BoldDesk allows you to customize email notifications by creating and editing templates under Admin → Email Notifications. You can use HTML within the template editor to control formatting, including layouts, headings, spacing, and links. HTML can also be combined with placeholders and Liquid templates to insert dynamic values, such as ticket fields, when the email is sent.

Email notifications can be managed separately for different recipient groups through the Agent, Contact, and Watchers tabs. Each tab contains the notification events available for that recipient type, and you can create custom templates for those events.

Prerequisites

Before configuring HTML in an email notification template, ensure that:

• The agent has access to the Admin module and the Manage Email Notifications and Templates permission enabled in their role.
• The notification event you want to customize is available under the appropriate recipient tab (Agent, Contact, or Watchers).

How to Configure HTML for an Email Notification Template

To create an email notification template using HTML:

1. In the Agent Portal, go to Admin.

2. Select Email Notifications.

3. Choose one of the following tabs:

   • Agent – Notifications sent to agents
   • Contact – Notifications sent to requesters/contacts
   • Watchers – Notifications sent to watchers

4. Select the tab that corresponds to the audience for the notification you want to customize.

5. Locate the notification event you want to modify.
   

   

6. Select the Configure (gear) icon next to the event.
   

   
   
   

7. On the event configuration page, select Create Template.

   

8. Enter a Template Name and a Subject.

   • To include dynamic values into the Subject, use Insert Placeholders.

     

9. In the Description editor, select Code View.

   

10. Paste your HTML content into the editor while Code View is enabled.
    

    

11. (Optional) Select Insert Placeholders to add supported dynamic values within the HTML body.

12. (Optional) Select Insert Liquid Template to add conditional logic, such as if/else statements.

13. Select Preview in the template editor toolbar.

    

14. Confirm:

    • The HTML layout renders correctly
    • Placeholders appear where expected
    • Liquid blocks (if used) are placed correctly and are not malformed

15. Select Add to save the template.

    

16. Return to the event configuration list and select the newly created template from the template dropdown for the relevant brand(s).
17. Ensure the event is enabled for the brand(s) where you want the customized email to send.

Best Practices

Follow these recommendations when designing HTML email templates:

• Use inline CSS, as many email clients remove external stylesheets.
• Use table-based layouts for multi-column designs to maximize email client compatibility.
• Keep HTML simple and lightweight. Avoid JavaScript, external scripts, and overly complex CSS.
• Use Insert Placeholders whenever possible instead of manually typing placeholder tokens to prevent formatting or validation issues.
• Preview and test templates before assigning them to production notification events.

Troubleshooting

1. The Email Displays Raw HTML Instead of Formatted Content

• Possible Cause: The HTML was entered as plain text instead of through Code View.
• Solution:
  • Ensure the HTML was pasted while Code View was enabled.
  • Use Preview to verify the rendered output before saving the template.

2. Placeholders Are Not Replaced With Dynamic Values

• Possible Cause: The placeholder is invalid or not supported for the selected template context.
• Solution:
  • Insert placeholders using Insert Placeholders rather than entering them manually.
  • Confirm the placeholder is supported for the selected notification event.

3. Conditional Content Is Not Displayed Correctly

• Possible Cause: The Liquid syntax contains errors.
• Solution:
  • Verify that all Liquid tags are correctly formatted.
  • Ensure every {% if %} block has a matching {% endif %}.
  • Review nested conditions for syntax issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do I need to choose Agent, Contact, or Watchers before selecting an email notification event?
   Email notification events are organized by recipient type. Selecting Agent, Contact, or Watchers displays the events available for that audience and ensures the template is assigned to the correct recipients.

2. How do I add HTML code to the email message body?
   When creating a template, select Code View in the Description editor and paste your HTML code into the editor. This ensures the content is stored and rendered as HTML rather than plain text.

3. What is the difference between Insert Placeholders and Insert Liquid Template?

   • Insert Placeholders inserts supported dynamic values, such as ticket fields, into the subject or email body.
   • Insert Liquid Template adds dynamic logic, such as conditional statements and content rules using Liquid syntax.

4. How do I verify that an HTML email template will render correctly before saving it?
   Use Preview in the template editor toolbar to confirm:

   • The HTML layout renders correctly
   • Placeholders appear where expected
   • Liquid blocks (if used) are correctly placed and not malformed
     After confirming, select Add to save the template and assign it to the relevant brand(s) for that event.

Related articles

1. How to Manage and Personalize Email Notifications.
2. Supported Email Notification Templates Placeholders in BoldDesk
3. How to Use Liquid in BoldDesk to Build Dynamic Conditional Content
4. How to Use Nested If Conditions in Liquid Email Templates