Plan: Available: All plans
Users: Not Available: All users Available: FYI Admins or User Group permissions
Practice Management Source: Available: All sources
Creating an Email template allows FYI Admins and users with Templates permission to define a consistent format for particular email communication. An Email Template can be selected when users across the practice create individual emails, or as a selection in a Create Email process step.
Creating Email Templates
Use the steps below to create the Email Template, customise the content, and set it to Active so it is available for users when creating emails, or when added in a Create Email process step.
- From FYI, click the Knowledge menu option.
- Navigate to the Templates tab.
- Click the drop-down next to the +Add button and select Email.
- The Create Email Drawer will open.
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Enter the Name of the Template and select the Filing details.
Email Template Field Details Cabinet Defaults to Templates. This cannot be edited. Categories Displayed if Categories have been applied to the practice Templates cabinet.
Select the filing Categories, Tags and Keywords. This determines how it shows in the Knowledge Templates list.
Template Name Enter the Template name. This identifies the template internally. Name Enter the Name. This is the name that is used as the subject when an email is created from the Template. Refer to Creating and Sending Emails in FYI.
If a Name isn't specified, the email will be created using the Template Name instead.
Tip: Merge Fields can be added to the Name field, for example "{{ ClientName }}" to insert the Client Name. Refer to the Merge Fields Glossary - Standard Fields.
- Click Create. The Email Drawer and the Email Editor display.
When an Email Template is created, it is automatically set to Draft. It will not appear in the Active view until the status is changed to Active.
Use the Email Editor to update the email template body so it includes the correct body, images, Merge Fields and formatting before it is used or sent:
- Enter the required text, including Merge Fields if needed.
Important Note: If you are using combinations of Merge Fields and formatting, we recommend you add the Merge Fields first and check these are bringing the correct information. Then edit the Templateand add any formatting.
- Add any images, as required.
You can format the text using the tools at the top of the Editor. The text displays in rich text to reflect any formatting. For information about formatting, which font sizes to use for Emails and using a font that is not available in FYI, refer to Formatting and Fonts using the FYI Editor.
When the Template is initially created, the Status of the Template is set to Draft. Once the Email Template has been customised and is ready for use, mark the template as Active.
Note: Ensure that "Signature" is not checkmarked, or it will not be available as an email template once updated to an "Active" Status.
- Open the Email Template. The Email Drawer will open.
- In the Filing section, select the State as "Active
- Set AutoFile Defaults if emails created from this template should be filed automatically to a specific Cabinet and Category.
Choose the default Cabinet and, if needed, the default Categories for emails created from this template. These defaults will override any filing defaults set at the Client, User or Practice level.
Note: When an email is created, the Cabinet and Categoris can still be changed. - Close the Email Template drawer. The email template is now active and ready for users to select when creating an email.
Tip: You can add Comments to a template, for example, if you want to advise any users that it is available, or if you need a user to make some changes.
Including Merge Fields
Adding a Merge Field
To include any of Merge Fields to the email template:
- Position the cursor in the location in the Email Editor where you want the information to appear.
- Then, click to open the relevant section of Merge Fields at the bottom of the Email Editor. For example, Document.
- Click on the required Merge Field, for example, Attachment Links.
Tip: Type in the Filter merge fields box to filter to the required Merge Field.
The correct code for the merge field is added for you in the body of the Email Template. In the following example, the Client Salutation merge field has been added.
- Advanced formatting can be used to customise the information that's displayed. For example, you could change the format of the date, perform a calculation using the data, or use a conditional merge field to only display data if the conditions are met. For a list of available formatting options, refer to Formatting Merge Fields.
New Collaborate Merge Fields
New Collaborate Merge Fields are used in email templates to automatically insert links to documents or shared folders from the New Collaborate SharePoint site. This ensures clients receive the correct access links when documents or folders are shared using Collaborate.
Note: The Collaborate Site Link and Upload Folder Link Merge Fields are designed for sharing folders through Collaborate. They are not intended for Automations or for templates selected when creating an email directly.
| New Collaborate Merge Field | Details |
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Attachment Links
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This Merge Field must be included in templates used when sending documents by Collaborate. The merge field inserts links to documents stored on the New Collaborate SharePoint site. If it is not included, the client will not receive a link to the document. Select this Merge Field from the Document section. |
| Collaborate Site Link |
This merge field inserts the link to the Collaborate SharePoint site. This is used in templates that notify clients they have been given access to shared folders. Select this Merge Field from the Practice section. |
| Upload Folder Link |
This merge field inserts the link clients can use to upload files to a shared folder. This is used when sharing folders through Collaborate. Select this Merge Field from the Client section. |
Formatting and Fonts
Use the formatting tools in the Email Editor to update the appearance of an Email Template. You can change text formatting, font size and font colour, with changes shown in rich text as you edit.
Changes are saved automatically, and the history of changes is displayed in the Activity section of the drawer.
Important Note: If the template uses Merge Fields, add and test the Merge Fields first to check they are pulling through the correct information. Then apply any formatting.
For detailed information, refer to Formatting and Fonts using the FYI Editor.
Text entered in the Editor uses the font and font size set for the Default Font and Default Font Size in your Document Practice Settings.
The font selected in the Editor can be changed from the Font Family drop-down in the Formatting Toolbar. This allows users to apply a different font from the Default Font configured in Document Practice Settings.
FYI uses pixel-based font sizes, while Outlook uses point sizes. This difference can impact how text appears when creating emails. Refer to Formatting and Fonts using the FYI Editor.
To select a font:
- Highlight the text to be updated, or click into the location where the text will be entered.
- Click the Font Family drop-down in the Formatting Toolbar.
- Select the relevant font.
- The selected font will be applied to the text in the Editor.
Note: When emails are sent or viewed in Outlook, some fonts may need to be installed locally to display correctly. If a font is unavailable, Outlook will use a similar font instead.
In the Email Templates, there is a set selection of fonts available in FYI.
Note: Fonts may display differently to users in their browser or device due to licensing and the fonts installed on the local computer. Where possible, a font that is not web safe will display as a similar alternative, but we recommend testing on different platforms and devices to ensure brand consistency.
If the font you want to use is not already available (for example, Courier New 12), use the following method to add it to the Email Template.
- Edit the Email Template.
- Add any text that you want to include in the Template in the Email Editor.
- Select the text that you want to change the font on and cut the text from the Template.
- In a separate browser window, go to Word to HTML at https://wordtohtml.net/
- In the Visual Editor panel, paste the text that you cut from the Email Template.
- In the Visual Editor panel, select all the text.
- Click the More Text button in the toolbar (the A with the 3 dots).
- To select a font, in the Font Family drop-down select the font required (for example, "Courier New").
- Select a Font Size if required and any other settings from the font toolbar.
- Right-click in the HTML Editor panel, and select Select All.
The following example is the HTML when setting Calibri as the font family and 12 for the size.
- Right-click again in the HTML Editor panel, and select Copy.
- Re-display the Email Template in FYI.
- In the Email Editor, display the Code View by clicking the icon with the 3 dots in the right-hand corner of the Editor, then select Code View.
- Paste the copied HTML text from Word to HTML.
If you have not cut all the text from the Email Template, first locate where the copied text should be pasted.
Note: Click Full Screen to enlarge the Email Editor. - Close the Email Template and run a test that the font is working correctly.
If you need to include Merge Fields, these can be added in FYI in the email template and then copied into wordtohtml.net and then select the text and change the font settings. This will copy the correct character for the opening and closing curly brackets. It will also make sure there is a space after the opening curly brackets and before the closing curly brackets.
Note: When sending an email from FYI using the Template, the font size will be applied correctly. When sending an email that is initially created in FYI and set as Draft in Outlook, the font family will be correct but there may be a difference in the size. It is recommended that tests are run to check the best font size to use.
Editing an Email Template
Email templates can be edited to keep content accurate, change the AutoFile default settings linked to the template or update the Status.
Tip: For Active email templates, before editing the template, consider updating the Filing Status to Draft to prevent users from accessing the template while making changes.
To edit an Email Template:
- Navigate to Knowledge - Templates workspace.
- Select the Email Template. The Email Drawer will open.
- Expand the Filing or AutoFile Defaults section and make any changes.
Tip: Changes to the Filing or AutoFile Defaults are recorded in the Activity.
- Click the Editor button to open the Email Editor. Make any changes as required to the contents or to the Merge Fields.
- Close the drawer to save the changes.
Any changes are shown in the Activity section in the drawer.
Archiving or Deleting an Email Template
You can archive a Template by setting the Status to "Archived". A template will only be available for selection if it has a state of "Active".
Note: There is currently no restore facility for deleted Templates. Rather than delete a Template that is not in use, we recommend setting the Status to "Archived".
You can delete a Template by selecting it in the Templates list and clicking Delete.
- If you need to archive or delete an Email Template, first check if it has been used in any Process Automations (refer to Automation Process Steps and Process Step Details - Creating Emails and Documents).
- Check if it is set as your Default Email template in your Collaborate Settings (refer to Setting up the Shared Folders Email Template and Assigning Share Settings Access).