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Custom Email Templates

As an alternative to using the layout options in the Contents of Mail grid for email notification, custom email templates can be created using plain text or HTML.  The template can contain any combination of FootPrints fields using special keywords, and any custom text, in any layout desired. Different templates can be created for each mail notification type: Assignee, Customer, CC, and Wireless/Pager.  If a custom email template is enabled, it overrides most of the other options selected in the Contents of Mail grid (exceptions are listed below).

To create a custom email template:

1. Select Administration | Workspace | General | Mail Preferences | Configure Email Templates from the FootPrints Toolbar.
2. Select the column for which you want to create a template: Assignee, Customer, CC or Wireless/Pager.
3. Check the box in that column for one of the two following options: Custom formatting for text message or Custom formatting for HTML message.  These can be found at the bottom of the grid.
4. For whichever option you checked, click Edit.
5. In the pop-up window, click the link to see a list of keywords for this Workspace.  Each field has a corresponding keyword, including built-in fields, custom Workspace fields, and custom Address Book fields.  These can be inserted into the email template.  When the email is sent, the value for that field is inserted into the mail for that field.
6. Use any text or HTML editor to create the email template.

1. For a text email template:

• Only ASCII text can be used.  Boldface, colors, underlining, etc. are not accepted.  We recommend using “Notepad” on Windows, or an editor like “emacs” or “Pico” on UNIX/Linux to create the template.
• Use your own text, formatted in any way supported in ASCII.
• Keywords must be in the exact format specified to work correctly.

2. For an HTML email template:

• An HTML editor can be used or a text editor can be used if you are comfortable writing HTML.
• Use your own text, formatting, bold, underlining, colors, hypertext links, etc.  To include a field from FootPrints in the email, simply insert the corresponding keyword. 
• Keywords must be in the exact format specified to work correctly.
   

Example:

To insert the Issue Number into a sentence:

The reference number for your Issue is %%ATTRIB__NUMBER%%.

So, when an email notification is sent for Issue Number 3486, the sentence above displays as follows:

The reference number for your Issue is 3486.

7. When you have finished creating the template, save the file.
8. Back in the custom template pop-up window (step 5), use the Browse button to upload the new email template from your local machine.
9. Click GO.
10. On the main Contents of Mail screen, click GO.  Ensure that the box is checked for the template created and uploaded.
11. Now email notification for the current Workspace is in the new format for the selected user type. A different custom template can be created for each type by following these instructions.

Sample Template (Text)

Hi %%FIRST-NAME%%!

This is an email notification regarding your Issue “%%ATTRIB__TITLE%%”.

The reference number for this Issue is %%ATTRIB__NUMBER%%.

Notes:

%%ATTRIB__DESCRIPTION%%

When replying, type your text above this line.     

Hi Bob!

This is an email notification regarding your Issue “Forgot password”.

The reference number for this Issue is 5429.

Notes:

Entered on 1/16/2001 at 11:48:50 by Jill Smith:

Customer cannot receive email.  A technician is scheduled to call Monday, September 22 @ 2pm PST.

Note

The message “When replying, type your text above this line” is inserted even though it is not part of the template.  This message is inserted automatically by FootPrints for all Assignee, Customer, and CC email notifications.  Wireless/Pager mail templates do not contain this sentence.

Exceptions

Enabling a custom email template overrides most of the other settings selected in the Contents of Mail grid for that email type. There are a few exceptions:

• Description—If the Description variable (%%ATTRIB__DESCRIPTION%%) is included in the template, select the descriptions to include in the “Description” row of the grid by clicking the Edit button.  The options include “All Descriptions” and “Most Recent Only”.

Keywords also include %%ATTRIB__FIRST_DESCRIPTION%% and %%ATTRIB__ALL_DESCRIPTION%%.  If you use these keywords, you do not need to use the Edit button and select the "All Descriptions" or "Most Recent Only" options.  %%ATTRIB_FIRST_DESCRIPTIONS%% provides the first description entered, %%ATTRIB__MOST_RECENT_DESCRIPTION%% provides the most recent description, and %%ATTRIB_ALL_DESCRIPTIONS%% provides all of the descriptions.

• Link to Details Page—If a custom URL is defined for this option and the variable is included in the template (%%ATTRIB__LINK_TO_DETAILS%%), the custom URL is included in the email link.  In addition, in HTML email templates, the words Click here to view Issue in Browser are included as part of the link.  In text email, only the URL is included.
• Workspace Fields—While individual Workspace fields can be specified in a template, they can also be included with the variable %%ATTRIB__PROJFIELDS%%.  If this is used, the selection of Workspace fields chosen under Edit Email Attribute is included.  Any Workspace fields you specified on the Specify Email Content page are included when the custom email template message is sent.
• Address Book Fields—While individual Address Book fields can be specified in a template, they can also be included with the variable %%ATTRIB__ABFIELDS%%.  If this is used, the selection of Address Book fields chosen under Edit Email Attribute is included.  Any Address Book fields you specified on the Specify Email Content page are included when the custom email template message is sent.
• Attach attached files—To include file attachments when using a custom email template, you must check the box for this option in the grid.  Various options for file attachments can also be set by clicking the Edit button in this section of the grid. To list file attachments, use the %%ATTRIB__ATTACHED_FILE_LIST%% attribute.
• Send mail as Text—This must be selected to send text email notification.
• Send mail as HTML—This must be selected to send HTML email notification.

If the custom email template is not used, some variables can still be inserted into the canned message placed at the top or bottom of the email notification, such as the user name, subject, etc.  When one of these variables is placed in the greeting message composed under Text at top of message or Text at bottom of message, emails sent by FootPrints include the dynamic data specified.

The table below contains the list of valid keywords:

Variable Name

Description

_WHONAME_

Name of user who created/edited Issue

_WHOMAIL_

Email of user who created/edited Issue

_PROJECTNAME_

Workspace Name

_ISSUETITLE_

Title of Issue

Email variables

Here is a sample greeting which includes 2 variables:

Hi_WHONAME_!  Thank you for registering your request _ISSUETITLE_ with us using FootPrints.  Your request is very important to us, and we will respond as soon as possible.  To respond to this message, simply reply and type your message at the top.  If you experience any problems using FootPrints, please send email directly to [email protected].

In the example above, the user’s name is substituted for _WHONAME_ and the subject of the email (i.e., the title of the Issue) is substituted for _ISSUETITLE_.

Note

These variables only work in the canned email messages; they do not work for the custom email templates described in the last topic.

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