Creating an HTML email communication

To create email that is delivered to the recipient in HTML format, you must create an HTML communication that you can reference to a mailing. The email communication is based on an HTML template that provides the framework for the email message. You then use the Message Editor to modify the template by adding various content elements.

Before you begin

You create the HTML template outside of Deliver and upload it to the Content Library in the Message Editor. Ensure that the template required to create the email is available in the Content Library or on a shared server that you can access from your Deliver installation.

About this task

To create an HTML email, you create an email communication in the Deliver Message Editor. You must add a template to the email communication before you can save it.

Deliver supports standard HTML tags so that your email displays in HTML email clients. However, to create personalized email, Deliver also supports several custom HTML tags recognized only by the Message Editor.

Before you can use an HTML email communication with a Deliver mailing, you must configure the email header. You can also add content elements to the email according to your marketing requirements and the design of the template that you select for the email. Deliver supports adding HTML snippets, images, hyperlinks, and personalization fields to HTML email messages.

Procedure

  1. In the Message Editor, create a new communication with either of the following methods.
    • On the bottom of the Communications tab, click Create New Communication
      Create New Communication icon
    • On the top of the page, click New.

    Select Create new email

    A default communication displays in the editing pane.
  2. Assign a name to the communication. Use either of the following methods.
    • Double-click the communication tab to enter a name in the tab.
    • Right-click the tab and select Rename. In the Properties window, assign a name to the communication. When you use this method to name the communication, you can also specify the folder where you want to save the email communication.
  3. In the Content Type field, confirm that HTML is selected. HTML is selected by default.
  4. Attach a template to the communication. Use either of the following methods.
    • Select a template in the Content Library and drag it into the communication.

    • Click the click to select a template link and navigate in the Content Library to the HTML file that you want to use as a template.

      In the Select Template window, click a folder to display the folder contents. Click a file to display a preview of the template. Click Insert to add the template to the communication.

    If the Content Library does not contain the template that you want, upload the template to the Content Library from a local directory or shared server.

    The editing pane displays the email that is defined by the template that you select.
  5. To save the communication before you proceed to configure the email, click Save Changes Save Changes icon.

    When you save your changes, the system presents an option to publish the email. Publishing the email makes it available for use in a mailing. However, you must configure the email address and subject before you can publish and use the email. If you do not fully configure the email address and subject, Deliver displays an error if you attempt to publish the email.

    When prompted to publish the email, click Cancel to save the email but not publish it. You can publish the communication after you configure the email address and subject.

What to do next

After you create the email communication, do the following to use it in a mailing.

  • Configure the email address and subject line.
  • Reference the communication to a mailing.
  • Add content. If the template contains configurable zones, you can add images, hyperlinks, personalization fields, and text (HTML snippets). The HTML snippets can contain advanced scripts for email that you can use to display data tables and nested conditional content.
  • Define personalization rules for zones that contain multiple content elements that are displayed conditionally.
  • Preview the email.
  • Publish the email. To be able to use the email communication in a mailing, you must publish the communication.