What This Screen Does
This is where you update an existing email template. Think of it like editing a letter you already wrote — you can change the name, subject line, the design of the email body, swap out attachments, and even change which type of event the email is used for. Once you save, the updated template will be used the next time that type of email is sent out.
How to Get There
Open the dashboard.
In the left-hand menu, click Email template.
Find the template you want to edit in the list and click on it (or click its edit action).
You are now on the Edit Email Template screen.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Review the Breadcrumbs
At the top of the page you will see a breadcrumb trail: Dashboard → Email template → [Template Name].
This confirms which template you are editing.
You can click Email template to go back to the list without saving.
2. Check the Placeholders Reference
Before editing the template content, look at the Placeholders card at the top of the form. This table shows you the dynamic variables you can insert into your email. The available placeholders change depending on the Type you have selected.
These placeholders are always available regardless of type:
Placeholder | What It Inserts |
| Full name of the member. |
| First name of the member. |
| Last name of the member. |
| The name of your chain/organisation. |
Additional placeholders appear based on the selected type. See the Placeholder Reference by Type section below for the full list.
3. Edit the Template Details
These are the core fields of the template:
Field | Required | What to Enter |
Name | Yes | An internal name for this template. This is how you identify it in the list. For example, “Welcome Email — English” or “Cancellation Notice”. |
Type | Yes | The category of email this template is used for. Pick from the dropdown. Changing the type also changes which placeholders are available (see above). The “Waiting List” type is not available for selection. |
Subject | Yes | The subject line recipients will see in their inbox. You can use placeholders here too, such as |
4. Edit the Email Content
Below the detail fields you will find a drag-and-drop email editor (powered by Unlayer).
The editor loads the existing design of the template automatically.
You can:
Drag in new content blocks (text, images, buttons, dividers, etc.).
Click on any block to edit its text, colours, or layout.
Use placeholders like
##{{FIRST_NAME}}directly in text blocks — they will be replaced with real data when the email is sent.Upload images directly inside the editor — they are uploaded to the server automatically.
Tip: If the template was originally created with raw HTML (no drag-and-drop design saved), the editor will load it in classic HTML mode. You can still edit it, but the drag-and-drop blocks may be limited.
5. Update Attachments (optional)
Scroll down to the Attachment section.
You can drag and drop files onto the upload area or click to browse your computer.
Accepted file types: PDF, Word documents (.doc, .docx), OpenDocument text (.odt), and plain text files.
To remove an existing attachment, click the delete button on the file.
Attachments are sent along with the email every time this template is used.
6. Save Changes
Click the Save Changes button at the bottom-right of the form.
The button is disabled until the email editor has finished loading. If it is greyed out, wait a moment.
The system will:
Validate all required fields.
Export the email design (both the HTML version and the JSON design data).
Update the template record on the server.
Upload any new attachments.
Navigate you back to the previous page.
You will see a green “Update success!” notification at the bottom of the screen.
Placeholder Reference by Type
The placeholders table updates dynamically based on the Type you select. Below is a summary of which extra placeholders become available for each type. The four universal placeholders (FULL_NAME, FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, CHAIN_NAME) are always available.
Type | Additional Placeholders |
Welcome Email |
|
Welcome Email Existing Member |
|
Fine When Too Late |
|
Fine When Never Met |
|
Put On Hold |
|
Cancellation |
|
Guest |
|
Referral |
|
Missing Payment |
|
Drop In |
|
Ticket Confirmation |
|
Task Confirmation |
|
Custom | All placeholders from every type above are available. |
What Happens Behind the Scenes
You click "Save Changes"
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Form validates all fields (Name, Type, Subject)
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Email editor exports the HTML and JSON design
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API call: MailTemplatesService.edit({ id, body: { ...formData, html, json } })
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Template record is updated on the server
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API call: MailTemplatesService.uploadAttachment({ id, files: [new files] })
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Attachments are uploaded (only newly added files, not previously saved ones)
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Success notification "Update success!" appears
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You are navigated back to the previous page
Troubleshooting
“The Save Changes button is greyed out and I cannot click it”
The button stays disabled until the email editor has fully loaded.
Wait a few seconds for the editor to finish initialising. You will see the editor area populate with your template design.
If it stays disabled for a long time, try refreshing the page. A slow internet connection can delay the editor load.
“I filled everything in but the form will not submit”
Check that all required fields are filled in: Name, Type, and Subject.
Look for small red error messages below the fields — they tell you exactly what is missing.
If the Subject or Name field looks filled but still shows an error, try clicking into it and clicking out again to trigger validation.
“My email design did not load in the editor”
The editor first tries to load the saved JSON design. If no JSON design exists, it falls back to loading the raw HTML.
If neither is saved, the editor will start with a blank canvas.
If the design appears blank even though the template had content, try refreshing the page. The API call to fetch the template may have timed out.
Check your internet connection — the editor needs to download assets from the Unlayer service.
“I uploaded an attachment but it did not save”
Make sure your file is one of the accepted types: PDF, Word (.doc, .docx), OpenDocument (.odt), or plain text.
The file must not exceed the maximum file size allowed by the system.
If the template was updated but the attachment failed, go back into the edit screen and upload it again.
“I changed the Type but the placeholders did not update”
The placeholder table updates automatically when you change the Type dropdown.
If it does not update, scroll up to the Placeholders card — it should reflect the new type immediately.
Remember: the Custom type shows all placeholders from every type, which is useful if you want full flexibility.
“I see an error message after clicking Save Changes”
A red alert box will appear at the top of the form with details about what went wrong.
Common causes: a server timeout, a duplicate template name, or an issue with the email content.
Read the error message carefully. If it says something about “detail”, it is a message from the server.
Try again after a moment. If the error persists, contact your administrator with the exact error message.
“I used a placeholder but it shows up as raw text in the email”
Make sure you typed the placeholder exactly as shown in the Placeholders table, including the double curly braces:
##{{PLACEHOLDER_NAME}}.Placeholders are case-sensitive. Use all uppercase letters.
Verify that the placeholder you used is available for the Type you selected. If you need a placeholder from a different type, consider switching the type to Custom.
“My images inside the email editor are not uploading”
The editor uploads images to the server automatically when you add them.
If the upload fails, check your internet connection.
Try using a smaller image or a different format (JPEG or PNG work best).
If the problem continues, the image upload service may be temporarily unavailable — try again in a few minutes.