Secure Email
Secure Email
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Setup Lightning Email Templates

This guide walks admins through creating Lightning Email Templates for use with Secure Email, and explains how templates plug into the Secure Email compose experience.

Overview

Lightning Email Templates are reusable, drag-and-drop email templates built for Salesforce Lightning Experience. They support merge fields, folder-based organization, and can be selected directly from the Secure Email compose component — so users can send branded, personalized secure messages without writing custom HTML each time.

Prerequisites

Org Settings

  • Email Deliverability is set to All Emails

User Permissions — to create and manage templates, users need:

  • Access to Email Templates

  • Manage Public Lightning Templates, for org-wide or shared templates

If users can view templates but can't create or edit public ones, check both permission assignments and folder access.

Steps to Create a Lightning Email Template

1. Navigate to Email Templates

  1. Open App Launcher

  2. Search for Email Templates

  3. Select the Email Templates app item

  4. Click New Email Template

2. Enter Template Properties

  • Email Template Name — use a clear, business-friendly name

  • Description — briefly explain the purpose and audience

  • Related Entity Type — select the object the template is based on (needed for merge fields)

  • Folder — store it in the correct folder for visibility and governance

3. Add Subject and Merge Fields

  • Enter a concise, meaningful Subject Line

  • Use merge fields to insert dynamic values — recipient name, record details, case information

  • Confirm the merge fields you select align with the template's related entity

Test merge fields against real records whenever possible. A field that resolves correctly for one record can come back blank if the source object doesn't have that field populated.

4. Build the Email Body

Use the Lightning Email Builder to design the email visually. Common components:

  • Text — greetings, body copy, calls to action

  • Image — branding or visual emphasis

  • Button — links to portals, forms, or records

  • Divider — layout structure

  • HTML — where supported and appropriate

Alternatively, you can write the email body as plain text rather than using the Lightning Email Builder.

5. Activate the Template

  1. Save the template

  2. Review formatting, links, and merge fields

  3. Click Activate

Once activated, the template is available in Secure Email's compose component and in supported automation actions.

Using Templates with Secure Email

Once a template is active, it becomes available in the Secure Email send experience:

  • Users can select any active template from the template dropdown in the Send Secure Email Lightning component instead of writing content manually

  • Admins can set a default template so it's pre-selected automatically — configured via the SecureEmail_DefaultTemplate setting (see Configuration Settings)

  • Templates work the same way in the Bulk Secure Email flow from list views, letting one template personalize a send across many recipients via merge fields

  • Templates can also be referenced by name in Flow or Apex automation when creating Secure Email records programmatically (see Automation Guide)

Best Practices

  • Use folder-level access. Organize templates by team, process, or business function, and restrict edit access to prevent clutter and accidental changes.

  • Use clear naming conventions. Names should identify a template's purpose, audience, and process at a glance.

  • Keep merge fields accurate. Validate against realistic test records to avoid blank values or broken personalization.

  • Design for reuse. Keep branding and layout consistent across templates so they're easy to maintain and easy for users to trust.

  • Review before activation. Check subject lines, spacing, links, images, and mobile readability before publishing a template for wider use.