Creatio administration
This documentation is valid for Creatio version 7.12.0. We recommend using the newest version of Creatio documentation.

How to create email templates in the content designer

Perform the following actions to create an email template using the content designer:

Define the properties of the template

Set up the pre-header (in bpm’online marketing and CRM-bundles)

Add the required blocks from the library

Place the blocks in the correct order

Edit the content elements

Add tabs with localized templates if needed

Note

These actions can be performed in arbitrary order. For example, you can modify the width of the template page after the content is completed.

How to define email template properties

You can set the width of a template, its location on the page and the background color using the content designer.

To do this, use the btn_com_content_designer_gear_menu.png button menu that is displayed in the top right corner of the working area (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Defining the email template color

chapter_content_designer_gear_menu.png 

To set the width of the template, enter the width value in pixels in the [px] field.

To select the template location on the page, use the corresponding buttons.

How to set up pre-headers for bulk and trigger emails

The functionality is available in bpm’online marketing and CRM-bundles.

You can specify custom preview text (a.k.a. “pre-header”) for your bulk and trigger emails. The preview text is displayed in most email clients and services after the email subject and is normally an extract of first phrases from the email body.

To customize email pre-header, simply enter the text that will be displayed as email preview in the [Pre-header] field of the content designer (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2  Specifying bulk email pre-header text

chapter_content_designer_pre_header.png 

Use the btn_email_template_macro.png button to add macros, such as recipient’s name.

Note

More information on email pre-headers is available in a separate article. Read more >>> 

How to manage the email template blocks

To add a content block to an email template, select the required block from the library and then drag it into the working area of the content designer by pressing and holding the left mouse button (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3 Adding a block to the email template

chapter_content_drag_element.png 

As a result a new block will be added to the email template.

Note

To copy a block that was added to a template, click on the block and then click the btn_chapter_content_designer_element_menu_copy.png button in the element manager menu.

To modify the position of a block on the template page:

1.Click the block in the working area of the designer.

2.In the element manager menu that is displayed to the right, click the btn_chapter_content_designer_element_menu_drag.png button and then drag it to the position you need on the template page by pressing and holding the left mouse button.

As a result, the block will be placed in the required position.

To delete a block from a template page:

1.Click the block in the working area of the designer.

2.In the block manager menu that appears on the right, click the btn_chapter_content_designer_element_menu_delete.png button.

As a result, the block will be deleted from the template page.

How to manage the base elements content

Each content designer element has a toolbar that helps to mange its content. To display the toolbar, click on the element.

How to edit text

Use the toolbar of an element (Fig. 4) to format text, for example, to change the font size or color, make words bold, insert a hyperlink etc.

Fig. 4 Text element toolbar

chapter_content_text_element_toolbar.png 

If required, you can use the advanced edit mode to work with the text HTML code.

How to add macros

Macros are added directly to the email text.

Note

In emails with localized templates, macros display data taking into account contact’s preferred language.

You can add a pre-configured macro, such as contact's title or job title. To do this:

1.Click btn_chapter_content_designer_macros.png and choose the [Select macro] command.

2.Select a macro to add.

You can also add the value of a certain system object column to the email template text.

To do this:

1.On the template page, select an object in the [Macro source] field, then click the [Edit] button to open the content designer.

2.In the btn_chapter_content_designer_macros00001.png button menu, select the [Select column] command.

3.In the opened window, select the needed column.

Note

The window contains the columns of he object specified in the [Macro source] field.

How to work with the images

To add a new image or change an existing one, click the btn_chapter_content_designer_htlm_element_add.png button of the toolbar and select a file from your computer.

If you want to redirect the user to a particular page while clicking on an image, for example, if the image is an advertising banner, click the btn_chapter_content_designer_image_element_link.png button and specify the link of the required page in the opened window.

Note

In bpm’online marketing and CRM bundles, you can set up automatic field population with data (e.g., name, email, phone number) for the existing bpm’online contacts – addressees of your bulk email when you add a link to the landing page with the so called “data collection form” (a landing web-form). This will make the registration process easier, help to avoid errors when filling out the web form fields manually and prevent duplicate lead or contact records from appearing in the system. More information about the setup is available in a separate article.

How to work with the HTML elements

You can add the content of an element from an HTML file that has been prepared beforehand. To do this, click the btn_chapter_content_designer_htlm_element_add00002.png button of the toolbar and select the required HTML file from your computer. As a result, the HTML element will display the added email template.

To edit the content of an HTML element directly in the working area of the designer, click the btn_chapter_content_designer_htlm_element_edit.png button of the element toolbar and edit the required changes in the opened window.

To clear the content of an HTML element, select the required html element and click the btn_chapter_content_designer_htlm_element_delete.png button in the toolbar that opens.

Note

You need to follow the adaptive layout recommendations when using html-elements in message templates. It will ensure the correct displaying of your created email message in your customers’ email clients.

Note

The [HTML element] block is a means of implementing custom HTML code in your templates. It is intended for use by HTML-savvy users who are familiar with web design and can code their custom designs in HTML. Please note, that your custom code will be directly added to the template (without any automatic debugging, warnings etc). When using the [HTML element] block, please make sure that you test results outside the content designer preview, for example, by sending a test email. If you are unfamiliar with HTML formatting, please use ready-made blocks for best results.

How to add localizations to email templates

You can “localize” an email template by adding its versions in different languages. Each localized version is added as a new tab. To add a localization tab:

1.Click btn_com_menu_gear.png on the right side of the content designer working area. A menu with a list of languages will open. Select a template language you want to add.

The list of email template languages is stored in the [Customer languages] lookup. The menu displays active languages only (the ones, where the [Is used] checkbox is selected in the lookup). If there are no active languages in bpm’online yet or you want to add a tab with the language that has not been activated, select the [Add language] menu option (Fig. 5), then select a new language from the lookup. The [Is used] checkbox for this language will be selected automatically.

Fig. 5 Adding languages to the template

scr_chapter_content_designer_add_language.png 

2.After you select a language, bpm’online will prompt you to copy the content of an existing template to the new tab. Copying existing template will help you save time on creating the layout of the localized template. As a result, a new tab will appear in the content designer working area.

If you need to add several languages to a template, repeat steps 1 and 2 for each language.

3.Use the content designer to add or modify the localized content on each new tab.

4.Save the changes.

See also

Setting up sending localized emails

The [Email templates] lookup

Did you find this information useful?

How can we improve it?