The Email Template Designer is the primary tool for creating all email content in the SHR CRM. It supports both marketing emails sent to segments and transactional emails triggered by system events such as reservations and loyalty activity. Templates built in the Designer are optimized to render correctly across a range of devices, browsers, and email clients, without requiring HTML coding or graphic design skills.
The Designer allows you to complete the following.
Build and edit email templates for campaigns, automated workflows, and transactional communications.
Combine content blocks such as text, images, buttons, and menus using a drag-and-drop canvas.
Apply consistent base styles across a template using the Body settings.
Reuse pre-designed content sections using Blocks.
Preview how a template will appear on desktop and mobile devices before publishing.
Identify and resolve content and accessibility issues using the Audit tool.
Key characteristics
The following are key characteristics of the Email Template Designer.
The Designer uses a drag-and-drop canvas where content blocks are added from the right-side panel and dropped into the template.
The right-side panel changes contextually: the options displayed depend on which tab is active and which element is selected in the canvas.
The Designer has two view modes: Classic and Modern. Modern is the default and recommended mode.
Desktop and mobile previews can be toggled directly within the Designer without leaving the canvas.
All changes must be confirmed using the Apply button before closing the Designer. Closing without applying will discard unsaved changes.
Some content block types, including Carousel, Video, Social, and Timer, are configurable and may not be visible in your CRM instance if they have not been enabled.
Template types
The Designer is used to create two types of email templates.
Template Email is used for automated communications such as campaign workflows, form confirmations, and system-triggered messages. Template Emails can be edited at any time but cannot be manually sent to a specific segment.
Segment Email is manually sent to one or more selected segments. Segment Emails can be sent on demand and can continue sending to new contacts added to the associated segments, but cannot be edited after they have been sent.
Before you start
Review the following before working in the Email Template Designer.
Access to the Designer requires the appropriate user permissions.
Some content block types may only be available depending on your CRM module configuration.
Templates behave differently depending on whether they are used in automated workflows or manual sends. Confirm the template type before you begin.
Access the Email Template Designer
Follow the steps below to create a new email and open the Email Template Designer.
From the left navigation menu, click Campaign Management Tools.
Click Channels, then click Emails.
Click New and select Template Email or Segment Email.
Complete the Detail and Advanced tabs, then click the Templates tab to choose a starting layout or start from a blank canvas.
Click Designer to open the Email Template Designer.
📌 Note: For full guidance on email setup, field definitions, and the send process, refer to the Email Templates: Setup & Configuration article. To edit an existing email, select it from the email list and click Designer.
Designer layout
The Designer is divided into two main areas: the canvas on the left and the right-side panel.
The canvas is the working area where your template is built. Content blocks are dropped into the canvas and arranged by dragging them into position. When no content has been added, the canvas displays the message "No content here. Drag content from right."
The right-side panel contains five tabs that control different aspects of the template. The panel changes based on what is selected.
Tab | Purpose |
Content | Displays the available content block types to drag into the template. When a block is selected in the canvas, the panel switches to show that block's settings. |
Blocks | Pre-designed full-row content sections that can be dragged into the template. |
Body | Controls the default base styles for the template, including fonts, colors, content width, and preheader text. |
Images | Provides access to a searchable library of stock images powered by Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay, licensed under Creative Commons Zero. |
Audit | Identifies content and accessibility issues in the template before publishing. |
Designer toolbar controls
The Designer toolbar appears at the top of the canvas when a template is open.
View mode toggle
The Classic and Modern buttons in the top-right corner switch between the two Designer modes. Modern is the default and provides the current block-based editing experience.
Undo and redo
The undo (←) and redo (→) buttons at the top-left of the canvas step backward and forward through recent changes. Use these to reverse or reapply edits without closing the Designer.
Desktop and mobile preview
The desktop (monitor) and mobile (phone) icons in the toolbar toggle the canvas between desktop and mobile views. Use these to check how the template will appear on different devices before applying changes.
Preview
The eye icon displays a preview of the current template as it will appear to recipients. This is a read-only view and does not allow editing.
Apply
The Apply button in the top-right corner saves and applies all current changes to the template. Changes made in the Designer are not saved until Apply is clicked.
Close Designer
The Close Designer button exits the Designer and returns to the template list. If Apply has not been clicked, unsaved changes will be discarded.
⚠️ Warning: Always click Apply before clicking Close Designer to ensure your changes are saved.
Content block controls
When a content block is selected in the canvas, a small toolbar appears near the block with three icon buttons.
The checkmark icon enables Display Conditions for that block. Clicking it activates dynamic content filtering, allowing you to control whether the block is shown or hidden for specific recipients based on their data.
The trash icon deletes the block from the template.
The copy icon duplicates the block.
At the same time, the right-side panel switches from the Content tab to display the settings for the selected block. The settings available depend on the block type. All blocks include a Display Condition section at the top of the settings panel.
To edit the content of a block directly, such as typing text, editing a button label, or opening the image editor, click directly on the content within the block in the canvas.
📌 Note: Display Conditions are also referred to as Dynamic Content. Refer to the Email Template Designer – Display Conditions article for full guidance.
Template library
The Template Library contains all available templates for your CRM instance. It includes two categories.
Templates: predesigned layouts with generic branding and content available for customer use.
Custom Templates: designed by the customer and built by SHR as part of paid professional services.
📌 Note: Custom Templates require engagement with the SHR team. Contact your account manager for more information.
Personalization
Personalization tags are dynamic placeholders you can insert into email and landing page templates. When an email is sent, each tag is automatically replaced with real data, such as the guest's name, reservation details, or loyalty information, based on what is available in the CRM at the time of sending.
Tags must be entered exactly as defined. A tag that is incorrectly formatted will not resolve and will appear as plain text in the email.
For a full list of available tags and their syntax, refer to the Personalization Tags Overview article.
Dynamic content and Display Conditions
Dynamic content allows you to show or hide content blocks based on profile or reservation data. Instead of creating separate templates for different audiences, you can use dynamic content to display the right message to the right recipient within a single template.
Each dynamic content block can contain multiple variants. Each variant has its own layout and a set of filters that determine which recipients see it. If no variant filter matches a recipient, the default content is shown instead.
Key behaviors to be aware of.
If a filter has incomplete logic, no content is rendered for that block, not even the default.
To intentionally return a blank block for a specific audience, leave the variant design empty.
A variant title is used for internal identification only and is not visible to recipients.
For full configuration guidance, refer to the Email Template Designer – Display Conditions article.
A/B testing
A/B testing allows you to compare two versions of an email to measure which performs better. Common uses include testing subject lines, content variations, and calls to action. Each version is sent to a subset of recipients, and performance data is used to evaluate effectiveness.
For full guidance, refer to the Email Template Designer – A/B Testing article.
AI content tools
The Designer includes AI-powered writing tools to help you draft and refine text content directly within the canvas. The following tools are available within the text editor.
Smart Text: Rewrites or regenerates body text.
Smart Heading: Rewrites or regenerates heading content.
Smart Buttons: Rewrites or regenerates button labels.
These tools can adjust tone, improve clarity, and support multiple languages.
Common design elements
The following terms appear throughout Designer feature articles. This section defines them so you can work with the more detailed articles confidently.
Background color: the color behind content. It can be set at the level of an individual block, a column, a row, or the entire template body. Colors can be selected using the color picker or entered as a HEX code.
Padding: the spacing around content inside a block, column, or row. Padding can be applied equally to all sides or set individually per side. It is used to create visual breathing room between elements.
Border: a visible boundary around an element. Configurable options include color, width, style (solid, dotted, or dashed), and which sides the border appears on.
Row: the full-width horizontal container that holds one or more columns. Row properties include background color, content width (either fitted to the content area or spanning the full template width), and padding around the row container.
Column: a vertical section within a row. Columns are used to divide a row into side-by-side content areas. Column width, background color, padding, and border are all configurable.
Block: an individual content element such as text, an image, a button, or a divider. Blocks are placed inside columns and are the building units of a template.
Content width vs. full width: controls whether a row or image fits within the defined content area of the template or spans edge to edge. Use full width for hero images or background color bands that should extend to the template edges.
Responsive design: ensures your template adapts to display correctly on desktop, mobile, and different email clients without requiring separate templates. The Designer builds responsiveness into the template structure by default.