Auto-generating a text version of an HTML email communication

In Unica Deliver, you can use an HTML email to generate a text-only mail. The text-only version of the email is based on the HTML template that defines the HTML email layout. This method is called auto-generating the text email. By auto-generating a text email, you can take advantage of the design effort that is already invested in creating the HTML version.

About this task

After you generate the text-only version, you edit the HTML and text versions independently. For example, if the HTML version contains an image of a tropical vacation destination, the auto-generated text version contains a zone that displays the alt text that is defined for the image. In the text version, you can replace the alt text with a text block that provides a detailed verbal description of the vacation destination. The HTML version continues to display the image. Saving and publishing the email communication saves and publishes both versions of the email.

Important: If you previously created a text version of the HTML email, auto-generating again removes any changes that you made to the text email. The auto-generated version replaces the current text content with a text version based on the HTML template that is used by the email.

Procedure

  1. Open an HTML email for editing in the Message Editor.
  2. In the Content Type field, select Text.
  3. Click Auto-generate from the HTML template.
    The editor displays a text version of the content that is defined on the HTML tab for the email.
  4. 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 auto-generate the text-only email, do the following to use it in a mailing.

  • Configure the email header. Specifying a personalization field for email address is a minimum requirement.
  • Reference the communication to a mailing.
  • Edit the email message. If the template contains configurable zones, you can add hyperlinks, personalization fields, and text. You cannot add images or HTML snippets. However, text blocks can contain advanced scripts for email that you can use to display data tables and nested conditional content.
  • Define content display 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 in a mailing, you must publish it.