Quick Answer
Administrators can customize the SPARK Welcome Email and New Spark Email templates from Group Details > SPARK Notifications using Modify Welcome Email or Modify Notification Email, while keeping the required placeholder tags intact so personalization continues to work.
What This Article Helps With
Pinnacle Series sends two SPARK email templates: the Welcome Email, sent when a user first gains SPARK access, and the New Spark Email, sent when new nano-learning Content is ready. This article explains how to edit both templates, including advanced HTML editing, and which placeholder tags must be preserved.
Edit a SPARK Email Template
- Go to Administration Portal > Groups.
- Select the Group and open Group Details.
- Scroll to SPARK Notifications.
- Select Modify Welcome Email to edit the Welcome Email, or Modify Notification Email to edit the New Spark Email.
- Use the editor's formatting tools (bold, italics, underline, headings, alignment), lists, links, or simple images as needed.
- Optional: select Code View (<>) to paste your own HTML, then select the preview ("eye") icon to check how it renders.
- Confirm the required placeholder tags are still present and unaltered (see below).
- Save the template.
- Verify the change by sending a test email to yourself and confirming the placeholders resolve correctly and the layout renders as expected.
Required Placeholder Tags
Templates include system fields wrapped in square brackets. Do not remove or rename these tags; wording may be added before or after them.
-
[Assignee]- the recipient's name -
[Content-Name]- the SPARK item's title -
[Content-Description]- a short description of the item -
[Target-Image]- used in the New Spark Email to display the item's thumbnail
Code View and Outlook: What to Know
These constraints apply specifically to SPARK email templates rendered in Outlook, not to Pinnacle Series Knowledge Base articles.
- Outlook uses Word to render HTML, so complex CSS will not work.
- Use tables for layout in the email template; avoid floating
<div>s or modern CSS positioning. - Use inline styles only - no external CSS or
<style>blocks. - Safe fonts are Arial, Segoe UI, Calibri, and Times New Roman.
- Keep the template to a maximum width of 600px for consistent display.
- Test early - a template that looks correct in the Pinnacle Series preview may render differently in Outlook.
- Keep email copy short: aim for 60–120 words with a single, clear call to action.
- For a custom image such as a logo or banner, use an email-safe thumbnail size around 600×300px (or a similar 2:1 ratio) under 200 KB.
Example Copy
The following are example templates only, not required wording. Any customized copy must still include the required placeholder tags listed above.
Welcome Email - example subject: Welcome to SPARK - Your Personalized Learning Starts Now
Welcome Email - example body: Hi [Assignee], we're excited to welcome you to SPARK, your new nano-learning experience in Pinnacle Series. You'll receive short, focused videos matched to your interests and tools. Set your preferences to shape what you see most.
New Spark Email - example subject: A New SPARK Just Dropped - Ignite Your Curiosity!
New Spark Email - example body: Hi [Assignee], here's a quick learning moment we picked for you: [Content-Name]. [Target-Image] [Content-Description]. Log in to Pinnacle Series to start learning now.
Testing Across Email Clients
- Send a test email to yourself and a small pilot group.
- Preview the email in Outlook (desktop and web), Gmail, and on mobile.
- Check line spacing, link styling, images, and that placeholders resolve correctly (name, title, thumbnail).
- Keep subject lines to approximately 40–60 characters for mobile visibility.
Common Questions
Can I use my own custom HTML for a SPARK email?
Yes, using Code View. Test the result thoroughly, since Outlook renders HTML using Word and does not support complex CSS.
What happens if I remove a placeholder tag?
Personalization will fail for that field - for example, the recipient's name, the Content title or description, or the Content thumbnail in the New Spark Email will not render correctly. Keep the placeholder tags in place even if you add your own wording around them.
Do I need to test a template before saving it for use?
Yes. The Pinnacle Series preview may not match how the email actually renders in Outlook or Gmail, so testing across clients is recommended before wider use.