Using email templates
The Email Template Manager allows you to maintain your list of Email Templates.
This article describes the template editor, but it is also relevant to creating or editing a sample, import or filter email. With a little planning and a few well-designed and tested templates you can make sending project mailings easy.
In Maintenance, click on Email Template Manager. If there are any templates they will be listed:
It is advisable to create a template for every email although you can create emails directly and save them as templates later if required.
Create a new email template
From Email Template Manager click on New to open the New Email Template dialog:
At the bottom are two tabs giving you the options to edit the message with Html features (default) or as a plain Text message.
When the Html tab is selected, just above it are three views: Design (default), HTML and Preview. The Design view is a near-WYSIWYG editor; HTML allows you to edit the HTML code directly; Preview shows you the results of your editing in a non-editable preview mode.
Most of the buttons in the Design view have standard functions but some of them will be explained in more detail.
Properties
The Properties button is used to define the reply to: name and address for the email.
If these fields are left blank the default reply to: name and email address set up when Q_Panel Email Services was installed will be used.
Contact the QuenchTec support team if you do not know the default reply to: name and email address set up on installation or if you want to change the default settings.
Normal
This can be used to set an email priority of High, Normal or Low.
New Paragraph button
This button should be used to place paragraph marks within the email. Using the keypad return key for a new paragraph should be avoided as this causes anomalies within HTML.
Insert Merge Field button
This button allows merge fields to be added to the email. When selected, the Select Merge Field dialog will open allowing you to select a merge field. The folders displayed will depend on the type of email being created.
When creating an email template the following four folders are available – Community Merge Fields, Email Merge Fields, Sample Merge Fields or Profile Merge Fields.
Merge fields can be added to the subject as well as the body of the email, and can also be used within a URL.
When creating a sample email a Metadata Merge Fields folder is also available to allow metadata associated with the prototype or sample to be included in the email.
Further database fields can be made available for merging - please contact the QuenchTec support team.
Insert Hyperlink button
This button allows a piece of text in the email to be made into a clickable link which will open a URL. When selected, the Email Link dialog box will open and the link can be defined using the following fields:
| URL | This is a mandatory field which defines the text of the URL. Merge fields may also be included by clicking on the Insert Merge Field button on the right hand side. |
| Text | This is a mandatory field which defines the text in the body of the email that will be the clickable link. If the text already exists and is highlighted before the Insert Hyperlink button is pressed then this field will already be populated. If no text is highlighted before Insert Hyperlink is pressed the field will be empty, and the text added to this field will be added to the email when OK is selected. |
| Tooltip | This is a mandatory field which defines the tooltip that will display when the cursor hovers over the link within the email. |
| Target | The Target dropdown list defines the action that will take place when the link is clicked. Choose from the dropdown list of None (default), Same Window or New Window. |
When the OK button is selected, the text will appear underlined and in blue as is conventional for hyperlinked text.
Insert Image link button
This button allows an image to be displayed within the email. The link must be available on the internet. When selected the Email Image Link dialog box will be opened and the image can be defined using the following fields:
| URL | This is a mandatory field which defines the URL. |
| Text | This is a mandatory field which defines the text that will be displayed should the image be unavailable. |
| Alignment | One of the radio buttons must be selected to define the alignment of the image within the email body. |
When the OK button is selected the image will appear as specified.
Spell Check
A spell check facility is available when creating emails or email templates.
When you have completed your email, select the spell-check dropdown list and choose the language you want to use. Misspelled words will appear in yellow with suggestions for the correct spelling and options to ignore or change manually.
Best Practice
If you are familiar with HTML you can use the HTML editor to construct the email, otherwise it is recommended that the Design editor is used initially, with any fine-tuning required done using the HTML editor.
When using the Design editor, it is recommended that the email is created using the following steps:
- Add the email text using the default formatting, remembering to use the New Paragraph button rather than pressing the <return> key
- Add in URLs, merge fields, hyperlinks and images using the appropriate buttons.
- Finally, apply formatting, including changing fonts and adding bullet points.
It is also a good idea to save periodically during the process of creating the email.
Also bear in mind the following:
- Just before bullet points, click the bullet button and then enter the bullet points one by one (do not select text and then click the bullet button as that can mess with the formatting).
- If pasting in text, paste into the HTML editor so that it does not carry any formatting and then go to Design and edit/format as appropriate.
- If copying and pasting URLs, do this in the HTML editor as windows may add the incorrect path if copied and pasted in Design mode.
- Examine the underlying HTML to see how the email is formatted and make fine tunings if necessary.