# Email Templates
Email templates are reusable email designs that you use in campaign steps. Each template has a subject line, body content, and can include personalized merge fields.
> [!quote] Design Once, Send Many
> Create a template, use it across multiple campaigns. ==Update the template and every future send uses the new version.==
## Creating a Template
1. Go to **Campaigns** in the sidebar
2. Click **Templates** in the header
3. Click **New Template**
4. Fill in:
- **Template Name** - Internal name (e.g. "Welcome Email")
- **Subject Line** - What recipients see in their inbox
- **Email Body** - Your email content
## Editor Modes
The template editor has three modes:
### Editor Mode
A rich text editor with a formatting toolbar. Best for composing simple emails from scratch.
- **Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough**
- **Headings** (H1, H2, H3)
- **Bullet and numbered lists**
- **Block quotes**
- **Links** - Click the link icon or paste a URL
- **Images** - Drag and drop, paste, or click the image icon to upload
### HTML Mode
A raw HTML editor for pasting pre-designed email templates. Best for complex table-based email designs (e.g. marketing emails with headers, columns, buttons).
> [!tip] Complex HTML Templates
> If your template contains HTML tables or inline styles, the Editor mode is automatically hidden to prevent the rich text editor from stripping your layout. Use HTML + Preview mode for these templates.
### Preview Mode
Shows how the email will render. Use this to check your design before sending.
## Merge Fields
Click **+ Insert Variable** to add personalized fields. In HTML mode, the token is inserted at your cursor position.
Available fields:
- Contact fields: `{{first_name}}`, `{{last_name}}`, `{{company}}`, `{{job_title}}`, `{{email}}`, `{{phone}}`, `{{website}}`
- Custom fields: `{{custom.Your Field Name}}` - any custom field defined in your book
## Images
Upload images directly into your emails:
- **Drag and drop** an image into the editor
- **Paste** an image from your clipboard
- **Click the image icon** in the toolbar to select a file
Images are stored in your RelayBook S3 bucket and served via a public URL. Supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP (max 5MB).
## Fullscreen Mode
Click the expand icon next to the mode tabs to enter fullscreen. This gives you the full viewport for editing, especially useful in HTML mode.
## Template Usage
Each template shows which campaigns are currently using it. Click the **usage indicator** on any template card to see a list of campaigns that reference that template. This is useful when you want to edit a template and need to know which active campaigns will be affected.
> [!tip] Check Before Editing
> If a template is used by an active campaign, any changes you save will apply to all future sends from that campaign. Preview the template before saving to confirm the result.
## Test Emails
Before using a template in a campaign, send a test:
1. Save your template
2. Click **Send Test Email**
3. Enter your email address
4. Check your inbox
Test emails are prefixed with `[TEST]` in the subject line and use sample data from your first contact for merge fields. Custom fields without data show a placeholder URL.
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**Next:** Create your first [[Campaigns Overview|campaign]] and add steps.