Understanding Email Template Builder

Understanding Email Template Builder

Components of Template Builder

The template builder is made up of various components that can be dragged and dropped on to the template. This in turn simplifies the process of creating a template.


The three basic operations that is common to all the components, after clicking on the settings button that appears when you add a component:

  • Rearrange components by clicking on the arrow  and dragging it where needed.
  • Clone a component.
  • Delete a component that is not needed.

Text

To add text to the template, all you have to do is drag and drop the text component where needed. The different types of text components that are available are two different heading component and one text component. The properties of these components can be changed based on your needs using the tool bar that appears at the top of the editor when the component is clicked. 


  1. Choose default font
    You can select a default font for all the email templates. This selected font will be available only for the Text and Image + Text components. You can set a font as default by clicking the Star icon next to the font name in the template builder. Note that, selecting a default font will not alter the font of the predesigned Email Templates in the Gallery.

Image

This component is used for inserting images in the template. You can either upload an image from your computer or enter the image URL.
The three different options available for inserting images are:

  • Single image
  • Two images in a row
  • Three images in a row

To add an image, you just have to drag and drop an image component and add an image. In case you need to change it, just hover the mouse over the image and click on the Change icon.

Spacer

A spacer can be used for improving the readability of the template. When you want to insert a blank space in the template you can make use of the spacer component. There are three default spacers and the spacer height can be adjusted by dragging the lower margin of the component.

Image + Text

With predefined options to position the images and texts, you can now create templates more easily. This helps in defining how the text and images will appear together in a row.

There are four different default ways in which text + image component can be used:

  • Single image and text: the two possible variations are available but you can also swap the position of the text and image.
  • Two text components with an image in the middle
  • Two images with a text component in the middle

Buttons

This component is used for inserting buttons into the template. Buttons can be used to direct the receiver of the template to a webpage and there are three different styles from which you can choose the most suited one.

To add a button, drag and drop the button that is needed. Provide a name for the button and the link that should appear once the button is clicked.
After creating a button you can change it's property.

  1. Click on the Settings icon that appears when you click on the button component.
  2. Click on Button Properties.
  3. In the Button section you can rename the button or change the link it leads to.

Columns

To make your template more visually appealing and to create templates with formats like newsletter, you may want to have columns in your template. Five different column options are provided in the column component. You can have column with different combinations of text and image components.

Table

To insert a table in your template, drag and drop the table component. There are two options: Basic and Subform. 

Basic: The basic table will have rows, columns etc. to enter the necessary details. Using the table properties you can modify the table design such as alignment, header color, number of rows, columns, width etc.


To change the table properties:
  1. Click on the Settings icon that appears when you select the table component.
  2. Click on the Table Properties
  3. In the  Set a Table section:
    • Enter the appropriate details for the rows, columns, width and alignment. (You can resize (increase / decrease) the column width by dragging the column border).
    • Specify the header and the color of the header if needed.
    • Choose what color the rows should be in and which borders of the table are required.
  4. Click Edit Rows and columns, and insert or remove rows and columns.
  5. Click Clone to make a copy of the table.
  6. Click Delete to remove the table from the template.

Subform: Data from a subform can be added to the template. Each subform will be represented in the form of a table. You can add up to 5 subform tables in a template.


To change table properties

  1. Click on the table and select the Setting icon to open Table properties.

  2. In Set a Table section, do the following:

    1. Enter the appropriate details for the rows, columns, width and alignment. (You can resize (increase / decrease) the column width by dragging the column border).

    2. Specify the header and the color of the header if needed.

    3. Choose what color the rows should be in and which borders of the table are required.

  3. Click Edit Rows and columns, and insert or remove rows and columns.
    You can enter details of your choice in the rows and columns.

  4. Click Delete to remove the Subform table from the template.

Note
  • Resize column's width for table is provided to either increase or decrease the column width by dragging the column border.
  • Edit table rows and columns is enabled to add rows at top/bottom of any row and columns next/before of any column in an existing table.
  • You cannot clone a Subform table. 

Background

For making your template more visually appealing, you can add background colors to your template. You can specify an inner color and outer color for your template. In case you require a theme for the outer area of your template, you can make use of the outer theme component. You can select the color by entering the colour hexcode in the colour palette.


Merge Fields

Merge fields are used in places where the value for that particular text keeps changing. For example, in the greeting section of the template the name of the person will change depending the recipient. In such cases, the merge field retrieves data based on the value. Here is a list of Standard Merge Fields .

For the list of merge fields to appear, type # in the text area and choose the merge field needed from the drop-down list.

Incase you want a specific merge field, for example the first name of the user to appear, type #first and you will get the relevant merge field in the drop-down.

Note
  • Signature is now provided as a merge field. So the signature of the sender can be added where needed, rather than having to configure it at the end of the template.
  • Company logo is also provided as a merge field so that you can insert it where ever it is needed.

Unsupported Merge Fields

Unsupported fields are those fields that no longer exist in Zoho CRM for various reasons. These unsupported merge fields are highlighted in red. You can select and replace them with a suitable field from the drop-down list or click the  Close ( ) icon to remove the field.


Following are specific instances when merge fields get unsupported in Zoho CRM:

Custom field deleted

If your email template continues to have the merge field value of a deleted field, it will be listed as an unsupported merge field.

Custom fields of a look-up module deleted

If your email template has a merge field inserted from a [Module] lookup and then the field gets deleted, it will be listed as an unsupported merge field.

That is, assume you have a Lead-lookup in the Potentials module. An email template you have created for the Potentials module includes a merge field value from the Leads module, populated via the look-up. Now if you delete that field from Leads, then it will be listed in the template as an unsupported merge field.

Field not related to the selected module

If you have used a merge field that is not related to the module for which you are creating the template, then it will be listed as an unsupported merge field.

For example, if you insert the merge field value ${Leads.Lead Id} in an email template for the Potentials module, it will be listed as an unsupported merge field.

Integrations/Features disabled

When a feature or integration has been disabled for your account, the fields that were created as part of the integration will also not be available for the account, post the deactivation. If a merge field value of such a field has been inserted in your email template, it will be listed as an unsupported merge field. This is applicable to the following features/integrations.

  • Google Ads Integration - Google AdWords fields that are no longer available due to deactivation will not be supported in the template.
  • Visitor Tracking (Zoho SalesIQ Integration): Visitor Tracking fields that are no longer available due to deactivation will not be supported in the template.
Note
  • Unsupported merge fields may be seen in the subject, body as well as the footer of email templates. Make sure these values are removed from these sections in an email template.

Preview and test email templates

At times you may want to see how your template turned out and make necessary adjustments if needed. For this purpose you can use the preview option to check how your templates would look for your customers when viewed on a desktop or mobile screen. Additionally, you can send test emails to upto 5 users to see how the templates look before using it.

  1. After creating or editing a template, click on Preview.

  2. In the preview page you can see the name of the template, the subject and how the template will appear when sent.
    You can switch between Desktop and Mobile views to be assured.

  3. Click on Send Test Email on the top right.
  4. Close the preview.
Note
  • The test mail can be sent only to the inbox of the current user.

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