> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.puddin.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Puddin Admissions: Customising Your Email Templates
> Edit, preview, and test the invitation, reminder, and confirmation email templates that Puddin sends to applicants throughout your admissions cycle.
Puddin sends three types of automated email to applicants during an admissions cycle: an initial invitation, one or more reminders, and a submission confirmation. Each template comes with a sensible default, but you should customise them to reflect your institution's voice, include the right programme details, and give applicants clear guidance. This page explains how to edit each template, use merge fields to personalise messages, preview and test your changes, and restore the default content if needed.
## Available template types
Puddin provides three editable email templates per cycle:
| Template | When it is sent | Purpose |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Initial Invitation** | Manually, by an Admissions Officer | Invites the applicant to complete their personal statement in the Puddin writing environment |
| **Reminder** | Automatically (based on cycle settings) or manually | Prompts applicants who have not yet submitted as the deadline approaches |
| **Submission Confirmation** | Automatically, when an applicant submits | Confirms to the applicant that their personal statement has been received |
Template changes apply to future emails only. Emails already sent to applicants are not affected by edits you make after the fact.
## Editing template content
Navigate to **Settings → Email Templates** for institution-wide defaults, or go to a specific cycle and select **Settings → Email Templates** to customise templates for that cycle alone. Cycle-level templates override the institution defaults for applicants in that cycle.
You'll see the three template types listed. Click the template you want to edit.
The subject line is the first thing applicants see in their inbox. Keep it clear and specific — include your institution name and the purpose of the email. You can use merge fields in the subject line as well as the body.
**Example:** `Your personal statement invitation from {{institution_name}} — deadline {{deadline}}`
Avoid subject lines that look like marketing or spam. Clear, factual subject lines have higher open rates and set the right expectation for applicants.
Write or edit the body of the email in the rich text editor. Structure your message with a greeting, a clear explanation of what the applicant needs to do, the key deadline, and a prominent call-to-action button linking to the writing environment.
Use merge fields (see the table below) to personalise the message automatically for each applicant. Puddin replaces each merge field with the correct value when the email is sent.
Place your cursor in the body text where you want personalised content to appear, then either type the merge field directly or use the **Insert Merge Field** button in the editor toolbar to pick from the available list.
| Merge field | Replaced with |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `{{applicant_name}}` | The applicant's full name |
| `{{applicant_first_name}}` | The applicant's first name only |
| `{{institution_name}}` | Your institution's full name |
| `{{cycle_name}}` | The name of the admissions cycle |
| `{{deadline}}` | The cycle closing date, formatted as a human-readable date |
| `{{writing_link}}` | The applicant's unique, secure link to the Puddin writing environment |
| `{{support_email}}` | Your institution's admissions support email address |
The `{{writing_link}}` merge field is required in the Initial Invitation template. Without it, applicants cannot access their writing environment. Puddin will warn you if you attempt to save an invitation template that does not contain this field.
Before saving, click **Preview** to see how the email will appear to a recipient. The preview renders a sample version of the email using placeholder values for each merge field so you can check layout, formatting, and readability.
Review the preview on both the desktop and mobile views — many applicants will open their invitation on a phone.
Click **Send Test Email** and enter your own email address. Puddin sends a rendered version of the template to that address, using sample data for all merge fields. Check that:
* Merge fields have resolved correctly and no raw field codes appear in the message.
* Links are working (particularly `{{writing_link}}`).
* The email displays correctly in your email client.
* The tone and content are appropriate for applicants.
Once you're satisfied, click **Save Template**. The updated template is now active and will be used for all future emails of that type in the relevant scope (institution-wide or cycle-specific).
## Restoring default templates
If you want to revert a template to its original Puddin default, open the template editor and click **Restore Default**. Puddin will ask you to confirm, as this will overwrite any customisations you have made.
Restoring a default template does not affect emails already sent. It only affects emails sent after the restore action.
## Cycle-level vs institution-level templates
Institution-level templates act as the default for all cycles. Cycle-level templates override the institution default for applicants in that specific cycle. This lets you maintain a standard template for most cycles while customising the message for specific cohorts — for example, using different wording for postgraduate applicants or international intake rounds.
If a cycle does not have a custom template, Puddin uses the institution-level template automatically. To remove a cycle-level override and return to the institution default, open the cycle template editor and click **Remove Custom Template**.