---
schema_version: "1"
id: 1a63b1b21bf4d9618f5a8818747bb87853b0f686b444669b7d11f689a3d37909
title: Guidelines for Using Email Template Builder
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/sales/264-0-0/email_template_builder_guidelines.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.email_template_builder_guidelines.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 4249231ed4e223f94c1d1593909d99e4815aa9dbc69c836d006e06f1df12e196
description: Review these guidelines for using Email Template Builder.
products:
  - Sales Cloud
  - Cross Cloud
  - Service Cloud Voice
release: "264"
---
# Guidelines for Using Email Template Builder

Review these guidelines for using Email Template Builder.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Lightning Experience for email templates created in Email Template Builder and Email Content Builder</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions.</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Account Engagement Lightning App for all Account Engagement editions</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Active Content

You can’t use active content in an HTML or Rich Text component. Active content doesn’t appear correctly, and it can compromise your org’s security. Active content is a type of interactive, dynamic website content. This content includes items such as:

- Programs such as Java and JavaScript
- Animated images
- ActiveX controls
- Streaming video and audio
- Embedded objects
- HTML comments

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sales-sales_productivity-264-0-0-production-enus/b2f6c36a-fa61-4a3c-9752-032ce1818a69/images/icon_note.png)

Note Microsoft Office (MSO) tags are allowed in HTML and Rich Text components.

## Merge Fields

- The merge field picker doesn't work when editing a rich text editor component in Source Mode. However, you can manually type merge fields to add them.
- There’s no merge field picker for the subject line, but you can manually type merge fields to add them.
- The <style> tag isn’t supported in rich text fields that also have merge fields. If you have code that handles sending email and inserting email templates, keep this difference in mind.
- Not every merge field can be used with every email recipient. For example, the {{{Recipient.Department}}} merge field can be used with contacts only, while no recipient merge fields can be used when a user is the recipient.
    
    ![Inserting a merge field](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sales-sales_productivity-264-0-0-production-enus/b2f6c36a-fa61-4a3c-9752-032ce1818a69/sales_productivity/images/sales_users_email/handlebars_merge_fields.png)
    
    The Insert Merge Field window shows you which fields work with both Lead and Contact (1), with Contact only (2), or with Lead only (3).

## Images

- Salesforce Files inserted as images inserted by using the by using the use the **Select From Files** button are converted from Content Document links to Content Asset links when you save the template. You can’t copy the image address link or use the public link.
- The image upload selector doesn't work when editing a rich text editor component in Source Mode.
- The .SVG image type isn’t supported.
- When using the `src` attribute to add an image in an HTML `<img>` tag, start the URL with https://.

## Editing Templates

- In the email composer, you can choose to **Save as new template**. The new template is a Lightning email template, not an Email Template Builder template.
- On the Email Templates home page, you can clone an existing Email Template Builder template. If the user has the Access Drag-and-Drop Content Builder user permission, the cloned template is an Email Template Builder template. If the user doesn’t have the Access Drag-and-Drop Content Builder user permission, the cloned template is a Lightning email template.
- After a template is edited in Email Template Builder, it can only be edited in Email Template Builder. However, unlocked sections of the template can be edited in the email and list email composers after the template is inserted.

## Users with an Account Engagement (Pardot) License

To use CMS when choosing an image in a component:

- A default channel must be selected in setup.
- The user must be a contributor to a CMS workspace that is associated with the Lightning Content Builder channel.
- The image size can be up to 25 MB.

To insert an Account Engagement file into a component, manually input the public image URL.

## General Guidelines

- Salesforce discourages customers from entering raw personally identifiable (PII) or privacy violation data in any email template or email content. Avoid using free-form fields for private data, especially on the free form fields like RTE and HTML Editor. Instead, include customer data by using merge fields.
- Responsive rendering is triggered when the width is less than 320 px. At less than 320 px, the template renders as if it’s in phone mode and columns in the same row are stacked. A docked email composer shows a template in phone mode. A popped-out email composer shows a template in desktop mode.
- To see keyboard shortcuts and accessibility options in the rich text editor, press **Alt + 0** (Windows) or **Option + 0** (Mac).
- Having two instances of Email Template Builder open in two tabs can result in unsaved or overwritten changes. If more than one user edits the same Email Template Builder template at the same time, changes can be overwritten \* .
- When using an iPad, use the **+** icon to add components instead of dragging them from the components panel.
- Forwarding an email that uses an Email Template Builder template breaks responsiveness in some email clients, such as Gmail.
- To assign no color in the property panel, remove the hexadecimal value.

#### See Also

- [Email Template Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.email_template_builder_parent.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "The email template builder is a visual tool for creating rich, engaging email templates.")
- [Considerations for Using Email Template Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.email_template_builder_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Before setting up Email Template Builder, review this information.")
- [Enhanced Email for Account Engagement](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.email_content_builder_parent.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Using Email Templates and Email Content Together](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.pardot_eilex_using_templates.htm&type=5&language=en_US)