Google Mail - Setting up & Using Template Emails

By -
There are a few emails that I use on a regular basis - the email body is pretty much the same each time, just a small part of it is changed.  An example is the Technology Tidbits emails I send out when we are doing a series - the only part that changes is the actual tidbit, while the introduction and other information stays the same.  To not have to recreate this email each time (or find an old one and copy and paste it), I have turned on the Email Templates and created a template email to use.

1. How to turn it on:

When in your email, go to the Gear icon and select Settings

Click on Advanced in the tab options across the top of the settings window -

Scroll down the list until you find Templates -

Click Enable, and then click the button to Save Changes -


2) How to set up a template:

Open a new email.  Compose the standard message you want to turn into a template, just as if you are creating a new message. You can even format the message as desired, including links.  A couple ways I format mine:

  • anything that needs to be customized in the future emails I indicate with bold XXX's which are a unique color (you can see in the example below)
  • if you use a signature line, delete the signature from the email you are creating the template from or you will end up with double signatures in the future emails
Once it is set up as you wish, click the More menu (three stacked dots) -


Hover your mouse over Templates, then move over the submenu that appears and then over the Save draft as template option

Choose Save as new template -

Give the template a name that you will recognize going forward.

Trash the message (so you can actually use your template to see how it works!).

3) How to use a template:

To use your template, create a new message.  Then 1) click on the More menu (three stacked dots),  2) move the cursor over Templates, then over to select the name of the Template you wish to use under INSERT TEMPLATE - 

The template will load into the message compose window -

Put the final personal touches onto the email - in my example I will replace the XXX with the actual video tidbit.  Note that recipients are NOT part of a template - you will need to add the recipients also.

After it is all set, Send your email (or schedule it to send if you would like).


Thank you for joining us for this episode of Technology Tidbits, brought to you by Melinda Waffle (Calhoun Intermediate School District), and CJ Walker and Du Bui (Jackson County Intermediate School District)

Popular posts from this blog

Google Script - Create a Drop-Down List from Spreadsheet Column

By -
Image
(Updated on 3/21/2017 - triggers have been moved!) ( I just created a new related post on how to create a multiple choice  question on the form that a bit simplified - takes the "other" answers in a multiple choice question on a form, and updates the multiple choice options with those as options.) I guess it was only a matter of time before I ended up dabbling with Google Scripts.  Today I was asked by a teacher how he could populate a drop-down list on his Google Form from data on a spreadsheet - and have it update as he changed the data.  Not finding an add-on for this (why recreate the wheel? :-)  I explored creating a script.  And...discovered that this task is not too hard! To do this yourself - 1. Create your form.   Really important step.  Make sure to create your drop-down item and give it a title, but you do not need to add any options to it (because later you will populate it from the spreadsheet). 2. Create the spreadsheet where your list will reside. Yo
Read more

Google Calendar - How to Share Your Calendar Via Link

By -
Image
Google Calendar provides a couple ways you can share your calendar.  The first way you will see below provides a link that lets another person subscribe to your calendar.  They will need to be logged into their Google account, and it will display YOUR calendar along with their own. (Personally, I find this method the best for adding my kids' and husband's events so I see our families events all in one calendar.)  The second method displays your calendar in a browser window.  This is probably the preferred Teacher method for sharing with parents. (Here is a video on How to Share Your Calendar Via a Link .) When in your Google Calendar: Click on the Options menu (stacked dots) for the calendar you want to share - Select Settings and sharing - Click on Access permissions on the left side - Click on the Get shareable link - Note that who can see the calendar with this link depends on the access permissions you have set right above.  For example, with the setti
Read more

Google Mail - Create Calendar Event that Includes Email Message

By Anonymous -
Image
There are many time I get an email that I want to make into an event on my calendar - both to make sure I block out the time, and to move the information out of an email in my inbox into the event.  There is a feature called "Create event" that let's you do this - it is available in the More options when you are viewing the message.  Once you select create event, Google opens up a new window, loads your calendar, and creates an event with the message subject as the name of the event, and the body of the message as the description within the event: You are then able to edit the date/time as needed to finish creating the event.  One caveat...it adds everyone that was part of the message to the Guest list (see above in red box), so unless you want it to be a group event you will need to click the x next to everyone's name but yours.
Read more

Google Documents - Creating Page Anchors (aka Bookmarks)

By -
Image
There are times in a Google Document you want to provide links to specific areas within the page and  a table of contents doesn't fit the bill. (See how to create & use a table of contents here .)  When this happens, you will need to employ the use of page anchors. Anchors basically make a linkable spot on the page.  They are pretty easy to create, and can be linked tho both within the page and from outside the page.  Within a Google Document these are called Bookmarks. Here is how to set them up: 1. Put your cursor where you want the anchor/bookmark 2. Go to the Insert Menu, select Bookmark - this will add a little blue flag to the location That's it!  You can create as many as you need in the document. To get rid of an anchor/bookmark that you no longer want: 1. Click in the location you added it.  A pop-up should appear 2. Click Remove To use an anchor/bookmark within the document: 1. Type the text you want linked to the anchor/bookmark 2. Hi
Read more

Google Contacts - Newest Area to Get Some "Google Love"

By Anonymous -
Image
Be ready!  Your Google Contacts is about to update its looks.  I don't know about you, but I don't go to Google Contacts often.  I just don't like it.  If you need a refresher, this is what it looks (looked) like - Looked & felt very...dated.  This morning in going to one of my Google accounts, I got the pop-up window in my contacts.  Here is a screenshot of the new look - Hoping that the Google Love includes more than just the interface.  If there are any big changes that make Contacts more easily managed & navigated, you can be sure to see another blog post or two about it!
Read more