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Template Designer
In this tutorial, we will walk you through creating your first notification template in Courier. You’ll learn how to configure channels, add variables, and preview your notification before sending it to users.

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Create a New Notification Template

The first thing you need to do is create your notification template. This will serve as the foundation for your notification design.
1

Open the template designer and create a template

Log in to Courier, navigate to Assets and click + New -> Message Template. Give your template a name, then click Create Template.
2

Configure Channels and Providers

  1. Under the Add Notification Channels, select Email.
  2. In the left sidepane under Channels, hover over Email and click on the cog icon to open the channel settings.
  3. Choose an email provider (e.g. SendGrid). Courier offers a test email provider to help you get started quickly, but you can also choose from our list of available integrations.
Any providers you’ve already configured will appear under “Configured” in the integrations list.

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Add Notification Content

Now that you have your template and channel configured, it’s time to add content. Use content blocks to build your notification with text, images, buttons, and more.
1

Add a Text Block

Use the content toolbar to add content blocks. Start by clicking on the T icon—this will add a Text block.
We can start the email with a simple greeting. Click on the text block to edit the text content, and replace the text with Hello, Ana!.
2

Add an action block

Next, insert an action block. This block includes a clickable button that can serve as a call-to-action (CTA), a subscription link, or similar interactive element.
By default the button text is Click Here. Here’s what the notification should look like with the two blocks we’ve configured:
3

Add more blocks

Add as many content blocks as needed. Courier auto-saves and adapts your blocks for all channels (email, SMS, push, in-app). You can learn more about the available content blocks in our template documentation.

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Add Variables for Dynamic Data

In the content editor, you can use placeholders like {profile.name} to insert dynamic data. This will personalize the notification with the appropriate recipient information, order details, event details, etc.
1

Add name variable to text block

Replace Ana with {profile.name} to dynamically change the name for each individual recipient.
2

Add URL variable to action block

Click on the action block, and then the pencil icon to open the action block settings. Replace the current URL with {invite_url}, and then click Apply. This will allow you to pass a dynamic URL for each recipient in the data payload.
3

Add more variables as needed

Add as many variables as you need throughout your notification template. You can use variables in text blocks, action block URLs, and other content areas. For more information on using variables, see our variables documentation.

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Preview the Notification

Use the Preview feature to preview your notification with the brand and example data.
1

Create a test event

Click the Preview tab at the top of the editor, and then click “Create Test Event”.
2

Add data object

In your Test Event, replace the data object with:
"data": {
    "invite_url": "https://www.example.com",
  }
3

Add profile information

Add a name to the user profile:
"profile": {
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "name": "Example User"
  },
4

Verify variables are replaced

Notice in the preview that our variables have been replaced with the test data.

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Configure Branding (Optional)

Courier brands allow you to personalize your notifications to reflect your company’s visual identity, creating a consistent brand experience. You can configure a default brand, and if needed, preview your notification with an alternative brand. If no brand is configured, Courier applies simple default branding. For more details, see our brand documentation.

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Publish the Notification

Once you’re satisfied with the preview, click Publish to save your notification content and settings. You’re ready to start sending your template!