How to import sample templates with Template Starter

The **Sample Templates** tab in eCourtDate opens the **Template Starter**, where you choose a use case, browse pre-built auto messages and flows written for it, and import the ones your agency needs. You can import a sample as written, or rewrite it with AI first.

### Overview

- **What it is:** A three step screen. Step one is a grid of use case cards, step two lists the **Auto Messages** and **Flows** built for the use case you picked, and step three lets you rewrite a template with AI before importing it.
- **Why it matters:** Importing a sample creates a working auto message or flow in seconds, with the trigger, timing, and merge tags already filled in.
- **Who uses it:** Staff who can reach **Admin** > **Messaging** and create auto messages and flows for your agency.
- **Expected outcomes:** A new auto message or flow in your agency, opened for you to rename, edit, and save.

### Prerequisites

- Access to **Admin** > **Messaging** in eCourtDate
- Permission to create auto messages and flows for your agency
- An idea of which use case you need, since every template on the page is filed under one

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Open the Template Starter

1. Click **Admin** in the top navigation bar.
2. Select **Messaging** from the dropdown.
3. Click the **Sample Templates** tab.
4. Read the **Template Starter** heading and the line below it: "Choose a use case to browse pre-built templates for auto messages and flows."

#### Step 2: Choose a use case

1. Review the **Best Practices Templates** cards at the top of the page. These three cards carry a **Best Practices** badge and come from ideas42, whose templates are built on behavioral research aimed at raising court appearance rates: **Criminal Court Reminders**, **JP Court & Citations**, and **Court Operations**.
2. Review the twelve standard cards below the divider: **Court Date Reminders**, **Payment & Fines**, **Case Updates**, **Event Notifications**, **Client Onboarding**, **Document Requests**, **Compliance & Supervision**, **Probation & Parole**, **Jury Duty**, **Victim Notifications**, **Warrants & FTA**, and **General Communications**.
3. Click the card that matches the messages you want.

#### Step 3: Review the templates for that use case

1. Read the cards under **Auto Messages**. Each one shows the template name, a badge with its trigger, and the full English message.
2. Read the cards under **Flows**. Each one shows the flow name, a badge with the number of messages, and every message with its trigger and timing, such as 7 days before.
3. Click **Templates** in the breadcrumb, or the back arrow next to the use case name, to return to the card grid and pick a different use case.

#### Step 4: Import a template as written

1. Click **Import** on the auto message or flow card you want.
2. Wait for the new record to open. An auto message opens on its own page under **Auto Messages**, and a flow shows a **Flow imported** message and opens under **Flows**.
3. Rename the record in the **Name** field, or in **Flow Name** for a flow.
4. Check that the **Trigger** matches the workflow you want.
5. Edit the message content to match your agency's wording.
6. Click **Save**.

#### Step 5: Rewrite a template with AI before importing

1. Click **Customize** on the card instead of **Import**.
2. Read the sample in the **Original Template** panel on the left.
3. Click one of the quick suggestions in the **AI Customization** panel to generate right away: **Make it shorter**, **More formal tone**, **More friendly tone**, **Add urgency**, or **Simplify language**.
4. Type your own instruction in the prompt box and click **Customize with AI** if none of the suggestions fit.
5. Compare the generated text with the original.
6. Click **Import Customized** to import the rewritten wording, or **Import Original** to import the sample unchanged.
7. Click **Copy** under **Original Template**, or under the generated text, if you want the wording on your clipboard rather than a new record.

### What to Expect

Importing creates a live record immediately. For an auto message, eCourtDate copies the sample name, trigger, subject, and English message, leaves **Simulate Mode** off, and opens the new auto message so you can edit it. For a flow, it copies the flow name, reference, type, and every message with its timing, then opens the new flow. Because **Simulate Mode** starts off, turn it on from the auto message page if you want to test before real messages go out. The sample library itself never changes, so you can import the same card again to create a second independent copy.

### Best Practices

- Rename the imported record straight away. The name comes from the sample, so several imports from one use case can look alike in your list.
- Turn on **Simulate Mode** on an imported auto message while you test it, then turn it off when the wording and trigger are right.
- Use **Customize** rather than editing after import when you want tone changes, since the AI request is written to preserve merge tags such as [EventDate] and [PortalLink].
- Import one card at a time. Each import navigates you to the new record, so you return through **Admin** > **Messaging** > **Sample Templates** for the next one.
- Start with the **Best Practices Templates** cards for court date reminders, then fall back to the standard use cases for everything else.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Where does an imported template go?**

A: An imported auto message opens on its own page under **Auto Messages** and an imported flow opens on its own page under **Flows**, both reached from **Admin** > **Messaging**. Each import is a new record in your agency.

**Q: What merge tags do the samples use?**

A: Square bracket tags such as [CaseNumber], [EventDate], [EventTime], [LocationName], [PortalLink], [AgencyPhone], and [PaymentAmount]. The AI customization request is written to keep them in place.

**Q: Are the samples available in other languages?**

A: The samples carry English content only. After importing an auto message, use **Auto Translate All** on the auto message page to add your other languages.

**Q: Does the AI rewrite apply to flows?**

A: **Customize with AI** rewrites the text on screen for both types, but **Import Customized** applies the new wording only to auto messages. For a flow, import it and then paste the copied text into the flow message you want to change.

**Q: Can I import the same sample twice?**

A: Yes. Every click of **Import** creates a separate record, so you can import one sample again and edit each copy on its own.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** **Customize with AI** will not run.

**Symptoms:** The button stays disabled after you open the customization step.

**Solution:** The button is disabled while the prompt box is empty, and while a generation or an import is already running. Type an instruction in the prompt box, or wait for the action in progress to finish.

**Issue:** A use case shows no **Flows** section.

**Symptoms:** Only **Auto Messages** cards appear after you click a use case card.

**Solution:** Each section appears only when the use case has templates of that type. **Court Operations** under **Best Practices Templates** ships auto messages and no flows. Click **Templates** in the breadcrumb and pick another use case if you need a multi message sequence.

### Related Articles

- [How to Create an Auto Message](/how-to-create-an-auto-message)
- [How to Create a Flow](/how-to-create-a-flow)
- [How to Use Merge Tags](/how-to-use-merge-tags)
- [How to use the Content Generator](/how-to-use-ai-generator)