Using message templates is another great way to communicate with the different members of a transaction. To start creating your message templates, go to the hammer icon and select Templates.
Once there, choose Message Templates. Find and click on the Add New button and give the message template a name.
This will add it to the right side where you can click on Edit to open the content of the message template. This also applies to any existing message template you need to edit.
Important:
Depending on the permissions that have been set for your profile, you may not be able to access the content of the message template. If you need access, you can have an admin on your team update your permissions. This article goes over updating permissions: Set Up Permissions for Your Team Members.
Step 1:
Your first section is the title of the message template. You can change this if you need to.
Step 2:
The next row is who the message will be sent to. This goes off of the Team User Role, Contact Role, and Client Portal Role.
If you have an Agent assigned to the property, you can select to have the message sent to their Agent Portal (if applicable).
Step 3:
Next is the subject line which includes the option for merge fields. This allows some of the information to auto-populate so you don't have to worry about updating the subject each time you use the template. To add a merge field, click on the circle with the three lines on the right side of the subject line.
Step 4:
If you are copying the message content from another source, you will first want to run the text through TextCleanr.com. This will remove any formatting that exists within the text so it pastes onto the message template correctly.
If you are uploading any images into the editor, you may need to resize them before adding them to the message. The message editor only allows for scaling images, not resizing them.
Step 5:
The option to use merge fields and smart blocks in the body of the message is to the right of Edit, View, Insert, etc. You can also use the editing tools available on the editor bar to build out your message content. Here are your options:
Text Color & Background Color
Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough
Insert/Edit Link, Blockquote
Alignment, Bullet List, Numbered List
Emojis
Clear Formatting
Source Code
Smart Block
All of your work is saved while you are working on the template, so once you are done, scroll to the top and click on Close.
Continue building out any messages that might be part of a transaction, even if it's something that only happens every now and then.
If you have additional questions about message templates, be sure to reach out to us at help@opentoclose.com. We're always happy to help!