Note: This article refers to templates created for system-generated emails. At this time, these emails must be configured in the classic interface. These templates cannot be configured in the Admin Console.
Terra Dotta Software utilizes many automated email messages delivered to administrators and applicants upon completion of specific actions. The email templates can be edited to deliver a specific message to users associated with different program groups.
Users with the “Process Admin: Email templates” permission can view and edit the content of these emails in Process > Notifications > Email Templates tab.
Viewing Email Templates
The following information is displayed in the list of templates on Process > Notifications > Email Templates tab:
- Name: The name of the email template. A template’s name will appear in the list multiple times if program-specific versions have been created.
- Description: A description of the email template including when it is delivered and to whom. A template’s description will appear in the list multiple times if program-specific versions have been created.
- Program Types: A list of the program types for which this template has been configured to be applicable. A program type-specific template can be deleted by clicking the red ‘x’ from this view (see below for how to create one).
Editing an Email Template
A template can be edited by clicking the edit pencil in the Actions column.
The edit page is made up of two sections. The first section displays the template name and description.
This section also displays the required placeholders for this email as well as any additional, optional placeholders that can be added. The placeholder data elements are automatically populated with the corresponding information once the email is sent. Required elements must appear in the email content in order for the template to be saved (more below).
Finally, the “Program type specific” dropdown menu in the first section allows you to choose which specific program type, if any, this template should be applied to. Selecting an option here will make it so though this email is delivered only in regards to programs of that type. By default, the same template is delivered to every program type.
The second section deals with the content of the email template.
The WYSIWYG editor allows you to edit the content of the email. Any required data elements will be highlighted in light blue if they appear in the email and are coded correctly in the source code page (accessed by clicking the “Source” button). Any additional data element fields you would like to add can be added through the “Mail Merge” button. Optional elements added in this way will be highlighted in yellow when entered correctly.
Important Notes:
- Data element tags cannot be copied and pasted directly from the plain text editor. They must be copied and pasted from the “Source” tab to include the necessary coding. If the element is not highlighted on this screen, it will not function in the template and will be delivered only as plain text. If erased, you must add them again from the “Mail Merge” dropdown to replace the necessary code. The highlighting will not appear in your email once it is delivered.
- Pasting from Microsoft Word or another word processing application directly into the WYSIWYG field is not recommended. If this is necessary, it is recommended to first copy your content into a plain-text editor in order to strip away HTML the word processor may have added.
You can edit the existing text around the data elements or add new text as needed.
Once you are finished with your changes you can see a preview of your template changes by clicking the “Refresh Preview” button. Note: An administrator must have the "Decision Letters" permission to use the preview button.
To save the template, click the “Update” button at the bottom of the page.
The “Customized email templates” tally will reflect the change and a reset icon will appear in the Actions column for any edited templates. Clicking the reset icon will revert the content of the template back to the default message.
Relationship with Text Interface Fields
Text interface changes made to automated emails will be reflected in the default content for the corresponding template, meaning those changes will not be reset by clicking the reset button in the Process > Notifications > Email Templates tab and they will not be included in the tally of edited templates. Similarly, any further changes made to the template through the Process > Notifications > Email Templates tab will be made in addition to the text interface changes. If reset, template’s content will reset to only the text interface changes.