Email Editor Overview

Drag & Drop Email Editor

Patch's Email Editor is accessible in our Blasts, Automations, Templates, and Email Snippets modules.

When building a Template, Blasts, or Automation and you have selected Email as the type of message you want to create you will then be directed to the Email Editor.

Note: When using the Email Editor be sure to save your work regularly using the Floppy Disk icon in the top right corner. Building Emails can often take time and if you build the entire message without saving as you go there is a risk that servers can timeout and you may lose your work. Saving often throughout this process will help prevent this from happening and in the event it does the amount of work lost will be limited. 

First, you will land on the Main Email Settings page. This page contains three tabs: Send Settings, Rich Content, and Preview.

 

On the Send Settings tab, you have the following options: 

Subject:

• Enter a subject for the email into this field. 

Inbox Preview Text:

• You have the option to change how the preview text will appear.

Send From:

• You can choose an email address to send from or add a new one
  
  

Send a copy to (Automations Only):

• Please check with Customer Sucess before utilizing the 'send copy to' at success@patchretention.com 

Email Type:

• Here is where the type of email can be changed if needed. The drag-and-drop editor is Rich Content. You also have the options to choose from Raw HTML, or Plain Text.
  
  
  

(There are different reasons why you may want to change the email type such as to copy/paste HTML code, but by default, it will choose Rich Content Email.

There are three main sections on the Rich Content page:

• The Default Header
• Content
• The Default Footer

The grey bars/background at the top and bottom are indicators of the header and footer content.

Again this information can be edited in the Account Settings under Account Details.

Each section has its own unique menu options.

 

Default Header

Each section highlights when selected.

The same icons will appear in the lower right corner of the window.

• Desktop View / Hide
• Mobile View / Hide
• Filter (Default is set to Off)
• Delete this item
• Copy / Duplicate
• Move / Re-Position

 

There are two options to edit the Header.

‘EDIT THIS SNIPPET’

This first option can change the Header globally. This would be a permanent change to the existing. Default Header.

‘REPLACE WITH A COPY’

This second option will edit ONLY this current email.

It will make a one-time change to the Default Header

Layout

First, you must choose a layout. 

• There are different types of single or multi-column layouts.
  
• Click and drag to drop the desired layout into position.
• You can have multiple layouts in an email.
• Both the Row and Column Settings are adjustable.
• If you have multiple columns, be sure to select which column settings you want to configure. 
• Add or delete columns with the (+) sign or trash can icon.
• You can reorder columns with the arrows pointing left or right.
• The Background can have an image as its background. 
• Both the Background and Content Background can be in color. 
• All Layouts will have similar Padding and Border Options.

There are three types of padding that can be adjusted:

• Row Padding
• Column Padding
• Container Padding

Increase Row Padding to add distance between all columns and the row border.

Increase Column Padding to add distance between the column border and the row border.

Increase Container Padding to add distance between the top of the text content and the column border.

Increase Column / Row Border px to add line thickness bordering the column/row.

When selecting ‘More Options’ you will be able to set each individual side to something unique.

Secondly, choose Content.

After you have a layout in position to use, you will then need to drag and drop a content block into that space.

There are different types of content blocks to use.

• Heading - Specific text block used for titles/heading
• Text - Input characters for your message/content
• Image - Supported file types: .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .gif 
• Button - Insert a clickable button
• Divider - Adds a horizontal line for separation
• Spacer - Adds a blank space for separation
• Social - Add Social Media account to a clickable icon
• Opt-Out - Adds link where they can unsubscribe

Any Content Block with Text involved will include these settings:

Font, size, color, alignment, hyperlink, numbered / bullet points for lists. 

You can insert SmartText, a Smartlink, SmartOffers (non-Shopify accounts), or to insert Discount Codes you will use SmartText (Shopify Accounts - Automations). 

The Responsive Settings at the bottom have options to Hide from Desktop / Mobile view, and even add a filter to have dynamic content only appear for certain customers. 

Letter Spacing and Line Height are also adjustable.

For an Image Block you must choose an image to be used. 

You can use an existing file, upload a new file, or use a URL.

Can optionally enter the Link URL to function when someone clicks on this image to go to a website.

Supported file types are:

.jpeg, .jpg, .png, .gif

For a Button, you can change what it says and how it looks.

The Button Settings have the same Border and Padding options.

You can increase the Button Rounded Border for the corners of the button to appear more rounded.

When this button is clicked, it will take you to a website. Enter the website URL you want this link into the field: Button Link URL

You can also choose Left, Right, or Center Alignment for the button.

For a Divider, the Divider Settings allow you to change the Width of the horizontal line.

You can also increase the Line Thickness and change it from a Solid Line to a Dotted or Dashed Line.

A Spacer is similar to a Divider but without a horizontal line.

You can increase the size and add color to the space.

Adding a Social content block adds a few icons by default. If you have social media accounts, you can input your page in the Link URL for the corresponding platform.

You can remove the platform by clicking on the trash can icon in the upper right corner of that window.

You can add a platform by selecting the option at the bottom to ADD NEW SOCIAL ITEM.

To reorder the platforms use the arrows above the name.

You can also choose from different Icon Image color options.

You can also adjust the Icon Size and Icon Spacing for the Social platform, as well as change the Horizontal Alignment.

The Opt-Out block simply adds a sentence with a link to Unsubscribe in that space/area:

Note: Opt-out messaging is typically included in your Footer Snippet however this content block can be used in lieu of including this in your footer. 

 

Use any combination of Content Blocks to create your email content.

Use the Back arrow above the Settings window to choose between Layout, Content, and Style Settings, get to the Style Settings.

The Default Global Settings are automatically populated based on the global Brand Settings that are set up and edited in the Account Settings under Account Details.

Brand Settings automatically propagate into your email however you can manually override these style settings on a per-email basis without permanently affecting your global settings.

This is where you can adjust the Content Width if needed.

 

Default Footer

The same circumstances apply to the Footer Snippet as it does to the Header Snippet. You can make a permanent or one-time change.

By default, the Footer Snippet includes the Opt-Out message.

Again, by default account information will appear and you can edit what the information says in the Account Settings under Business Settings or General Fields. 

It is highly recommended to use the 'Floppy Disk' icon to save your work as you are building out your email, regularly saving as you go will help avoid losing any work.

It is also highly recommended to use the ‘Send Test’ feature before sending your email. 

This feature is available for sendable messages.

To send a test you must enter an email address. When you ‘Send Test’, the message is sent ‘as is’.