Create and edit message templates

Build a reusable message template when the layout matters: a newsletter, onboarding email or announcement with images and buttons. The template holds the content and design; you choose recipients and timing when sending it.

Create the template

Open Communications and create a template, starting from a sample or a blank design. Give it a clear name and subject. The subject can be reviewed again when preparing a send. For a short text-only notice, a quick message may be simpler.

Build the layout

A template is a vertical sequence of blocks between a header and footer. Add a block with +, open its editing control, duplicate reusable arrangements and drag blocks into order. Check that edits have saved before leaving.

Block or content	Use
Full-width image	A main visual
Text or a button	Explanation and the next action
Image/text combinations	A visual beside its description
Two columns	Related content side by side
Spacer	Breathing room between sections
Video	A linked or embedded video presentation
Zoom	Meeting information
Certificate	A personalized document

Choose the blocks available in your editor rather than relying on a fixed number of types. Review how columns stack on narrow screens.

Header, footer and images

Review the organization logo, website link, contact details and supported footer links. Do not remove required identification or preference controls merely to shorten the design. Header and footer appearance also depends on organization branding.

Upload an image or choose one from your media library, Canva or the available image sources. Use a clear image suited to the block’s shape: a wide image usually works better for a full-width banner, while a square or landscape image may suit an image beside text. Check the image in the block preview and the complete newsletter. In the image block editor, use Copy (crop/resize) to make a cropped or resized copy for that layout; the original media-library image remains available. You can also use ⋮ → Duplicate & crop/resize on a media-library image. These options are not available for SVG images. There is no single required pixel size for every block, so choose proportions according to the design and review the result rather than relying on one universal dimension.

Text, placeholders and buttons

Use headings, short paragraphs and meaningful button labels. Insert placeholders using the picker and test them with a representative audience. A form-derived placeholder needs the corresponding response context.

A button can lead to a form, document or web page. Check the destination, access requirements and language. Review any AI-generated copy or translation before use.

Preview, reuse and publish

Preview desktop and mobile layouts. Test names, empty values, long text and links using suitable test recipients. Two-column content switches to a single column at narrower screen widths. Email clients can render a layout differently from the browser preview.

Duplicate a template when you want a new reusable version. Publishing a web link and sending a message are separate actions: review the content for public visibility before publishing. Do not publish personalized or sensitive test data.

Send the template

Open a new message or the template’s Send action. Choose recipients, channel and the correct communication type. Templates can support operational or marketing content; the layout does not determine consent. By SMS, the template is shared through a link to its web version.

Review any template-refresh and list-refresh options for a scheduled send rather than assuming every later edit will be applied automatically. See sending options, placeholders and message tracking.

Settings reference

Setting	Where	Default	Effect
Create from a sample / Create from scratch	Communications › Templates › Create	Create from a sample tab	Starts from a ready-made design or from an empty one.
Name	Create from scratch	Empty	Internal name used to find the template in the list.
Subject	Create from scratch	Empty	Email subject suggested when you send the template. You can change it when preparing the send.
Communication type: Marketing / Non-marketing	Create from scratch	The Default type of communication in Organization settings › Messaging (Marketing unless changed)	Marketing skips people who unsubscribed from marketing. Non-marketing still reaches them.
From email	Create from scratch	Your organization's From email	Sender address, chosen among your verified From addresses.
From display name	Create from scratch	Empty (shows your organization's alias)	The name recipients see next to the From address.
Show header with organization logo	Template editor, right panel	On	Shows your logo at the top of the email. Turn off to use your own image in a block instead.
Use full width logo	Template editor, right panel, only when a full-width logo exists	Off	Uses your full-width logo in the header.
Add a new block (+)	Template editor, between blocks and below the last block	Not applicable	Opens Choose a block type: Popular, Text and actions, Images and video, Layouts, Specialized. Blocks can be edited, duplicated, deleted and dragged into order.
Image alternate text / Photo credit / caption / Image link	Image block editor	Empty	Alt text for accessibility, a caption under the image (maximum 200 characters) and a link opened when the image is clicked. SVG images keep their size and skip cropping (maximum 1 MB).
Copy (crop/resize)	Image block editor	Not applicable	Makes a cropped or resized copy for this layout. The original image stays in your media library.
Color options › Button	Template editor, right panel	The button color from Organization settings › Branding	Color of the buttons in this template.
Color options › Background	Template editor, right panel	White	Background color of the content area.
Color options › Margin	Template editor, right panel	Default (white)	Define a color sets the color around the email body.
Dark mode	Template editor, right panel, Color options	Automatic (recommended)	Automatic, Try dark mode colors (with Dark background and Dark text) or Try to keep light colors (limited support). The recipient's email app decides and many, including Gmail, may ignore or alter these settings.
Test placeholders	Template editor, right panel, when blocks contain placeholders	Off	Shows the blocks with real values from a list you choose.
Preview	Template page	Not applicable	Shows the Smartphone (one column) and Desktop/tablet layouts.
Send a Test Email	Template page, ⋮ menu	Not applicable	Sends the template to the users you select, or to guests you add by email.
Publish	Template page	Not published	Creates a public web page with a shareable link. Later edits appear on that page.
Duplicate	Template page, ⋮ menu	Not applicable	Creates a copy named Copy of (the template name), in this organization or another one you manage.
Pin / Lock / Archive	Template page, ⋮ menu	Off	Pin keeps the template at hand in the Communications menu. Lock prevents edits until it is unlocked. Archive removes it from the active list; Restore brings it back.
Send	Template page	Not applicable	Opens a new message with this template already selected.

Common questions

How do I send a test of the template? Open the template, click the ⋮ menu and choose Send a Test Email, then pick who receives it. The test goes only to the users or guests you select. Check it in the email app your clients use. See Preview, reuse and publish.

Does my SMS look like the template? No. Clients who receive an SMS get your short text and a link to the web version of the template. Only email shows the full design. See Send the template.

What size should my images be? There is no single required pixel size. Choose proportions that fit the block (a wide image for a full-width banner, a square or landscape image beside text) and use Copy (crop/resize) to adjust a copy. See Header, footer and images.

Why does the template look different in Outlook or Gmail? Email apps render layouts differently, and the preview is a close guide, not a guarantee. On a phone the two-column blocks collapse to one column. Dark mode is decided by the recipient's app. See Preview, reuse and publish.

Can I change the logo in the header? The header logo comes from Organization settings › Branding and changes every template. To use something else in one template, turn off Show header with organization logo and add your own image block. See Header, footer and images.

If I edit a template, do scheduled messages change? It depends on Freeze the message in the Schedule window, which is on by default: a frozen scheduled message keeps the template as it was. Turn it off to use the newest version. See Send the template and Recipients and sending options.

I published a template as a web page. What happens if I edit it? Your changes appear on the published page. For a weekly newsletter, duplicate the previous template instead of overwriting it. See Preview, reuse and publish.

Can I get a template back after archiving it? Yes. Open the archived template and choose Restore in the ⋮ menu. See Preview, reuse and publish.