Introduction to Enhanced Email Templates
Table of Contents
- Why use an enhanced template?
- What's an enhanced email template?
- What's a merge tag? Do I need to use them for templates?
- What's the difference between an enhanced & HTML template?
- Edit Enhanced Template Screen
- Fields List Quick Links
- Example of Email Sent
- Related Articles
Why use an enhanced template?
Enhanced email templates provide a way to consistently communicate with your patients. They enable you to:
- Stay on brand
- Use the same tone/language
- Avoid human errors and typos
- Work more efficiently by not needing to recreate each email
- Create multiple templates for any type of communication via email (birthday greetings, follow-up reminders, notice for upcoming holidays, etc.)
Taking the time to create and use these templates means email communications represent your clinic and brand in the best possible way. You won't have one patient that receives a great email while another laughs about all the typos that they found. (And yes, they did tell their friends about the typos.)
What's an enhanced email template?
Think about an email you've recently sent to someone. Now imagine you have to send that same email to ten other people but you need to use everyone's specific personal information when you send the email. An enhanced email template takes that email and uses something called a merge tag to swap out the personal information for each email sent. Your template can include everything from the clinic logo, an image, clickable buttons, etc. Refer to Fields List Quick Links to see the entire list.
What's a merge tag? Do I need to use them for templates?
A merge tag is a placeholder where individualized information is inserted for each email. They always have two square brackets, with the specific field or variable inside the bracket.
For example, if you want address each patient by their first name, you can use the first name merge tag [[FIRST]] and each email will have the name of the person receiving the email.
Merge tags are pre-defined in YAPI since they integrate with patient records. This means you can't make up your own tags.
While the system doesn't require you to use merge tags in a template, we highly recommend it so that your patient has a personalized experience.
What's the difference between an enhanced & HTML template?
Enhanced email templates are the standard way to manage email communications in YAPI. HTML templates are the older version of YAPI templates and shouldn't be used since they aren't as robust as the enhanced email templates.
Edit Enhanced Template Screen
Use the Edit Enhanced Template screen to build your email template. The Name, Subject, Tag, and Theme fields are required. All other fields on the screen are optional.
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Name | ![]() |
HTML Editor | ![]() |
Communication Icons |
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Subject | ![]() |
Unsubscribe Link | ![]() |
Share |
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Logo | ![]() |
Advertising | |
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Theme | ![]() |
Image | ![]() |
Google Reviews |
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Body Text & Body Text 2 | ![]() |
Action Button | ![]() |
Fields List Quick Links:
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Name |
This is the name of the template as it will appear in YAPI, on the Email Template tab of the Documents and Templates Manager. This name should be distinct, as it will be how you recognize the template when you select when you're ready to use to for email appointment reminder, recall, etc. |
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Subject |
This is the default subject for the email. Enter what you would like to appear in the subject line of each email. Do not use a merge tag in the subject field, the system doesn't recognize them in this field. If you use a merge tag in this field, your patient will see the actual merge tag text in the subject line. ("Hello from [PRACTICE]]!" not "Hello from Happy Dental!") |
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Type |
This field is used to group and organize your email templates into the following categories:
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Theme |
YAPI has built-in, pre-defined email template themes that are visually pleasing so you don't have to worry about color combos and layouts. Themes only impact the visual appearance of an email, it won't change the message that's defined in the rest of the template fields. The YM_T2 & YM_T_LILAC templates have a purple background. The rest of the templates have a white background. Each template offers slightly different margin sizes for the body of your email so we suggest playing around with each or use the Show button to determine which you prefer.
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Body Text & Body Text 2 |
This is where you'll set what you want the body of the email to say. If you want to break up the information so it's easier to read, use both fields (Body Text & Body Text 2). Use merge tags to make the email feel personalized to the patient. Action buttons (if used) display between Body Text & Body Text 2. The Wrap each paragraph using HTML <p></p> checkbox to add paragraph breaks in the text. Without this selected, all the text entered will be treated as one long paragraph.
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HTML Editor |
The built in HTML editor to helps create the perfectly formatted email every time, no matter what device the patient is using. You basically use the editor to create the body text and/or body text 2 fields and select your formatting in the same way you would using a word processing document (like Word). Refer to Creating an Email Template to learn how to use the HTML editor. |
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Unsubscribe Link |
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By law, every automated email must provide an opt-out or unsubscribe mechanism. You can customize the content of this area, but legally you must add an opt-out link to your automated emails! |
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Logo |
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If your practice has a logo stored in YAPI, this field displays the logo on all email that goes out to your patients. YAPI stores a single image as a practice's logo and uses it in all email templates. The position field enables you to set whether the logo should display at the top, bottom or remain hidden in the relation to the email content.
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Image |
This field is used to add a web-hosted image to your template. You can use any image from the YAPI library or use your own hosted image. The Library button enables you to access all YAPI hosted images. Once you find an image, copy the entire URL and go back to the Edit Enhanced Template window and paste the URL in the Image field. Use the Position field to adjust how you want the image to display in relation to the email content. Don't forget, when both a logo and image are used in the template, the logo always displays first, then the image displays below the logo.
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Action Button |
Most emails should include a call to action - a piece of content that prompts the reader to take action - such as:
YAPI allows up to three buttons per email. Each button has three attributes:
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Communication Icons |
This attribute allows you to add links to your practice's Facebook page.
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Share |
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Advertising |
This field enables you to use a clickable web-hosted image at the bottom of the email template. Click here to learn how to use a site called PostImage to host your image. We recommend using this space for things like displaying your practice's Yelp page or providing patients with a link to financing options.
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Google Reviews |
This inserts a link in the email to provide the reader a chance to review your practice on Google.
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Google Map |
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Example of Email Sent
The image below is an example of how fields in the template are used in the email. Your email may look different depending on how your template was built.
Related Articles
- Creating an Enhanced Email Template
- Adding Images to an Email Template (Hosting Images Online)
- Patient Facing Videos