Cloudy's Chalkboard: Email Template Pro Tips!

In Cloudy's last two posts, you learned how to set up salesforce.com email letterheads and templates. Once you get started with email templates, you won't want to quit! The possibilities for saving time and streamlining processes are many, but you will encounter questions and roadblocks as your imagination kicks in. Here are a couple of Cloudy's favorite Pro Tips for getting the most out of Email Templates:

Pro Tip #1: Merging information from related records

You may have noticed that unlike elsewhere in salesforce.com (such as in the advanced formula editor), the Merge Field menu does not allow you to navigate through layers of related records to grab the Merge Field you want. For instance, if you are sending a Contact-related email, you cannot insert a field from their related Account record.

Get around this by adding a formula field to the Contact record which captures the related Account field that you need for your email! You don't have to put this field on your page layout, and you may want to give it a distinctive name and description so that you and other administrators can easily remember its function.  ie. "THIS IS AN EMAIL TEMPLATE FORMULA FIELD!"

Pro Tip #2: "Sending User" Information

If you have numerous reps all using the same Template to email Contacts, you may want a way for each rep's contact information to populate in the template automatically - for instance, as a personalized "signature".

Simply select "Sending User Fields" from the "Select Field Type" picklist.  Whereas most of your template merge fields must come from the Object that the email will be related to (ie. "Contact"), the Sending User fields are an exception.

This merge field will allow the recipient to easily call the rep who sent the email.

**IF YOUR "SENDING USER" MERGE FIELDS ARE NOT POPULATING CORRECTLY: check that the correct user information is entered on the User record!

Pro Tip #3: Dynamic URLs

You can add a basic URL link by:
1: Type the text as you would like it to appear and highlight it.
2: Click the LINK icon on the tool bar.
3: Enter the web url in the box that appears.

But what if you don't want to link to a STATIC website, and instead you want to send a dynamic/individualized URL based on the record you are sending from?

Simply create a URL field on the primary object, and populate it with your individualized URL links. Then on your template, follow the same steps as above but paste the MERGE FIELD for your new URL field in the text box.

You now have a dynamic URL link that will change based on the record it is sent from!

These are just a few of Cloudy's favorite email template tips.  If you have more questions about advanced functionality with salesforce.com email templates, Contact Us!

Related Posts:

Cloudy's Chalkboard: How to Create an Email Letterhead

Cloudy's Chalkboard: How to Create an Email Template

Cloudy's Chalkboard: How to Create an Email Template

Hopefully you are already using the emailing capabilities of salesforce.com to not only streamline and automate your email processes, but to capture relevant records of all your client communications!

Last time, Cloudy illustrated the steps to create an email letterhead. A themed letterhead with your logo will give your emails a consistent, branded look and feel. Today we will create an email template.  

With email templates you get simplicity and quality control:

• Standardize the email messages used by your team.
• Keep all messaging in line with your brand.
• Enhance speed and productivity.
• Personalize with easy merge fields.

Step 1: Create a new email template Go to Setup>Communication Templates>Email Templates.

• If you do not have any custom template folders set up, this is a good time to create one! Just click the "Create New Folder" link next to the Folders menu and give your new folder a distinctive name, such as "Your Company Name Email Templates".
• Click the "New Template" button.
• Select "HTML (Using Letterhead)" 

Step 2: Name your template

• Confirm the correct destination folder is selected.
• Check the "Available For Use" check box.
• Name your template - be descriptive!
• Select the Letterhead you created last time from the menu
• Choose an email layout; for your first template, try the "Free Form Letter" and check out the other options at another time.
• Enter a detailed description of the content and intended use of this template.
• Click "Next".

Step 3: Compose your email template Read the tips at the top of this salesforce.com page!

• Start by typing the text as you would like it to appear. Note where you would like to insert merge fields; for instance "Dear FIRST NAME,"...
• When the basic text is in place, you are ready to insert merge fields! In the "Available Merge Fields" tool bar, select the OBJECT that this email will be sent from or related to. CONTACT is the most common choice, but Leads and Opportunities are also common. The Object you choose should be the one that contains the information you want to use as merge fields.
• After selecting the object, find the field you want from the second picklist. ie. "First Name"
• The Merge Field "code" will appear highlighted in the third field of the tool bar. Copy and paste it into the correct position in your template.

• When you are ready to test the template, click next, copy your content into the Text-only editor, and click "Save." Now you will see a button to "Send test and verify Merge fields."  If the test goes well, your template is complete!

Tune in next week for Cloudy's Email Template Pro Tips!

If you would like Cloudy's help with salesforce.com templates or anything else, please CONTACT US!