1. Click on New Message T emplate. 2. Enter a Message T itle and a Message Subject. You can choose to use tokens to personalize your subject line. 3. Scroll down to the HT ML Message section and create your template. T here are online resources that offer instructions on creating an HT ML Email T emplate. One suggestion is to find and copy an Email T emplate from a website that offers samples. 4. One of the toolbar buttons at the top of this section lets you view the source code of your template. When you click on it, the template changes the view to show the HT ML code that is being used. If you want to use HT ML from a template you found externally, you need to switch to this view in order to paste in HT ML code from the template. Make structural changes in your template in this mode as well. Message templates are available even when CiviMail is disabled.
Tips for creating templates HT ML code allowed in emails is more restricted than HT ML used for web pages. For instance, it needs to use tables for layout, inline CSS and must not include background images. Here are some tips for creating a template that will look good in all mail clients: Table border: T he HT ML <table> element includes an optional border attribute. Since the default value is 0, it doesn't appear unless you choose to use it. Adding it (or editing it if it is available) and setting it to 1 (e.g., <table border="1">) allows you to see the edges of your table and helps identify potential places to fix problems. Please note that HT ML email templates usually have multiple tables and nested tables (tables inside tables). Make changes one at a time and switch to the HT ML view to see the results. A table usually has more than one parameter, so make sure to place spaces between parameters. Table cellpadding and cellspacing: these table parameters are very useful when trying to improve the readability of your email. Play with these settings in different tables and see what works for you. Width: Do not send an email that is wider than 600 pixels, to ensure maximum compatibility across email clients. Make sure your outermost table does not exceed 600 pixels. Do the same for any other tables inside your main table. Also make sure that the total width of each image does not exceed 600 pixels. Images have a width parameter, but they can also have a horizontal padding parameter that, if set, can increase the width of the image. Images: these need to be online and accessible in order for you to use them. First edit your image so that its width and height is appropriate for your email template. Next save it so that its file size is as small as possible. If you do not have image editing software, or do not know how to use it, there are free online resources that can help you resize your image.
CREATING HEADERS AND FOOTERS Headers and footers are only available for mass mailings using CiviMail. T his functionality is only available when CiviMail is enabled. T he mail header is the area at the top of the email, which should include elements that you want to be always displayed before the main content body, such as the logo of your organization and the title of the newsletter. T he default footer, which is always the last thing in the email. T he footer is an ideal place for the compulsory unsubscribe tokens. You can manage headers and footers in Administer > CiviMail > Headers, Footers, and Automated Messages. Style them to present a coherent visual identity across all your messages. Both should be configured for maximum flexibility. For example, one or more headers can be created with different images and titles that can be used for different campaigns or programs. After headers and footers are configured, staff who prepare a new mailing will be able to select them from available headers and footers. T his helps staff create more standardized mailings with elements that help your readers identify the contents of the mailing or find information.
194