Coming soon: searchable merge fields in email templates

Today you add details to an email by clicking codes such as [@application_first_name@] in a long Legend under the editor. Some labels are unclear, some codes don't fill in the email you are writing, and a typo goes to the recipient as it is. The planned change makes merge fields easy to find, easy to read, and safe to send.

What will change

Search for the detail you want

A button above the editor, and another beside the subject, will open a search box in place of today's Legend. Type what you want, such as "first name" or "start date", and choose from the results. You will be able to insert fields into the subject as well as the body.

Results will be grouped, for example Applicant, Opportunity, Employer, Interview, Your organisation and Sender. Each field will have a plain name and an example, such as "First name · Alex". Searching for an old code, such as [@opportunity_heading@], will still find its field.

You will be able to use the search with the keyboard: arrow keys to move, Enter to insert, Esc to close.

Only fields that work in this email

Each email will list only the fields it can fill in. For example, interview dates will only be offered in interview emails.

Clearer fields in the text

Inserted fields will show in the editor as clear markers, such as "Applicant · First name", rather than codes. A field can't be split or half formatted by accident. A field enrola doesn't recognise will be highlighted, so you can spot a typo before anyone sees it.

A value for when a detail is missing

When you insert a field, you will be able to give a value to use if the record has none, for example "there" in "Hi [first name]", so nobody reads "Hi ,".

Preview before you send

A Preview will show the email with real values filled in, in your organisation's email layout. In Settings it will use sample details; in a send window it will use the record you are emailing. It will also tell you which fields are empty for that record.

Checks when you save

enrola will check the fields in a template when you save it, and point out any it doesn't recognise, with a suggestion such as "Did you mean First name?".

Clearer labels

Wrong and unclear labels in today's Legend, such as the employer's postcode labelled "Default Contact Name", will be corrected.

What stays the same

• Your saved templates keep working.
• Emails are sent the same way, to the same people.
• Details that applicants and employers typed are still cleaned before they go into an email, so they can't add links or images.

What you might need to do

Nothing straight away. When it arrives, open your most-used templates and preview them. If enrola points out a field it doesn't recognise, fix it there.