Configuring Email Templates

This page explains how to create, edit, and use the Aeon email templates. All email templates are stored in the Aeon database and can be accessed and edited from the Aeon Customization Manager.

Types of Templates

There are 4 types of email templates in Aeon: Transaction, User, Activity, and Appointment (as of v5.1). The type of template you choose determines which table fields are available to you when creating or editing a template. 

Locating Email Templates

You can add, remove, and edit email templates by opening the Aeon Customization Manager and clicking on the Email Templates tab at the top. There are several default templates created and available for use. See Aeon Default Email Templates for details.

 Editing Email Templates

There are three sections in an email template:

• Template Details: Includes the Name, Type, Transaction Status, Photoduplication Status, and Description of the template. The Description field is an editable field.
• Template Content: Includes Recipient Name, Recipient Address, CC Address, BCC Address, From, Reply To, and Subject. These fields are often prepopulated and can be filled using static information or field tags.
• Body: The body text of the templates is prepopulated for you, and includes field tags to pull information from the database. You can edit the body of the template.

You can edit any of the 3 sections of the default email templates.

1. To open and view a template for editing, click on the Edit button in the Email Templates ribbon and choose the template you want to edit.
2. To edit text, make changes to the Template Details or Template Content section of the template. Edited fields will be highlighted until the changes are saved.
3. To add or edit a field, right-click in the text box to bring up the menu of available database table fields and click the field tag you want to use.
4. Click Save in the Email Templates ribbon to save the changes.

Adding Database Tags to Email Templates

Tags allow you to pull information from your Aeon database straight into your emails so you don't have to manually type that information. You can easily add these fields into your email templates.

1. On an field that allows tags to be added, right-click to see the tag options.
2. Select the tag you want by first selecting the database table (such as User or Request) and then the field name (such as ItemTitle or CallNumber).
3. The tag will display in the email.
4. Click Save to save changes.

If you are creating email templates containing custom fields, please see Unlimited Custom Fields for more information about configuration.

Creating Email Templates

You can create new Transaction, User, and Activity email templates in the Customization Manager.

1. Under the Email Templates ribbon, click New and choose either Transaction Template, User Template, Activity Template, or Appointment Template.
2. A blank template will open. The Type field will be labeled Transaction, User, Activity, or Appointment depending upon which template type you chose.
3. Complete the Template Details and address lines, using static information or field tags.
4. Draft the body text of the email, using the supplied field tags by right-clicking and selecting from the field tables.
5. When you are finished, click the Save button in the Email Templates ribbon.
6. Your new template now appears under the Edit button on the Email Templates ribbon and is ready to use.

You can also copy a template, make changes to it, and save it as a new template. Simply open a template by clicking Edit and the template you would like to copy. The template will open. Click Copy and the Name of the template disappears. Type the name you choose for your new template, make the changes you want to make, and select Save.

Deleting Email Templates

You can delete an email template that you no longer want to use. You cannot delete any of the default email templates.

1. Under the Email Templates ribbon, click Edit and choose the template that you want to delete.
2. The selected template displays. Click the Delete button in the Emails Template ribbon.
3. A confirmation window asks if you want to delete the template and warns that the action cannot be undone.
4. Click Yes to delete the template. The selected template will be deleted from the database.

Using Email Templates

Email Templates use fields from tables in the Customization Manager to complete the email, which is generated and sent from within the Client by the System Manager. To see the email (not the template) in the Aeon Desktop Client and edit the email before sending it if necessary, you can click the Edit Email toggle button on the control for the relevant process, for example, from the Reason for Cancellation popup window when cancelling a request. Otherwise, the email will not display on the screen and will be sent automatically when you select Cancel Request. The option to edit emails before sending is available throughout the Aeon Desktop Client in various formats, such as the Customize Email checkbox on the Merge Users form.

In the Aeon Web Client, you can check the Edit email? checkbox located on the Send Email? window that appears after performing an action that will generate an email, such as rescheduling an appointment, to view and/or modify the email before sending.