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9.1.3.2 Template expansion

In the template itself, special %-escapes1 allow dynamic insertion of content. The templates are expanded in the order given here: 

     %[file]     insert the contents of the file given by file.
     %(sexp)     evaluate Elisp sexp and replace with the result.
     %<...>      the result of format-time-string on the ... format specification.
     %t          timestamp, date only.
     %T          timestamp with date and time.
     %u, %U      like the above, but inactive timestamps.
     %a          annotation, normally the link created with org-store-link.
     %i          initial content, the region when capture is called while the
                 region is active.
                 The entire text will be indented like %i itself.
     %A          like %a, but prompt for the description part.
     %c          Current kill ring head.
     %x          Content of the X clipboard.
     %k          title of the currently clocked task.
     %K          link to the currently clocked task.
     %n          user name (taken from user-full-name).
     %f          file visited by current buffer when org-capture was called.
     %F          full path of the file or directory visited by current buffer.
     %:keyword   specific information for certain link types, see below.
     %^g         prompt for tags, with completion on tags in target file.
     %^G         prompt for tags, with completion all tags in all agenda files.
     %^t         like %t, but prompt for date.  Similarly %^T, %^u, %^U.
                 You may define a prompt like %^{Birthday}t.
     %^C         Interactive selection of which kill or clip to use.
     %^L         Like %^C, but insert as link.
     %^{prop}p   Prompt the user for a value for property prop.
     %^{prompt}  prompt the user for a string and replace this sequence with it.
                 You may specify a default value and a completion table with
                 %^{prompt|default|completion2|completion3...}.
                 The arrow keys access a prompt-specific history.

For specific link types, the following keywords will be defined2: 

     Link type               |  Available keywords
     ------------------------+----------------------------------------------
     bbdb                    |  %:name %:company
     irc                     |  %:server %:port %:nick
     vm, wl, mh, mew, rmail  |  %:type %:subject %:message-id
                             |  %:from %:fromname %:fromaddress
                             |  %:to   %:toname   %:toaddress
                             |  %:date (message date header field)
                             |  %:date-timestamp (date as active timestamp)
                             |  %:date-timestamp-inactive (date as inactive timestamp)
                             |  %:fromto (either "to NAME" or "from NAME")3
     gnus                    |  %:group, for messages also all email fields
     w3, w3m                 |  %:url
     info                    |  %:file %:node
     calendar                |  %:date

To place the cursor after template expansion use: 

     %?          After completing the template, position cursor here.

Footnotes

[1] If you need one of these sequences literally, escape the % with a backslash.

[2] If you define your own link types (see Adding hyperlink types), any property you store with org-store-link-props can be accessed in capture templates in a similar way.

[3] This will always be the other, not the user. See the variable org-from-is-user-regexp.