Editing email notification templates

Fastpath: Admin Console: System > Settings > Message Templates

CAUTION:

While you can edit any of the application's email templates, and we encourage you to edit the header and footer email templates, we otherwise recommend that you limit changes to email templates because such customizations increase your upgrade tasks.

The templates cover a wide range of actions in the application. Some of these are very common, such as email notifications when content is changed or added (for example, for blogs, documents, and spaces) or when someone requests a password reset. Others are sent for actions or events that are more rare. You can find a complete list of templates in the Admin Console. You can customize the header and footer of outbound emails. Also, you can add new templates in locales that are not available by default. For information about changing template language and locale, see Localizing email notification templates.

Note: You configure other specific aspects of email in other parts of the Admin Console. For example, you set whether moderation email should be sent on the Discussions settings pages.

Email messages sent by Jive can be sent as plain text or HTML. Each template includes a plain text version and an HTML version.

Placeholder tokens

When you're editing templates, use the syntax of Apach FreeMarker. Each template supports a specific set of placeholder tokens for email content that vary from message to message. For example, the notification email sent to users following a document includes tokens for the followed document, the following user, and the URL of the followed document. In the template text, refer to tokens by using FreeMarker syntax, such as ${document}, ${user}, or ${docURL}.

As you edit the template, click Preview to see your work.

Template examples

Here are examples designed to tell a user that an item they're following has been updated. This template begins by telling the recipient the name of the user who created or modified the item. It then provides the title of the item ("subject"). The template then checks to see if the system is configured to support other features related to content, and may display one or all of the following messages to the recipient:

If the system allows commenting on the item by replying to the notification email.
If the system supports updating the item by sending a new version via email.
If the system supports creating new content via mail.

Plain text template example

${contentAuthorName} <#if contentAuthorURL?has_content>[${contentAuthorURL}]</#if> <#if isNewContentItem?? && isNewContentItem>created<#else>modified</#if> the document:

"${contentSubject}"

To view the document, visit: ${contentURL}

<#if includePostContentInEmail && !docVerseDocument && !binaryDocument>
--------------------------------------------------------------
${contentTextBody}
--------------------------------------------------------------
</#if>

<#if emailReplyEnabled>
<#if docVerseDocument && docVerseEnabled>
By replying to this email, you can take action on this document.  If you attach a new version as a file to the email,
a new version of the document will be created.  The body of the reply, if any, will be treated as a comment.
Comment by replying to this email -or- go to the document on ${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}
[${contentURL}]
<#else>
Comment by replying to this email -or- go to the document on ${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}
[${contentURL}]
</#if>
<#elseif hasRespondEntitlement>
Comment by going to ${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}
[${contentURL}]
</#if>

<#if emailCreateEnabled>
Create a new document in ${containerName} by email
[${newContentAddress}] -or- at ${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}
[${newContentURL}]
<#elseif hasCreateEntitlement>
Create a new document in ${containerName} at ${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}
[${newContentURL}]
</#if>

HTML template example

<h3 style="margin: 10px 0 5px; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">
    ${contentSubject}
</h3>
<span style="margin-bottom: 10px;">
    <#if isNewContentItem?? && isNewContentItem>created by<#else>modified by</#if> <#if contentAuthorURL?has_content><a href="${contentAuthorURL}">${contentAuthorName}</a><#else>${contentAuthorName}</#if> in <i>${containerName}</i> - <a href="${contentURL}">View the full document</a>
</span>
<hr style="margin: 20px 0; border: none; background-color: #dadada; height: 1px;">

<#if includePostContentInEmail && !docVerseDocument && !binaryDocument>
${contentBody}
</#if>

<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; padding: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">
<#if emailReplyEnabled>
<#if docVerseDocument && docVerseEnabled>
    <p style="margin: 0;">By replying to this email, you can take action on this document.  If you attach a new version as a file to the email,
    a new version of the document will be created.  The body of the reply, if any, will be treated as a comment.</p>
<#else>
	<p style="margin: 0;">Comment by replying to this email -or- <a href="${contentURL}">go to the document on ${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}</a></p>
</#if>
<#elseif hasRespondEntitlement>
    <p style="margin: 0;">Comment by <a href="${contentURL}">going to ${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}</a></p>
</#if>

<#if emailCreateEnabled>
	<p style="margin: 0;">Create a new document in ${containerName} by <a href="mailto:${newContentAddress}">email</a> -or- at <a href="${newContentURL}">${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}</a></p>
<#elseif hasCreateEntitlement>
	<p style="margin: 0;">Create a new document in ${containerName} at <a href="${newContentURL}">${SkinUtils.getCommunityName()}</a></p>
</#if>
</div>

Password information in email templates

The User Creation Welcome Email template supports including the ${password} token while it is being defined. However, through this setup, the user passwords are sent embedded as simple text in the email body leaving its security at risk. As a secure practice, we recommend that you use links for password reset instead of sending the passwords directly in the welcome email.

You can use the following markup in your email templates to add links to password reset:

In plain text:

<#if jiveURL?has_content>
Someone created your account on your behalf. If you did not receive a password from that person, 
you'll need to click on "I forgot my password" or go to reset your password 
at ${instanceURL}emailPasswordToken!input.jspa
<#else>
Someone created your account on your behalf. If you did not receive a password from that person, 
you'll need to click on "I forgot my password"
</#if>
username: ${newUserUsername}

In HTML:

<p>
<#if jiveURL?has_content>
Someone created your account on your behalf. If you did not receive a password from that person, 
you'll need to click on "I forgot my password" or go to reset your password 
at <a href='${instanceURL}emailPasswordToken!input.jspa'>${instanceURL}emailPasswordToken!input.jspa</a> to update your password.<br>
<#else>
Someone created your account on your behalf. If you did not receive a password from that person, 
you'll need to click on "I forgot my password"<br>
</#if>
<br>
username: ${newUserUsername}
</p>