How To Create Email Templates in Salesforce

Creating email templates in Salesforce requires understanding multiple creation pathways, each offering different capabilities and complexity levels. The creation method you choose depends on technical expertise, design requirements, and intended use case—from simple text templates requiring minutes to sophisticated Lightning designs requiring strategic planning and iterative refinement.

Step-by-Step Template Creation Process

Step 1: Access Template Creation Interface

Navigate to Setup (gear icon) → search "Email Templates" or "Classic Email Templates" → click Email Templates → select New Email Template button. Lightning templates launch visual builder; Classic templates present format selection (Text, HTML with Classic Builder, Custom HTML, Visualforce). This initial navigation differs slightly between Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic—Lightning users access Lightning Email Templates directly, while Classic users navigate to Communication Templates → Email Templates.

Step 2: Select Template Type and Folder

Choose template format aligning with capabilities needed: Text (plain formatting, universal compatibility), HTML (Classic) (styled with images/colors, requires HTML knowledge for advanced customization), Lightning Email Template (drag-and-drop components, automatic mobile responsiveness), or Visualforce (advanced logic, requires development expertise). Select or create a folder determining template visibility—Public Folders accessible organization-wide, Personal Folders restricted to the creator, Custom Folders shared with specific teams/roles.

Educational institutions create departmental folders organizing templates by academic unit (Admissions, Financial Aid, Academic Advising)—each department accesses relevant templates without seeing unrelated institutional communications.

Step 3: Configure Template Properties

Define Template Name (descriptive, searchable—"Sales_FollowUp_ProductDemo" better than "Template1"), Folder assignment (organizational structure), Unique Name (API reference for programmatic access), Encoding (UTF-8 standard), Subject Line (can include merge fields like "Follow up on {!Opportunity.Name}"), and Description (template purpose, use cases, last update notes). Strong naming conventions prove critical as template libraries grow—organizations with 50+ templates struggle to locate specific formats without systematic naming.

Step 4: Compose Content and Insert Merge Fields

Lightning Email Builder: Drag components from the left panel (text blocks, images, buttons, dividers) onto the canvas. Click the component to edit the content. Insert merge fields by clicking the merge field icon, selecting the object (Contact, Lead, Account), and choosing a field ({!Contact.FirstName}, {!Account.Industry}). Components are configured via the right panel properties (colors, fonts, spacing, alignment).

Classic HTML Editor: Type or paste email content in the editor. Insert merge fields via the Insert a Merge Field dropdown, selecting the object and field. Format using toolbar (bold, italic, bullets, alignment). Add images via URL or upload. Preview shows basic rendering but lacks device-specific views.

Text Templates: Compose plain text with merge fields manually typed using syntax {!Object.Field__c}. No formatting options available—purely text-based communication suitable for accessibility requirements or simple notifications.

Financial advisors creating client review invitation templates insert merge fields for {!Contact.FirstName}, {!Account.AUM__c} (assets under management), {!User.Name} (advisor name), {!User.Phone}—producing personalized messages: "Dear Robert, as your advisor managing $2.3M, I'd like to schedule your quarterly review. - Jennifer Martinez, (555) 123-4567."

Step 5: Design Visual Layout (Lightning/HTML Only)

Lightning Templates: Add layout sections (1-column, 2-column, 3-column) from the components menu. Configure section background colors, padding, and borders. Upload header images, logos, and brand elements. Apply color schemes matching brand guidelines. Preview across devices (desktop, tablet, mobile) using the device switcher, ensuring a responsive design maintains a professional appearance regardless of screen size.

Classic HTML Templates: Apply CSS styling directly in HTML code or use Classic Builder's limited formatting toolbar. Upload images to Documents or use external URLs. Custom HTML templates allow sophisticated designs but require HTML/CSS expertise. Organizations often maintain HTML snippets (headers, footers, disclaimers) reused across templates, ensuring brand consistency.

Step 6: Test Template with Sample Data

Critical step preventing embarrassing errors. Use Preview (Classic templates) or device preview (Lightning) to check layout rendering. Send test email to personal address verifying merge fields populate correctly—{!Contact.FirstName} should display the actual first name, not the literal text "{!Contact.FirstName}". Test with multiple sample records covering edge cases: contacts with long names, missing fields (does the template handle null values gracefully?), special characters.

Conference organizers testing event invitation templates discovered merge field {!Campaign.Event_Location__c} displayed "null" for virtual events lacking physical locations—fixed by adding conditional logic: "Location: {!IF(Campaign.Event_Type__c = 'Virtual', 'Online (link provided)', Campaign.Event_Location__c)}."

Step 7: Save and Deploy Template

Click Save to finalize template creation. Template now appears in the designated folder available to users with folder access permissions. For templates used in automated workflows (email alerts, Process Builder, Flow), reference the template by name in workflow configuration. For mass email campaigns, templates are accessible via the Send List Email functionality from reports/list views.

Common Template Creation Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting Mobile Preview: Desktop-perfect templates may render poorly on mobile devices (50%+ email opens). Always test mobile rendering before deployment. Lightning's automatic responsiveness helps, but requires verification.

Overusing Merge Fields: Twenty merge fields create cluttered, confusing emails. Use 3-7 key merge fields providing personalization without overwhelming content. More fields = more opportunities for null values breaking email flow.

Neglecting Null Value Handling: Merge fields for empty/null values display blank spaces or "null" text—unprofessional appearance. Use formula fields or conditional logic handling missing data gracefully: {!IF(LEN(Contact.Phone)>0, "Phone: " & Contact.Phone, "")} displays phone only when populated.

Generic Subject Lines: Templates with subjects like "Important Information" achieve lower open rates than specific subjects using merge fields: "{!Contact.FirstName}, your {!Case.Subject} case update." Personalized subjects increase open rates 20-30%.

No Template Governance: Without naming conventions, approval processes, and version control, template libraries become unmanageable. Establish governance before the library exceeds 20 templates—designate template owners, review quarterly, archive unused templates, and maintain documentation.

When Template Creation Limitations Require Native Email Solutions

Standard Salesforce template creation works well for moderate template needs (15-30 templates, occasional updates, straightforward designs). However, organizations requiring sophisticated email marketing encounter limitations: no A/B testing for template optimization, limited analytics (can't track opens/clicks from templates), a 5,000 daily email limit restricting bulk campaigns, basic design tools compared to professional email platforms, no advanced segmentation logic within templates, and missing deliverability optimization (spam testing, send-time optimization).

Organizations executing high-volume campaigns create basic templates in Salesforce for individual communications while leveraging native email platforms like MassMailer for marketing automation, drip sequences, and bulk communications requiring professional design tools, unlimited sending, and comprehensive analytics.

For detailed template creation tutorials with screenshots, troubleshooting guides, and advanced techniques, see our complete guide on how to create email templates in Salesforce.

Key Takeaways

  • Template creation begins with selecting an appropriate format—Text (simple), HTML/Lightning (professional design), Visualforce (advanced logic)
  • Lightning Email Builder provides drag-and-drop creation—no coding required, automatic mobile responsiveness, component-based assembly
  • Merge fields enable personalization at scale—{!Contact.FirstName}, {!Account.Name} populate dynamically for each recipient
  • Testing before deployment prevents embarrassing errors—verify merge fields populate correctly, test mobile rendering, check null value handling
  • Template governance becomes critical as libraries grow—establish naming conventions, folder structure, and approval processes before exceeding 20 templates
  • Salesforce templates work for operational emails—native platforms extend capabilities for sophisticated marketing requiring advanced design, analytics, and unlimited sending

Stop wrestling with template creation limitations. MassMailer provides professional template builders, unlimited designs, A/B testing, and comprehensive analytics—all within Salesforce. Create templates in minutes, not hours. Start building better templates →