Overview
WildApricot provides a variety of email templates that are ready to use. You can also create your own custom templates from scratch or using a system template as a starting point for a new design. You cannot delete or edit the system's default email templates without first making a copy.
Important Notes about Deleting an Email Template:
The delete button for email templates will not appear until you first click on and open the template you want to delete.
After you have clicked and opened the template you want to delete, you will see the Delete button at the top of the screen.
You cannot edit or delete WildApricot's system templates. You can only edit or delete your own Custom templates, which are displayed at the top of your Email templates screen.
Your account comes equipped with Themed templates and Basic templates that are available in Communication > Email templates. These are system templates that cannot be edited or deleted. You can also create your own Custom templates, which will be displayed at the top of your Email templates screen as you create and save them.
You will also find default templates wherever automatic system emails are available, such as Member emails, Event emails, and Customer emails (in Store). These system templates cannot be modified or deleted, but you can create alternatives to these default templates by following the instructions below. See the section called Using templates with automatic emails for details.
Creating a new email template
To create a new Custom template, follow these steps:
1. Navigate to Communication > Email templates.
2. Click Create new template in the top left corner.
3. Name your template, provide text for the email's Subject line, then select Design.
4. In the Design screen, you can add text, insert macros, and include images, links, and other content on your template.
To start designing, drag a Layout selection from the left side of the screen, then select and drag Gadgets to place within the Layout blocks. Additional settings options will appear in the right panel of the screen as you select specific Gadgets. The images below demonstrate some examples of working with Layout and Gadget options.
5. In the Preview screen, you can see how your email will appear on different devices. To return to the Design screen, select the back arrow.
6. When you are finished modifying the template, click Save in the top right corner of your screen.
You will see your new template displayed at the top of the page under Custom templates in Communication > Email templates.
Note: Changes to email templates are automatically saved every 5 seconds. If your browser closes while editing, you'll be prompted to continue editing the auto-saved version the next time you open the template for editing.
Using templates with automatic emails
Automatic emails – such as event reminders, membership renewal reminders, and donation confirmations – use system default templates, which cannot be modified or deleted. However, if you want a different template to be used for these purposes, you can select a different template from Communication > Email templates to use in place of the default template.
Important note: If you want to create a completely new template to replace one of the default system templates that WildApricot uses for automatic emails, first create and save the new custom template, then follow the steps in this section to replace the system template with your new one.
To apply a different template for use with an automatic email, follow these steps:
1. In the admin view, navigate to the location of the automatic email template (such as Members > Member emails or Events > Event emails, for example).
2. Click to open the template that you want to change.
Note: The images in this section refer to an automatic Event email template called Event registration confirmed. The same steps apply to any system email template.
2. Select Edit. 
3. Select Copy from.
4. Select the template you want to use as the new automated email template, then select Next.
5. Make any changes to the template, including, for example, the message in the Subject line, then select Save.
Editing a custom email template
Important Note: You cannot edit or delete WildApricot's system templates. You can only edit or delete your own Custom templates, which are displayed at the top of your Email templates screen.
See Duplicating an existing email template for instructions on duplicating a system template so it can be edited.
To edit a custom email template, follow these steps:
1. In the admin view, navigate to Communication > Email templates and click on the specific Custom template you want to change. This will open the template.
2. Select Edit template in the top left corner of the screen.
3. In the Design screen, you can make changes to the template's design and contents. In the Preview screen, you can see how your email will appear on different devices. To return to the Design screen after previewing, select the back arrow.
4. When you are finished editing the template, click Save in the top right corner of your screen.
Duplicating an existing email template
To create a new email template by duplicating an existing template, follow these steps:
1. In the admin view, navigate to Communication > Email templates and click on the specific template you want to duplicate. This will open the template.
2. Click Duplicate.
3. In the Details screen, create a new Name for your template, make any desired changes to the Subject line, then select Design.
4. In the Design screen, you can make changes to the template's design and contents. In the Preview screen, you can see how your email will appear on different devices. To return to the Design screen after previewing, select the back arrow.
5. When you are finished modifying the new template, click Save in the top right corner of your screen.
Note: If you don't change the name of the new template during duplication, the new template will have the word
(copy)affixed to the original template name in your list of Custom templates.
Creating an email template from a previously sent email
To use a previously sent email as the basis for a new email template, follow these steps:
1. In the admin view, navigate to Communication > Email log.
2. Click to open the individual email you want to use to create the template.
3. After the email opens, select Save as template.
4. Make any desired changes to the email Name and Subject line, then select Design.
5. In the Design screen, you can make changes to the email's layout and design.
6. In the Preview screen, you can see how your email will appear on different devices. To return to the Design screen after previewing, select the back arrow.
7. When you are finished modifying the template, click Save in the top right corner of your screen.
You will see your new Custom template displayed at the top of the Email templates screen in Communication > Email templates.
Deleting a custom email template
Important Note:
The delete button for email templates will not appear until you first click on and open the template you want to delete.
After you have clicked and opened the template you want to delete, you will see the Delete button at the top of the screen.
Note: You can only delete your Custom templates. System templates cannot be deleted.
To delete a Custom template, follow these steps:
1. In the admin view, navigate to Communication > Email templates.
2. Click on the Custom template you want to delete. This will open the template. Custom templates are displayed at the top of the Email templates page, above the Themed and Basic templates, which are system templates that cannot be deleted.
3. When the template opens, select Delete. 
