xRM e-mail templates
Templates for xRM e-mails are very similar to the templates used for e-mail campaigns, xRM e-mails differ from e-mail campaigns as follows:
- The data record type is defined in the template and can no longer be changed when using the template.
- As a recipient you can select all the link types for addresses.
- Depending on the data record type selected, different mail merge fields are available.
The functions for creating templates will only be available to you if you have been granted the necessary rights from your administrator.
Creating templates for xRM e-mails
Creating templates in CAS genesisWorld settings.
On Tools menu, click Settings.
- Click the E-mail tab and then xRM e-mail.
Now you can create new templates and duplicate, edit or delete existing templates.
You will only see the templates to which you have access rights.
Click New.
The Create templates for xRM e-mails window will open.
- Enter the subject of the Mail merge.
- Select the e-mail account with which you want to send the e-mail messages.
The drop-down list shows all the e-mail accounts you have access to.
- Enter the names that the recipients of the e-mail message will see in the Sender field.
- Select the Data record type for this e-mail campaign template.
Any changes made to the data record type has an impact on the Mail merge fields which can be used.
The data record type cannot be changed when using the template.
- Select the Document language.
Click Change to select the recipient.
The Select recipients window opens.
In this window you can define which of addresses linked to the outbox data record you wish to write to. To do this, enable the link types you think are suitable. For example, for the data record type select Opportunity and the following link types to write to all the sellers: Sales person, Sales person 2 and Sales person 3
For the selected link types, you have to also define which e-mail addresses you wish to write to. The preset for this, is the default e-mail address of each contact data record. If you wish to write to an address other than the default you have to select it, for example, select E-mail (business) if you want to write to just the business e-mail addresses of your contacts.
- The fields for Additional recipients are not displayed at first and can be displayed via the arrows under the Recipients field.
You can enter permanent recipients here in the following fields To, CC or BCC. These recipients will each receive the xRM e-mail you sent. You select the recipients as you normally would when composing an e-mail in CAS genesisWorld.
- If you activate the Only write once to identical e-mail addresses then any recipients who may have been entered more than once will still only receive one e-mail.
If you have selected multiple outbox data records for the xRM e-mail, then an e-mail is sent to each recipient per outbox data record.
- If you enable Archive e-mails automatically after sending, then every e-mail is archived automatically after sending using the default template and then linked with the respective recipient. In addition, each sent e-mail is linked automatically with the e-mail campaign and the master data record.
- Enter a Subject for the e-mail.
- You can edit the template text in the text editor.
Notes on HTML e-mails
You write and edit the text of the e-mail campaign in the text editor that can be found in the lower area of the General tab.
The editor contains functions for formatting the e-mail. To select a function, click on the corresponding icon. You can:
- select font type, size, and color,
- format paragraphs,
- insert hyperlinks, and
- insert GIF or JPG images.
The default font type is the font type that has been defined in the display settings.
Existing texts can be imported as HTML files or copied into the editor from the clipboard. You should keep certain considerations in mind.
Using HTML files
You can load HTML files into this editor. You should be aware of the following conditions:
- The imported file must only contain HTML -- no scripts, flash, and so on.
- You must save any page formatting because external stylesheets are not supported.
- All comments in e-mails are deleted for security reasons, so stylesheet tags must not be put into brackets with comments.
Importing HTML files
Click Load HTML file.
The Windows file selection box opens.
- Select an HTML file and click Open.
If you have already entered content and then load an HTML file, the entire content of the field is overwritten with the content of the HTML file.
Formatting is adopted if it was made directly in the text. CSS statements in the <head> area of an HTML file cannot be adopted.
Examples for formatting that is adopted:
<p style="font-size: 12px; padding: 5px;">Your text.</p>
<p>Text with <b>bold type</b>.</p>
Images are also adopted if they are available on a web server and the link (hyperlink) in the source code of the HTML file refers to the internet address.
Images that are stored on your local hard drive can also be adopted this way. However, there are certain preparations necessary. The images must be stored in an \images subfolder and the path to the HTML file must be absolute. Example:
<img src="C:\HTML\images\image.jpg">
If you use a relative path, the image may not be adopted, for example, \images\image.jpg.
Copying text from the clipboard
When copying and pasting from the clipboard, you may have to reformat the HTML because other applications use different formats.
- Formats from external stylesheets are not adopted.
- If you import text from an MS Office product such as MS Word, the MS Word formatting is converted to HTML. This can often lead to unwanted results.
- You can insert via the context menu in two ways: Insert or Insert as Text. The result of the insertions depends on a number of factors, for example, the complexity of the formatting, or the type of HTML code used.
- In some cases, the best choice might be to Insert as Text and format the text in CAS genesisWorld.
Integrating pictures
You can integrate pictures into your HTML e-mails. You have different options:
Embedding pictures
If you embed a picture directly, the picture is sent to the recipients in the e-mail.
Referring to pictures
If you have saved pictures on your website, you can refer to those pictures in your HTML e-mail. The pictures must not be deleted from the website if you want them to be displayed correctly to your recipients.
E-mail campaign fields and field variables
The tabs for e-mail campaign fields and field variables are not displayed initially and can be displayed by simply clicking the arrow on the right-hand side, next to the e-mail text. Different tabs are available depending on the data record type you selected. Recipient data and user field variables are always available. Other available data includes:
- Data from the outbox data record
- Data from the data records where a primary link is available with the outbox data record.
- Data from data records which are linked to the outbox data record using a 1-link type.
- Double-click individual E-mail campaign fields and Field variables to insert them into the e-mail text. Mail merge fields can be inserted into text as well as into the subject line of an e-mail.
Inserting attachments
The area for attachments is displayed by clicking the arrow below the e-mail text. Different types of attachments are sorted on the following tabs: Attachments, Dynamic attachments and Reports. The area is displayed automatically as soon as an attachment is inserted.
Attachments tab
Attachments opens the Select attachments window with the following options:
Add attachment You use this option to select an archive document and add it to an existing document data record.
Add a new attachment You use this to add a new document data record. The Create document from window will open.
- In the Create document from window, you can select either a Template for a document or select a File from your computer.
- Using the Include associated archive documents option you can send archive documents as attachments.
The option is displayed if Document has been selected as the data record type for the original document.
For documents with an archive file, the archive file is inserted as an attachment. With Internet addresses or e-mail, an .eml file is inserted as an attachment.
Dynamic attachments tab
With Dynamic attachments of an xRM e-mail, it is possible to use linked documents from the master data record as an attachment.
Using the More filters button, you can further restrict the attachments via a filter.
Setting access rights
Users can access xRM e-mail templates if they have been entered as participants in the template.
You can enter participants while editing the template on the Advanced tab.
- In an xRM e-mail template click the Advanced tab.
- In the Participants field enter all the users and groups who have been granted rights to use the template.
Duplicating templates for xRM e-mails
When duplicating a template, you adopt all the settings of the original template, including attachments and participants.
- Select the template you want.
Click Duplicate.
The Create templates for xRM e-mails window will open.
- Edit the fields you wish to change. You have the same options as when creating an xRM template.