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Templates

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Only users with the Designer/Developer or Admin role can create and edit templates.

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In Better Email, templates are also referred to as Email Design Systems.

Templates are the system behind every email in Better Email. They define the layout, the available modules, the editable inputs, and the rules that shape the marketer experience in the Email Editor.

If an email should feel flexible without going off-brand, that work starts in the template.

What a template contains​

Every template has three core parts:

  • Template base: the outer HTML and Liquid wrapper for the full email
  • Modules: reusable content blocks that marketers add to emails
  • Assets: uploaded files such as logos, icons, and images used across the template

Templates can also include:

  • Template-level settings for global controls like brand, language, footer behavior, or theme
  • Module metadata such as thumbnails, hidden status, and AI instructions
  • Revision history so you can restore, review, and publish changes safely

How templates connect to emails​

When someone creates a new email, they choose a template first. That template controls:

  • which modules are available
  • which fields are editable
  • how the email is rendered
  • which validations must pass before review or export

This is why template quality has such a big impact on day-to-day campaign work.

Template base​

The template base is the shared wrapper around the full email. It usually includes the outer HTML structure, shared styles, and global sections like the header or footer.

The template base must contain {{ content }} exactly where the email's modules should render.

Use template-level settings when a value should affect the whole email or several modules at once. Common examples include:

  • brand or theme selection
  • language or market selection
  • global spacing, colors, and typography
  • preview text and footer controls

Modules​

Modules are the reusable content blocks that marketers work with in the Email Editor. Typical examples are hero sections, article cards, product rows, image-and-text layouts, or CTA sections.

A good module should:

  • have a clear purpose
  • expose only the inputs a marketer actually needs
  • inherit global rules from the template base where that makes sense
  • include sensible defaults so the preview looks good immediately

Read more in Modules.

Template Editor​

The Template Editor is where template authors build and maintain templates. In the current editor you can:

  • switch between the template base and individual modules
  • edit HTML and Liquid
  • manage settings and inputs
  • upload assets
  • edit metadata such as thumbnails and AI notes
  • open preview in a separate window
  • save changes and create revisions

For the full workflow, see Template Editor.

TODO: Add an annotated screenshot of the Template Editor showing the module picker, History, Preview, Save, and the right-side tabs.

Assets​

Use assets for files that should live with the template, such as logos, icons, and shared imagery. After upload, you can copy the asset URL and use it in the template base or in a module.

If you use image assets in HTML, prefer the image helpers and resizing tools described in the image input docs so the final email stays optimized.

Metadata and hidden modules​

Modules can include metadata that improves both usability and maintenance:

  • thumbnail to make module selection easier
  • AI metadata to guide Betty when creating or updating content
  • hidden status to keep a module out of the marketer-facing module list without deleting its code

This is especially useful when you are phasing out old modules or keeping internal utility modules in the template.

Revisions​

Templates support revision history so you can work more safely:

  • save your current changes
  • create named revisions for important milestones
  • view older revisions
  • restore previous versions
  • publish a specific revision when it is ready

If several people maintain the same template, revisions are one of the most important guardrails in the workflow.

TODO: Add a screenshot of the History panel with a named revision, a draft revision, and the Publish action visible.

Next steps​