HCL Commerce Version 9.1.19.0 or later

Email template activities

Using the Management Center for HCL Commerce email template user can perform various activities such as view, list, search, create, edit, delete and so on.

Before you begin

Note: If you use HCL Commerce with an earlier version of the Management Center, follow the steps in these documents.
Important: This version of email template only applies to the new Management Center.
  1. Open Management Center tools.
  2. Enter your login credentials for the Management Center and sign in.
  3. In the Management Center, navigate to Business Tools > Marketing > Email Templates. The Email Templates List page opens.

About this task

This document provide steps to perform various functionalities using the Email template tool within the Management Center. An overview of the email template list:
The list of email templates for a selected store are displayed in the email template list. If there are no email templates then the Getting Started icon is displayed.
Key Features
Search by template name: Enter a template name in the Search by name field to find specific email templates quickly. The list updates as you type.
Store filter
You can select the store from the drop-down arrow from Store column.
Columns
You can choose the columns shown on the email template landing page. Click the Columns name and select the check box you would like to have listed on the page.
Pagination
You can update the number of results shown on each page. From the landing page, click on the drop-down beside Results per page shown at the right bottom of the page.
Refresh
The Refresh icon is available on the page to refresh the page and view the latest updates.
Email template table columns
  • Name: Name of the email template.
  • Store: Store for which the email template is created.
  • Description: Description added while creating the email template.
  • Email Subject: Subject of the email template.
  • Unique Id: Specific Id assigned to the email template.
Pagination
You can update the number of results shown on each page. From the landing page, click on the drop-down beside Results per page shown at the right bottom of the page.
Actions
  • Duplicate : Create a copy of the selected email template.
  • Edit : Modify the values within the selected template.
  • Delete : Remove the selected email templates.

Viewing email template

Procedure

To view the email template:
  1. On the email template page, enter the name of the email template in the Search field. The email template gets listed on the email template landing page.
  2. Click on the email template name, View Email Template page opens. You can view the following information related to the email template:
    1. General properties
      • Associated store
      • Name
      • Description
      • Subject
      • Record number of emails opened
    2. Email Content

Creating email template

Procedure

To create email template in the Management Center.
  1. Click the Create Email Template button. On the Create Email Template page, the Store is pre-selected based on the store selected in the email templates landing page.
  2. Enter the following information:
    • Name: Enter a meaningful name. This name displays in the email Templates - List page, and identifies the email template.
    • Description: Describe what this email template is used for.
    • Email Subject: Enter the subject of the email. This displays to customers as the subject in their email client software.
  3. Select the check box, if you want to Record number of emails opened. To collect statistics on the number of target customers who open the email, select this option.
    Note: If you opt to collect this information, when customers open the email, it sends a request to your server. If you send a large number of emails, this volume of emails can affect site performance.
  4. In the Email Content section,
    1. Add the information in the Email Content box. This field is similar to a simple text editor. You can enter text and add placeholders for other types of content, such as customer names, e-Marketing Spots, links, and promotion codes.
      Note: To add placeholders, from the Insert content list, select a placeholder, complete any fields under the placeholder, and then click the Insert content button.
    2. To Insert content, select one of the following options:
      1. First Name: This option allow users to insert the first name tag into the email template. When the e-mail is sent, the tag is replaced with the target user’s first name. You can either copy the Composed Content to the clipboard or select the Insert content button.
        Note: If you select the Insert content option, the tag will be inserted at the end of the Email Content. Copying to the clipboard enables you to enter the tag at any location you choose.
      2. Last Name: This options allow users to insert the last name tag into the email template. When the e-mail is sent, the tag is replaced with the target user’s last name. You can either copy the Composed Content to the clipboard or select the Insert content button.
        Note: If you select the Insert content option, the tag will be inserted at the end of the Email Content. Copying to the clipboard enables you to enter the tag at any location you choose.
      3. Link: Inserts a link that becomes active when the email is sent to customers. Selecting this option displays the Click action for link list. Select an action for link:
        • Predefined click action
          Select one of the following click actions for the link:
          Display catalog entry
          This link redirects the customer's browser to the product details page for a specific catalog entry. Selecting this option displays a Catalog entry table in which you must find and add the catalog entry:
          • Click Add to add catalog entry for the selected email template. The Add catalog entry window pop up on the screen.
          • Select the catalog entry that you wish to add to the email template.
          • Click Add. The selected catalog entry is added to the Catalog Entry table.
            Note: You can delete the selected catalog entry, by clicking on the Delete icon from the Actions menu.
          Click the Insert content button.
          Note: Only one entry can be added to the table at a time. If user tries to add the multiple entry then latest one will be replaced by the previously added entry.
          Display category
          This link redirects the customer's browser to the category page for a specific category. Selecting this option displays a Category field in which you must specify the target category:
          • Click Add to add category for the selected email template. The Add Category window pop up on the screen.
          • Select the category that you wish to add to the email template.
          • Click Add. The selected category is added to the Add Category table.
            Note: You can delete the selected category, by clicking on the Delete icon from the Actions menu.
          Click the Insert content button.
          Note: Only one entry can be added to the table at a time. If user tries to add the multiple entry then latest one will be replaced by the previously added entry.
          Issue coupon
          This link adds a coupon to the customer's coupon wallet. Selecting this option displays the following fields:
          • Coupon promotion: Specify an existing promotion that has a redemption method that is set to a Coupon promotion.
            • Click Add to add promotion code for the selected email template. The Add promotion window pop up on the screen.
            • Select the promotion code that you wish to add to the email template.
            • Click Add. The selected catalog entry is added to the Promotion table.
              Note: You can delete the selected promotion code, by clicking on the Delete icon from the Actions menu.
          • URL: Specify the URL that the browser redirects to when a customer clicks the link. Enter the complete URL, for example, http://www.example.com.
          • Text: Specify the text for the link, for example, Get a coupon for 20% off.
          Note: Only one entry can be added to the table at a time. If user tries to add the multiple entry then latest one will be replaced by the previously added entry.
          Add to shopping cart
          This link adds a catalog entry to the customer's shopping cart. Selecting this option displays a SKU field in which you must specify the SKU of the catalog entry that you want to add to the customer's shopping cart:
          • Click Add to add catalog entry for the selected email template. The Add catalog entry window pop up on the screen.
          • Select the catalog entry that you wish to add to the email template.
          • Click Add. The selected catalog entry is added to the Catalog Entry table.
            Note: You can delete the selected catalog entry, by clicking on the Delete icon from the Actions menu.
          Click the Insert content button.
          Note: Only one entry can be added to the table at a time. If user tries to add the multiple entry then latest one will be replaced by the previously added entry.
          Add to wish list
          This link adds a catalog entry to the customer's wish list. Selecting this option displays a SKU field in which you must specify the SKU of the catalog entry that you want to add to the customer's wish list:
          • Click Add to add category for the selected email template. The Add Category window pop up on the screen.
          • Select the category that you wish to add to the email template.
          • Click Add. The selected category is added to the Add Category table.
            Note: You can delete the selected category, by clicking on the Delete icon from the Actions menu.
          Click the Insert content button.
          Note: This option is only available for B2C stores.
          Note: Only one entry can be added to the table at a time. If user tries to add the multiple entry then latest one will be replaced by the previously added entry.
          Unsubscribe
          This link updates the customer's status for receiving email. If they click this link, they stop receiving marketing emails.
          Note: You can delete the selected categories, catalogs, or promotion codes by clicking on the Delete icon from the Actions menu.
        • Custom URL for Click Action: If you select this option, you must enter the URL that the browser redirects to when a customer clicks the text that is specified in the Text field. Enter the complete URL, for example, http://www.example.com. If this URL directs a customer to a site outside of your store, HCL Commerce must be configured to allow redirects to the site before the redirect will work properly.
        All of the click options except unsubscribe display a Record the number of clicks check box which you can select to record the number of times customers click the link. This information can be used in reports to determine a link's effectiveness.
      4. E-Marketing Spot: This option inserts a placeholder that is replaced with the content displayed in an e-Marketing Spot. Enter the name of the e-Marketing Spot between the quotation marks in name="", for example, name="HomeRow1_Content". To check the name of an e-Marketing Spot, click the E-Marketing Spots folder, and then look up the name in the Name column of the E-Marketing Spots - List page.
        • Click Add to add e-marketing spots for the selected email template. The Add Marketing Spot window pop up on the screen.
        • Select the marketing spot that you wish to add to the email template.
        • Click Add. The selected marketing spot is added to the E-Marketing Spot table.
          Note: You can delete the selected marketing spot, by clicking on the Delete icon from the Actions menu.
      5. Promotion Code: This option issues a unique promotion code to each email recipient. Selecting this option displays a Promotion field in which you must specify the promotion that uses Requires promotion code as its redemption method. The type of promotion code must be either:
        • Simple or advanced system-generated unique promotion codes:
        • Imported promotion codes
        Follow the steps given below to add promotion codes in the email content:
        • Click Add to add the promotion code for the selected email template. The Add Promotion window pop up on the screen.
        • Select the promotion code that you wish to add to the email template.
        • Click Add. The selected promotion code is added to the Promotion table.
          Note: You can delete the selected promotion code, by clicking on the Delete icon from the Actions menu.
  5. Click Finish to create the email template.

Results

The email template is created successfully and is now available on the landing page.

Editing email template

Procedure

To edit the email template:
  1. Choose to edit the email template in one of the following ways:
    • From the View Email Template page:
      1. Click on the desired template name.
      2. On the View Email Template page, click the button.
    • From the email template listing page:
      1. Click the Edit icon An image of the Edit icon from the Actions menu.
    The Edit Email Template page opens.
  2. Edit the email template information according to your requirements.
    Note: You cannot edit the store name.
  3. Click the Save button to save the changes.
    Remember: The Cancel button closes the page without saving your changes.
  4. The following confirmation message is displayed on the screen:
    Email template "abc" updated successfully.

Deleting email template

Procedure

To delete the email template:
  1. On the Email Templates List page, click the Delete icon from the Actions menu to delete the email template.
  2. In the Delete window, click the Yes, Continue button to confirm the deletion.
    Note: If you click the No, Cancel button, you will be redirected to the email template listing page without deleting the email template.
  3. The following confirmation message appears on the screen:
    "abc" has been deleted successfully.
  4. You can delete more than one email template at a time by performing bulk deletion. Select the check box given beside the Name heading to select all the list or select the check box in front of all the names you wish to delete. Click the Delete All button that pops up on the screen. A confirmation dialog will appear for multiple deletes. Click Yes, Continue to proceed with the bulk deletion.

Duplicating email template

Procedure

To create a duplicate email template:
  1. On the Email Templates List page, click the Duplicate icon from the Actions menu to create a duplicate email template.
  2. Update the Name of the duplicated file.
    Note: If the file name is ABC, by default, the name of the duplicate file is "Copy of ABC".
  3. In the duplicate email template window, click the Duplicate button to confirm the duplication.
  4. The following confirmation message appears on the screen:
    Duplicate email template created successfully.
    Note: If you are on the Edit Email Template page, you can update the details after getting the Duplicate email template created successfully message. You can update the details and click on the Save button or update no changes and click on the Save button. You can see the duplicate email template on the Email Template List page.