Message templates let you create reusable content for text, voice, email, and push notifications so your agency can communicate with clients consistently and efficiently.

### Overview

Message templates in eCourtDate are the building blocks of all outbound communication. Instead of writing a new message every time you need to contact a client, you create a template once and reuse it across auto messages, flows, bulk actions, and one-off messages. Templates support multiple channels (SMS/MMS, voice calls, emails, and push notifications), multilingual translations, and dynamic personalization through merge tags. Court administrators, clerks, probation officers, and other government staff use templates to send court reminders, payment notices, check-in instructions, and status updates.

- Templates ensure every message follows your agency's approved language and tone.
- Merge tags automatically insert client, case, event, and payment details so each recipient gets a personalized message.
- Auto-translate functionality lets you reach clients in their preferred language without manually writing each translation.
- Templates work with both Auto Messages (single-step) and Flows (multi-step sequences).

### Prerequisites

Before creating message templates, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate agency on staging or production
- Super admin role or the **Create Auto Messages** and **Update Auto Messages** permissions
- At least one agency phone number or email configured (go to **Admin** > **Settings** > **Agency Phones** or **Agency Emails**)
- A clear understanding of the message channels you plan to use (text, voice, email, or push)
- Any files or images you want to attach uploaded to the **Files** section under **Admin** > **Files**

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Navigate to Message Templates

1. Click **Admin** in the top navigation bar.
2. Select **Messaging** from the dropdown menu.
3. You will see tabs for **Auto Messages**, **Flows**, **Sample Templates**, **Components**, and **Generator**.

#### Step 2: Create a New Auto Message Template

Auto messages are single-step templates ideal for one-off or trigger-based messages.

1. Click on the **Auto Messages** tab.
2. In the left column, locate the **Create Auto Message** form.
3. Enter a descriptive name for your template (for example, "Court Hearing Reminder" or "Payment Due Notice").
4. Select the **Trigger** that determines when the message is sent. Choose **Manual** if you plan to use the template only for one-off or bulk messages.
5. Click the **Create** button.
6. You will be redirected to the template editor.

#### Step 3: Write Your Message Content

1. In the **English Subject** field, enter the subject line for email messages. This field is optional for text and voice channels.
2. In the **English Message** field, enter the body of your message.
3. Use merge tags to personalize content. For example, type `[ClientFirstName]` to insert the recipient's first name, or `[NextEventDateTime]` for their upcoming court date.
4. For voice messages, write the content as you want it spoken. Keep sentences short and clear.
5. For email messages, you can write longer content with additional formatting.

#### Step 4: Add Multilingual Translations

1. Below the English fields, you will see additional language fields based on your agency's enabled languages.
2. Write the translated content manually in each language field, or click the **Auto Translate** button to generate translations automatically.
3. Review auto-translated content for accuracy, particularly for legal terminology specific to your jurisdiction.
4. Click **Save** to store all translations.

When a message is sent, eCourtDate checks the client's preferred language and uses the matching translation. If no translation exists for the client's language, the English version is used as a fallback.

#### Step 5: Configure Message Settings

1. Scroll down to the **Scheduling** section to set any delivery delay (in minutes) or restrict sending to business hours.
2. In the **Filters** section, set **Enabled Statuses** to restrict which clients receive the message based on their status.
3. Optionally, add phone numbers or email addresses in the **Additional Recipients** field to copy other staff on each message (similar to BCC).
4. Click **Save** to apply your changes.

#### Step 6: Preview and Test Your Template

1. Click the **Preview** button at the top of the editor.
2. Check the **Simulate Client** checkbox to see the message with sample data, or search for a specific client to preview with real data.
3. Verify that all merge tags resolve correctly and the message reads naturally.
4. Enable **Simulate Mode** on the template to create messages without actually sending them during your testing phase.
5. Click **Save** after confirming your settings.

### What to Expect

After creating a template, it becomes available for use across the platform immediately. You can assign it to auto message triggers, reference it in flows, select it when sending one-off messages from a client record, or use it in bulk actions. Any updates you make to a template apply to future messages. Messages already scheduled or sent are not affected by template changes.

### Best Practices

- **Name templates descriptively.** Use names like "Event Reminder - 3 Days Before" or "Payment Overdue - First Notice" so staff can quickly identify the right template.
- **Test with Simulate Mode before activating triggers.** This creates messages in your outbox without delivering them, letting you verify content and formatting.
- **Keep SMS messages under 160 characters when possible.** Longer messages are split into multiple segments, which may increase costs. Use merge tags efficiently.
- **Review auto-translations with bilingual staff.** Machine translations are a strong starting point but may need adjustments for legal or jurisdiction-specific terms.
- **Use the conditional text syntax for optional merge tags.** Wrap text in `[%label% MergeTag]` so it only appears when the merge tag has a value. For example, `[%Case ID% CaseNumber]` displays "Case ID 12345" only if a case number exists.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What happens if a merge tag has no value for a specific client?**
A: The merge tag is removed from the message. To include surrounding text only when a value exists, use the conditional syntax: `[%Label% MergeTag]`. This prevents awkward blank spaces in your messages.

**Q: Can I use the same template for text, email, and voice messages?**
A: Yes. When a message is sent, eCourtDate automatically delivers it through the channel associated with the client's contact information. Write your template content so it works well across channels, keeping in mind that voice messages are read aloud and emails support longer content.

**Q: How many languages can I translate a template into?**
A: You can translate templates into all languages enabled for your agency. Go to **Admin** > **Settings** to configure your agency's enabled languages. The **Auto Translate** button translates your English content into all enabled languages at once.

**Q: Can I attach files to a message template?**
A: Yes. Use the **Attach File** dropdown to attach a single file, or click **Insert Files** to embed links to multiple files directly in the message body. Email attachments support up to 40MB, while SMS/MMS attachments are limited to 1MB.

**Q: Who can create and edit message templates?**
A: You need the super admin role or the **Create Auto Messages** and **Update Auto Messages** permissions. Contact your agency administrator if you do not have access.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Merge tags appear as plain text in sent messages instead of being replaced with actual data.
**Symptoms:** Recipients see text like `[ClientFirstName]` instead of their name.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the merge tag syntax is correct, including brackets and exact tag names. Refer to the merge tags article for the complete list.
2. Confirm that the client record has data in the corresponding field. For example, `[ClientFirstName]` requires the client's first name to be populated.
3. Check that the message is linked to the correct record type. Event merge tags only work when the message is associated with an event record.

**Issue:** Auto-translated messages are not appearing for non-English clients.
**Symptoms:** All clients receive the English version of the message regardless of their language preference.
**Solution:**

1. Confirm the client's language is set correctly on their client record.
2. Verify that the language is enabled in **Admin** > **Settings**.
3. Check that the translated content was saved in the template. Open the template editor and scroll to the language fields to confirm they are populated.
4. If the issue persists, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### 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 Import Sample Message Templates](/how-to-import-sample-message-templates)
- [How to Preview Message Templates](/how-to-preview-message-templates)