Creating Email Templates

This guide shows you how to create, customize, and manage email templates for different stages of your hiring process.

Overview

Email templates in OpenATS allow you to:

Automate candidate communications
Maintain consistent messaging across your team
Personalize emails with dynamic variables
Save time on repetitive email tasks

Template Types

OpenATS supports four template types:

Offer Letter

Send job offers with salary, start date, and offer details

Rejection

Notify candidates who weren’t selected professionally

Assessment Invite

Send quiz or assessment invitations with deadlines

General

Any other candidate communication

Each template type has specific variables available for personalization.

Creating a New Template

Navigate to Templates

Go to Settings in the sidebar
Click Templates
Click + New Template in the top right

Select Template Type

Choose the template type from the dialog:

Offer Letter - For sending job offers
Rejection - For candidate rejections
Assessment Invite - For assessment invitations
General - For other communications

The template type determines which variables are available. Choose the most specific type for your use case.

Enter Template Name

Give your template a descriptive name:

Examples:
- "Software Engineer Offer - Standard"
- "Rejection - Post Interview"
- "Assessment Invite - Technical Test"
- "Follow-up - Missing Documents"

Template names are internal only and not visible to candidates.

Write Email Subject

Create a subject line that can include variables:

Examples:
- "Offer Letter - {{jobTitle}} at {{companyName}}"
- "Update on your application for {{jobTitle}}"
- "Technical Assessment - {{candidateName}}"

Subject line is required and can be up to 500 characters.

Design Email Body

Use the visual email builder to create your template:Available Content Blocks:

Heading - Section headers
Text - Paragraphs of content
Button - Call-to-action links
Image - Logo or graphics
Divider - Visual separators
Spacer - Add vertical spacing

Drag and drop blocks to build your email layout.

Add Dynamic Variables

Insert variables to personalize emails:Common Variables (all templates):

{{candidateName}} - Candidate’s full name
{{candidateFirstName}} - First name only
{{jobTitle}} - Position title
{{companyName}} - Your company name
{{hiringManager}} - Hiring manager’s name

Offer Letter Variables:

{{salary}} - Salary amount
{{startDate}} - Proposed start date
{{offerExpiryDate}} - When offer expires

Assessment Variables:

{{assessmentLink}} - Link to take assessment
{{assessmentDeadline}} - Completion deadline

Variables are automatically replaced with actual values when the email is sent.

Preview Template

Click Preview to see how your email looks with sample data.Check:

Variables render correctly
Formatting displays as expected
Links work properly
Mobile responsiveness

Save Template

Click Save Template to add it to your library.

Template Builder Blocks

Heading Block

Add section headings:

{
  "type": "heading",
  "content": "Offer Letter - {{jobTitle}}"
}

Text Block

Add paragraphs:

{
  "type": "text",
  "content": "Dear {{candidateName}}, We are pleased to offer you the position of {{jobTitle}}..."
}

Button Block

Add clickable call-to-action buttons:

{
  "type": "button",
  "label": "Accept Offer",
  "url": "{{offerAcceptanceLink}}"
}

Image Block

Add images (logo, header graphics):

{
  "type": "image",
  "url": "https://yourcompany.com/logo.png",
  "alt": "Company Logo"
}

Divider Block

Add horizontal lines:

{
  "type": "divider"
}

Spacer Block

Add vertical spacing:

{
  "type": "spacer",
  "height": 24  // pixels
}

Example Templates

Offer Letter Template

Subject: Offer Letter - at Body:

[Heading] Congratulations, {{candidateFirstName}}!

[Text] We are delighted to offer you the position of {{jobTitle}} 
at {{companyName}}.

[Divider]

[Heading] Offer Details

[Text]
Position: {{jobTitle}}
Department: {{department}}
Start Date: {{startDate}}
Salary: {{salary}} {{currency}} per {{payFrequency}}
Location: {{location}}

[Text] This offer is valid until {{offerExpiryDate}}.

[Button] Accept Offer → {{offerAcceptanceLink}}

[Spacer - 24px]

[Text] We look forward to welcoming you to the team!

[Text]
Best regards,
{{hiringManager}}
{{companyName}}

Rejection Template (Post-Interview)

Subject: Update on your applicationBody:

[Heading] Thank you for your interest

[Text] Dear {{candidateName}},

[Text] Thank you for taking the time to interview for the 
{{jobTitle}} position at {{companyName}}. We appreciate your 
interest in joining our team.

[Text] After careful consideration, we have decided to move 
forward with other candidates whose experience more closely 
aligns with our current needs.

[Text] We were impressed by your skills and encourage you to 
apply for future openings that match your qualifications.

[Text] We wish you the best of luck in your job search.

[Text]
Best regards,
{{hiringManager}}
{{companyName}}

Assessment Invite Template

Subject: Technical Assessment - PositionBody:

[Heading] Next Step: Technical Assessment

[Text] Hi {{candidateFirstName}},

[Text] Thank you for your application for {{jobTitle}} at 
{{companyName}}. We'd like to invite you to complete a technical 
assessment as the next step in our hiring process.

[Divider]

[Heading] Assessment Details

[Text]
- Time Limit: 60 minutes
- Questions: Mix of multiple choice and coding challenges
- Deadline: {{assessmentDeadline}}

[Text] Please complete the assessment by clicking the button below:

[Button] Start Assessment → {{assessmentLink}}

[Spacer - 24px]

[Text] Tips for success:
• Find a quiet environment
• Ensure stable internet connection
• Have your preferred IDE ready (if applicable)

[Text] If you have any questions, reply to this email.

[Text]
Good luck!
{{hiringManager}}

Application Received (General)

Subject: Application Received - Body:

[Image] {{companyLogo}}

[Heading] We received your application!

[Text] Hi {{candidateFirstName}},

[Text] Thank you for applying for the {{jobTitle}} position at 
{{companyName}}. We've successfully received your application.

[Text] Our hiring team will review your application and reach out 
within 5-7 business days if your qualifications match our needs.

[Divider]

[Heading] What happens next?

[Text]
1. Application Review (3-5 days)
2. Phone Screen (if selected)
3. Technical Interview
4. Final Interview
5. Offer

[Text] In the meantime, feel free to explore our company:

[Button] Visit Our Blog → {{companyBlog}}

[Spacer - 24px]

[Text]
Best regards,
The {{companyName}} Team

Managing Templates

Editing Templates

Go to Settings → Templates
Click on the template name or the edit icon
Make your changes
Click Save Changes

Changes to templates affect future emails only. Previously sent emails are not updated.

Duplicating Templates

Create variations of existing templates:

Find the template in the list
Click the ⋮ menu icon
Select Duplicate
A copy is created with ” (Copy)” appended to the name
Edit the duplicate as needed

Duplicate templates to create role-specific or department-specific versions of standard emails.

Deleting Templates

Click the ⋮ menu icon on a template
Select Delete
Confirm deletion

Deleted templates cannot be recovered. Jobs using deleted templates will need new templates assigned.

Using Templates in Jobs

Assign Template to Pipeline Stage

Automate emails when candidates move to specific stages:

Configure Job Pipeline

Go to a job
Click Hiring Process tab
Click the settings icon on a stage

Choose Template

For Offer stages:

Select Offer Template from dropdown
Choose Mode: Auto-Draft or Auto-Send
Set Expiry Days

For Rejection stages:

Select Rejection Email Template from dropdown
Emails send automatically when candidates move here

Save Configuration

Click Save to activate the automation.

Manual Email Sending

Send template-based emails manually:

Open a candidate profile
Click Messages tab
Click Send Email
Select a template from dropdown
Preview and customize if needed
Click Send

Available Variables by Template Type

All Templates

Variable	Description	Example
`{{candidateName}}`	Full name	”John Smith”
`{{candidateFirstName}}`	First name	”John”
`{{candidateEmail}}`	Email address	”john@example.com”
`{{jobTitle}}`	Position title	”Senior Software Engineer”
`{{companyName}}`	Company name	”Acme Corp”
`{{hiringManager}}`	Manager name	”Jane Doe”
`{{department}}`	Department	”Engineering”
`{{location}}`	Job location	”San Francisco, CA”

Offer Letter Templates

Variable	Description	Example
`{{salary}}`	Salary amount	”120,000”
`{{currency}}`	Currency code	”USD”
`{{payFrequency}}`	Pay frequency	”yearly”
`{{startDate}}`	Start date	”2024-02-01”
`{{offerExpiryDate}}`	Expiration	”2024-01-20”
`{{offerAcceptanceLink}}`	Accept link	”https://…”

Assessment Invite Templates

Variable	Description	Example
`{{assessmentLink}}`	Assessment URL	”https://…”
`{{assessmentDeadline}}`	Due date	”2024-01-15”
`{{assessmentDuration}}`	Time limit	”60 minutes”

Best Practices

Personalize, Don't Automate Everything

Use templates as starting points, not rigid scripts:✅ Good approach:

Template provides structure and key details
Hiring manager adds personal note
Mentions specific conversation points

❌ Poor approach:

Generic template sent as-is
No personalization
Feels robotic and impersonal

Example:

[Template content]...

[Personal addition]
I really enjoyed our conversation about your work on the 
API gateway project. Your experience would be a great fit 
for our team's current challenges.

Test Templates Before Using

Before activating templates:

Preview with real data - Use actual candidate names and job details
Send test emails - Send to yourself or team members
Check on mobile - Most candidates read on phones
Verify links - Ensure all buttons and links work
Test variables - Confirm all variables populate correctly

Keep Rejection Emails Professional

Rejection emails represent your employer brand:Do:

Thank them for their time
Be respectful and professional
Encourage future applications
Provide brief, constructive feedback (when appropriate)

Don’t:

Be overly generic (“we had strong candidates”)
Ghost candidates (always send rejection)
Give false hope (“we’ll keep you in mind”)
Provide excessive detail about decision

Example:

While your background is impressive, we've decided to move 
forward with a candidate who has more hands-on experience 
with Kubernetes, which is central to this role. We encourage 
you to apply for future DevOps positions as your skills grow.

Maintain Consistent Branding

Keep templates on-brand:

Use company logo in header
Match company color scheme
Use consistent tone and voice
Include standard footer with contact info
Add social media links

Standard Footer:

[Divider]

[Image] {{companyLogo}}

[Text]
{{companyName}}
{{companyAddress}}
{{companyPhone}} | {{companyEmail}}

[Social Media Icons]
LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

Creating Templates via API

Create Template

POST /api/templates

Body:
{
  "name": "Software Engineer Offer",
  "type": "offer",
  "subject": "Offer Letter - {{jobTitle}} at {{companyName}}",
  "bodyJson": [
    {
      "type": "heading",
      "content": "Congratulations!"
    },
    {
      "type": "text",
      "content": "We are pleased to offer you the position of {{jobTitle}}."
    },
    {
      "type": "button",
      "label": "Accept Offer",
      "url": "{{offerAcceptanceLink}}"
    }
  ],
  "createdBy": 1
}

Update Template

PUT /api/templates/{id}

Body:
{
  "subject": "Updated subject line",
  "bodyJson": [/* updated blocks */]
}

Preview Template

Generate preview with sample data:

POST /api/templates/{id}/preview

Body:
{
  "candidateName": "John Smith",
  "jobTitle": "Senior Software Engineer",
  "salary": 120000,
  "startDate": "2024-02-01"
}

Template Schema

interface Template {
  id: number;
  name: string;                    // Max 255 chars
  type: 'offer' | 'rejection' | 'assessment_invite' | 'general';
  subject: string;                 // Max 500 chars
  bodyJson: ContentBlock[];        // Array of content blocks
  createdBy: number;              // User ID
  createdAt: string;              // ISO 8601 timestamp
  updatedAt: string;              // ISO 8601 timestamp
}

interface ContentBlock {
  type: 'heading' | 'text' | 'button' | 'image' | 'divider' | 'spacer';
  content?: string;               // For heading, text
  label?: string;                 // For button
  url?: string;                   // For button, image
  alt?: string;                   // For image
  height?: number;                // For spacer (pixels)
}

Troubleshooting

Variables Not Replacing

Common issues:

Typo in variable name (case-sensitive)
Variable not available for template type
Missing data in candidate or job record

Fix: Check variable spelling matches exactly:

✅ {{candidateName}}
❌ {{CandidateName}} (wrong capitalization)
❌ {{candidate_name}} (wrong format)

Template Not Sending

Verify:

Template is assigned to pipeline stage
Stage automation is enabled (not draft)
Email service is configured (Settings → Integrations)
Candidate has valid email address
Check email delivery logs (Settings → Logs)

Formatting Issues

If emails look broken:

Test in multiple email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail)
Keep layouts simple (complex HTML may not render)
Use web-safe fonts
Test on mobile devices
Avoid large images (max 500KB)

Creating Jobs

Configure email automations in hiring pipelines

Managing Candidates

Send template-based emails to candidates

Template Features

Learn about the template system

Template API

Programmatic template management

Get Started

Core Features

User Guides

Development

Documentation Index

​Overview

​Template Types

Offer Letter

Rejection

Assessment Invite

General

​Creating a New Template

​Template Builder Blocks

​Heading Block

​Text Block

​Button Block

​Image Block

​Divider Block

​Spacer Block

​Example Templates

​Managing Templates

​Editing Templates

​Duplicating Templates

​Deleting Templates

​Using Templates in Jobs

​Assign Template to Pipeline Stage

​Manual Email Sending

​Available Variables by Template Type

​All Templates

​Offer Letter Templates

​Assessment Invite Templates

​Best Practices

​Creating Templates via API

​Create Template

​Update Template

​Preview Template

​Template Schema

​Troubleshooting

​Related Guides

Creating Jobs

Managing Candidates

Template Features

Template API

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Template Types

Creating a New Template

Template Builder Blocks

Heading Block

Text Block

Button Block

Image Block

Divider Block

Spacer Block

Example Templates

Managing Templates

Editing Templates

Duplicating Templates

Deleting Templates

Using Templates in Jobs

Assign Template to Pipeline Stage

Manual Email Sending

Available Variables by Template Type

All Templates

Offer Letter Templates

Assessment Invite Templates

Best Practices

Creating Templates via API

Create Template

Update Template

Preview Template

Template Schema

Troubleshooting

Related Guides