMixin:
     def _set_field_placeholders(self, fn, base_parameters):
-        phs = [
-            '{%s}' % p
-            for p in sorted(get_available_placeholders(self.event, base_parameters).keys())
-        ]
-        ht = _('Available placeholders: {list}').format(
-            list=', '.join(phs)
-        )
+        placeholders = get_available_placeholders(self.event, base_parameters)
+        ht = format_placeholders_help_text(placeholders, self.event)
         if self.fields[fn].help_text:
             self.fields[fn].help_text += ' ' + str(ht)
         else:
             self.fields[fn].help_text = ht
         self.fields[fn].validators.append(
-            PlaceholderValidator(phs)
+            PlaceholderValidator(['{%s}' % p for p in placeholders.keys()])
         )
 
 
diff --git a/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/js/ui/main.js b/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/js/ui/main.js
index 9c846b256..a43d8571f 100644
--- a/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/js/ui/main.js
+++ b/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/js/ui/main.js
@@ -699,6 +699,38 @@ var form_handlers = function (el) {
     el.find("input[name*=question], select[name*=question]").change(questions_toggle_dependent);
     questions_toggle_dependent();
     questions_init_photos(el);
+
+    var lastFocusedInput;
+    $(document).on('focusin', 'input, textarea', function(e) {
+        lastFocusedInput = e.target;
+    }).on("click", function(e) {
+        if (e.target.classList.contains('content-placeholder')) {
+            var container = e.target.closest(".form-group");
+            if (!lastFocusedInput || !container.contains(lastFocusedInput)) {
+                lastFocusedInput = container.querySelector("input, textarea");
+                //lastFocusedInput.selectionStart = lastFocusedInput.selectionEnd = lastFocusedInput.value.length;
+            }
+            if (lastFocusedInput) {
+                var start = lastFocusedInput.selectionStart;
+                var end = lastFocusedInput.selectionEnd;
+                var v = lastFocusedInput.value;
+                var p = e.target.textContent;
+                var phStart = /\{\w*$/.exec(v.substring(0, start));
+                var phEnd = /^\w*\}/.exec(v.substring(end));
+                if (phStart) {
+                    start -= phStart[0].length
+                }
+                if (phEnd) {
+                    end += phEnd[0].length;
+                }
+
+                lastFocusedInput.value = v.substring(0, start) + p + v.substring(end);
+                lastFocusedInput.selectionStart = start;
+                lastFocusedInput.selectionEnd = start + p.length
+                lastFocusedInput.focus();
+            }
+        }
+    });
 };
 
 function setup_basics(el) {
diff --git a/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/scss/_forms.scss b/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/scss/_forms.scss
index 9f4b3909c..915a040c4 100644
--- a/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/scss/_forms.scss
+++ b/src/pretix/static/pretixcontrol/scss/_forms.scss
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
   color: $text-muted;
 }
 
+.content-placeholder {
+  padding-left: 2px;
+  padding-right: 2px;
+  background: $gray-lighter;
+  border: 0;
+  border-radius: $border-radius-base;
+  margin-bottom: 4px;
+  margin-right: 6px;
+}
+
 td > .form-group {
   margin-bottom: 0;
 }