Templates and Brands
Common questions about message content, the template library, brands and test sends.
Where Do Templates Live?
In a shared library at organisation level, so content is written once and reused by any campaign on the same channel. A Campaign Manager, Admin or Org Admin opens the library from Templates in the sub navigation. A Campaigner does not see the library and picks a saved template from inside a campaign instead. See Templates.
Saved Template or One Built in the Campaign?
Save a template when the content will be used more than once or is owned by someone other than the campaigner. Build it in the campaign when the wording belongs to that send alone. A saved template applied to a campaign is read only. See Adding a Template.
If I Edit a Template, Does It Change Campaigns Already Using It?
A run that already exists keeps the content it was created with, so an edit cannot change a send that is underway or finished. Runs created afterwards use the current content. See Templates.
What Happens if I Delete a Template a Campaign Uses?
Deletion is covered with the other library actions, including what it means for campaigns pointing at that template. See Managing Templates.
What Is a Brand?
A saved sending identity and the content that wraps a message: a sender and a footer, plus a header for email. Applying one prefills that detail so campaigns present consistently. It surrounds the template content rather than replacing it. See Brands.
Do I Have to Use a Brand?
No. A template can set its own sender and content without one. A brand is worth having when several campaigns should look and send the same way. See Applying a Brand.
Can a Campaigner Create a Brand?
No. Creating, editing, duplicating and deleting brands belongs to a Campaign Manager, Admin or Org Admin. A Campaigner can view the brands the organisation holds and apply one to a template they build in the campaign. See Applying a Brand and Roles and Permissions.
Why Can't I Change the Sender on My Template?
Because the brand applied to it sets one. A brand that carries a sender locks that field, and a brand that leaves it empty lets the template choose. See Applying a Brand.
How Do Variables Work?
A variable is a placeholder that resolves to one contact's own data when the message is built, drawn from the reserved and custom contact fields held against that contact. See Variables and Default Values.
What Does a Contact With No Value for a Field Receive?
The default value set on the template for that field. Where no default is set, the variable resolves to nothing and the message is sent with a gap in the sentence, which is why a default is worth setting on anything that reads badly when it is missing. Placeholder text is never delivered. See Default values.
What Is the Character Limit for SMS Messages?
Standard SMS using GSM-7 encoding allows 160 characters per segment, and messages using special characters or emoji (UCS-2) allow 70. Longer messages are split into segments, each counting as a separate message. Twilio's Message Segment Calculator shows the encoding and segment count for a given draft. See SMS Templates.
What Is the Difference Between the Design and Code Editors?
The Design Editor builds an email from blocks with no HTML involved. The Code Editor is a full HTML editor for precise control over markup and styling. See Choosing an Editor.
Can I Switch Between the Two Editors?
Yes, but switching clears the email body. Sender settings, variables, test data and attachments are kept, and you are asked to confirm first. See Choosing an Editor.
What Is the Attachment Size Limit for Emails?
20 MB in total per template. There is no fixed limit on the number of files as long as the total stays under it. See Attachments.
How Do I Send a Test Message?
Use Send Test SMS or Send Test Email in the editor, to up to 10 recipients. The test uses the current content, sender settings and sample values, so send another one after changing the template. See Variables and Default Values.
Can I Import or Export Email Templates?
Yes. A template can be exported to a file and imported back later. Each editor has its own file format and only accepts a file matching the editor in use. See Importing and Exporting.