Difference between revisions of "Customizing Email Templates"

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Merchants can fully customize the customer notification email. It can include plain text, static HTML, and even dynamic information with the help of the full fledged template engine.
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Merchants can fully customize the emails sent by Ablecommerce. The email templates defined in Ablecommerce can include plain text, static HTML, and even dynamic information with the help of a full fledged template engine.
  
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NVelocity is used as the template engine to process the email templates. Templates are written in velocity template language (VTL), which is extremely simple and powerful.
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nVelocity is used as the template engine to process the email templates. Email templates are written in velocity template language (VTL), which is extremely simple and powerful.
  
 
In a velocity template, certain objects put in the velocity context, can be accessed directly in a straight forward manner. For example if a ‘Store’ object, named “store” is available in the context, then using $store.Name we will get the name of the store. Similarly any method available in the ‘Store’ object can be called directly.
 
In a velocity template, certain objects put in the velocity context, can be accessed directly in a straight forward manner. For example if a ‘Store’ object, named “store” is available in the context, then using $store.Name we will get the name of the store. Similarly any method available in the ‘Store’ object can be called directly.
  
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While writing templates for email messages in AbleCommerce, certain objects are automatically made available to the context, depending on the type of event.
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In Ablecommerce certain pre-defined objects are made available to the velocity context for an email template depending on the event that triggered the email. The following table illustrates these objects and their availability for different events.
  
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The following table illustrates the objects and their availability for different events.
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{| cellspacing="0" border="1"
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<code>
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!Object!!Type!!Events
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<pre>
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|-
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Object           Type                         Available To
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|store||CommerceBuilder.Stores.Store||All Events
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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|-
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|order||CommerceBuilder.Orders.Order||OrderStatusUpdated<br/>PaymentAuthorized<br/>PaymentCaptured<br/>PaymentCapturedPartial<br/>PaymentAuthorizationFailed<br/>PaymentCaptureFailed<br/>OrderPlaced<br/>OrderCancelled<br/>OrderPaidPartial<br/>OrderPaid<br/> OrderPaidNoShipments<br/>OrderPaidCreditBalance<br/>ShipmentShipped<br/>OrderShipped<br/>OrderShippedPartial<br/>GiftCertificateValidated<br/>OrderNoteAddedByCustomer
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store             CommerceBuilder.Stores.Store     All Events
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|-
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|customer||CommerceBuilder.Users.User||OrderStatusUpdated<br/>PaymentAuthorized<br/>PaymentCaptured<br/>CustomerPasswordRequest<br/>PaymentCapturedPartial<br/>PaymentAuthorizationFailed<br/>PaymentCaptureFailed<br/>OrderPlaced<br/> OrderCancelled<br/>OrderPaidPartial<br/>OrderPaid<br/>OrderPaidNoShipments<br/>OrderPaidCreditBalance<br/>ShipmentShipped<br/>OrderShipped,OrderShippedPartial<br/>GiftCertificateValidated<br/>OrderNoteAddedByCustomer
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order             CommerceBuilder.Orders.Order     OrderStatusUpdated, PaymentAuthorized,
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|-
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                                                  PaymentCaptured, PaymentCapturedPartial,
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|oldstatusname||System.String||OrderStatusUpdated
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                                                  PaymentAuthorizationFailed,
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|-
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                                                  PaymentCaptureFailed, OrderPlaced, OrderCancelled,
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|products||CommerceBuilder.Products.Product||LowInventoryItemPurchased
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                                                  OrderPaidPartial, OrderPaid, OrderPaidNoShipments,
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|-
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                                                  OrderPaidCreditBalance, ShipmentShipped,
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|payment||CommerceBuilder.Payments.Payment||PaymentAuthorized<br/>PaymentCaptured<br/>PaymentCapturedPartial<br/>PaymentAuthorizationFailed<br/>PaymentCaptureFailed
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                                                  OrderShipped, OrderShippedPartial, 
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|-
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                                                  GiftCertificateValidated, OrderNoteAddedByCustomer
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|resetPasswordLink||System.String||CustomerPasswordRequest
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|-
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customer         CommerceBuilder.Users.User       OrderStatusUpdated, PaymentAuthorized,
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|shipment||CommerceBuilder.Shipping.OrderShipment||ShipmentShipped
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                                                  PaymentCaptured, CustomerPasswordRequest, 
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|-
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                                                  PaymentCapturedPartial,
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|giftcertificate||CommerceBuilder.Payments.GiftCertificate||GiftCertificateValidated
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                                                  PaymentAuthorizationFailed,
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|-
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                                                  PaymentCaptureFailed, OrderPlaced, OrderCancelled,
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|note||CommerceBuilder.Orders.OrderNote||OrderNoteAddedByCustomer
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                                                  OrderPaidPartial, OrderPaid, OrderPaidNoShipments,
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                                                  OrderPaidCreditBalance, ShipmentShipped,
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                                                  OrderShipped,OrderShippedPartial,
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                                                  GiftCertificateValidated, OrderNoteAddedByCustomer
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oldstatusname     System.String                   OrderStatusUpdated
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products         CommerceBuilder.Products.Product LowInventoryItemPurchased
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payment           CommerceBuilder.Payments.Payment PaymentAuthorized, PaymentCaptured,
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                                                  PaymentCapturedPartial,
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                                                  PaymentAuthorizationFailed,
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                                                  PaymentCaptureFailed
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resetPasswordLink System.String                   CustomerPasswordRequest
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shipment         CommerceBuilder.Shipping.       ShipmentShipped
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                  OrderShipment
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giftcertificate   CommerceBuilder.Payments.       GiftCertificateValidated  
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                  GiftCertificate
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note              CommerceBuilder.Orders.OrderNote OrderNoteAddedByCustomer
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|}
  
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</pre>
 
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</code>
 
  
 
Using the above objects in email templates, almost any type of email can be generated. Here are few examples.
 
Using the above objects in email templates, almost any type of email can be generated. Here are few examples.
  
 
Merchant Enters:
 
Merchant Enters:
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<code><pre>
 
Dear $customer.PrimaryAddress.FirstName $customer.User.PrimaryAddress.LastName,
 
Dear $customer.PrimaryAddress.FirstName $customer.User.PrimaryAddress.LastName,
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</pre></code>
 
AbleCommerce Sends:
 
AbleCommerce Sends:
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<code><pre>
 
Dear Joe Smith,
 
Dear Joe Smith,
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</pre></code>
  
 
The example shown below demonstrates how a merchant might include an HTML table of items ordered.
 
The example shown below demonstrates how a merchant might include an HTML table of items ordered.
Line 99: Line 78:
  
 
</table>
 
</table>
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</pre></code>
  
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AbleCommerce Sends:
 
  
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AbleCommerce Sends:
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<code><pre>
 
<table>
 
<table>
  

Revision as of 01:51, 4 September 2008

Merchants can fully customize the emails sent by Ablecommerce. The email templates defined in Ablecommerce can include plain text, static HTML, and even dynamic information with the help of a full fledged template engine.

nVelocity is used as the template engine to process the email templates. Email templates are written in velocity template language (VTL), which is extremely simple and powerful.

In a velocity template, certain objects put in the velocity context, can be accessed directly in a straight forward manner. For example if a ‘Store’ object, named “store” is available in the context, then using $store.Name we will get the name of the store. Similarly any method available in the ‘Store’ object can be called directly.

In Ablecommerce certain pre-defined objects are made available to the velocity context for an email template depending on the event that triggered the email. The following table illustrates these objects and their availability for different events.

Object Type Events
store CommerceBuilder.Stores.Store All Events
order CommerceBuilder.Orders.Order OrderStatusUpdated
PaymentAuthorized
PaymentCaptured
PaymentCapturedPartial
PaymentAuthorizationFailed
PaymentCaptureFailed
OrderPlaced
OrderCancelled
OrderPaidPartial
OrderPaid
OrderPaidNoShipments
OrderPaidCreditBalance
ShipmentShipped
OrderShipped
OrderShippedPartial
GiftCertificateValidated
OrderNoteAddedByCustomer
customer CommerceBuilder.Users.User OrderStatusUpdated
PaymentAuthorized
PaymentCaptured
CustomerPasswordRequest
PaymentCapturedPartial
PaymentAuthorizationFailed
PaymentCaptureFailed
OrderPlaced
OrderCancelled
OrderPaidPartial
OrderPaid
OrderPaidNoShipments
OrderPaidCreditBalance
ShipmentShipped
OrderShipped,OrderShippedPartial
GiftCertificateValidated
OrderNoteAddedByCustomer
oldstatusname System.String OrderStatusUpdated
products CommerceBuilder.Products.Product LowInventoryItemPurchased
payment CommerceBuilder.Payments.Payment PaymentAuthorized
PaymentCaptured
PaymentCapturedPartial
PaymentAuthorizationFailed
PaymentCaptureFailed
resetPasswordLink System.String CustomerPasswordRequest
shipment CommerceBuilder.Shipping.OrderShipment ShipmentShipped
giftcertificate CommerceBuilder.Payments.GiftCertificate GiftCertificateValidated
note CommerceBuilder.Orders.OrderNote OrderNoteAddedByCustomer


Using the above objects in email templates, almost any type of email can be generated. Here are few examples.

Merchant Enters: 

Dear $customer.PrimaryAddress.FirstName $customer.User.PrimaryAddress.LastName,

AbleCommerce Sends: 

Dear Joe Smith,

The example shown below demonstrates how a merchant might include an HTML table of items ordered.

Merchant Enters: 

<table>

<tr>

<th>Name</th>

<th>SKU</th>

<th>Quantity</th>

</tr>

#foreach( $orderItem in $order.orderItems )

<tr>

<td>$orderItem.Name<br>

<td>$orderItem.Sku</td>

<td align=center>$orderItem.Quantity</td>

</tr>

#end

<tr>

</table>


AbleCommerce Sends: 

<table>

<tr>

<th>Name</th>

<th>SKU</th>

<th>Quantity</th>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>128MB PC2100 DDR DIMM 184 Pin Memory Module</td>

<td>16X64D2100-CUSA</td>

<td align=center >1</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>CG814M Wireless Cable Modem</td>

<td>CG814MNA</td>

<td align=center >1</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>5.1 Channel PCI Surround-Sound Card</td>

<td>11000975</td>

<td align=center >1</td>

</tr>

</table>

In short, all basic programming constructs can be used in VTL. Loops can be done using #foreach, conditional statements can be done using #if-else.

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