> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://usegately.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Email Campaigns
> Create, design, and send email campaigns to your members using the Code Editor or Visual Builder
Gately Campaigns gives you two powerful ways to create and send emails — a **Code Editor** for full HTML control and a **Visual Builder** for rich-text composition. Both support templates, AI generation, scheduling, and recipient management.
## Choosing an Editor
When you click **New Campaign**, a modal lets you choose your editor:
Write raw HTML with live preview and AI generation. Full control over your email design.
Compose visually with a rich-text editor, inline formatting, image uploads, and a live style panel.
***
## Code Editor
The Code Editor gives you full HTML control with syntax highlighting and a live split-pane preview.
### Layout
| Panel | Description |
| --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Left — HTML | Code editor with syntax highlighting, line numbers, code folding |
| Right — Preview | Live rendered preview with desktop/mobile toggle |
### Top Bar
| Control | Description |
| -------------- | ------------------------------ |
| Campaign name | Inline editable campaign name |
| Subject line | Inline editable subject |
| Add recipients | Opens the recipients modal |
| Send button | Sends immediately or schedules |
### Secondary Bar
| Control | Description |
| ------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| AI Generate | Generates HTML email content using Gately AI |
| Save Template | Saves current HTML as a reusable template |
| Send Test | Sends a test email to one or more addresses |
| Schedule | Pick a date/time to schedule delivery |
### AI Generate
Click **AI Generate** in the code editor toolbar. Gately AI will generate a complete HTML email based on your campaign name and subject.
```
Campaign name: "Welcome to Gately"
Subject: "Get started with your new account"
→ Generates a full HTML email with header, body, CTA button, and footer
```
### Personalization Tags
Use `{{variable}}` syntax anywhere in your HTML:
```html theme={null}
Hi {{firstName}},
Your plan: {{plan}}
Get Started
```
***
## Visual Builder
The Visual Builder provides inline rich-text editing with a context-aware style panel on the right.
### Layout
| Panel | Description |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Left — Editor | Rich-text editor with slash commands |
| Right — Style Panel | Context-aware controls that change based on selection |
### Slash Commands
Type `/` anywhere in the editor to insert blocks:
| Command | Description |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| `/Paragraph` | Plain text paragraph |
| `/Heading 1–3` | H1, H2, H3 headings |
| `/Bullet List` | Unordered list |
| `/Numbered List` | Ordered list |
| `/Quote` | Blockquote |
| `/Divider` | Horizontal rule |
| `/Image` | Image placeholder with upload/URL |
| `/YouTube Video` | YouTube embed (converted to thumbnail in email) |
### Style Panel
The right panel is **context-aware** — it changes based on what's selected:
#### Email (default)
Controls the overall email layout:
* **Body background** — outer background color
* **Container background** — inner content area color
* **Max width** — container width in px
* **Padding** — container padding (top/right/bottom/left)
* **Border radius** — container corner radius
* **Text alignment** — left, center, right
* **Font size** — base font size in px
#### Text
When text is selected or cursor is in a text block:
* **Format** — Bold, Italic, Underline, Blockquote
* **Color** — Text color picker
* **Heading** — H1, H2, H3, Paragraph
* **Alignment** — Left, Center, Right
* **Lists** — Bullet, Ordered
* **Insert** — Image, YouTube, Link, Divider
#### Image
When an image node is selected:
* **Upload** — Replace via file upload
* **URL** — Replace via URL
* **Width** — Image width (% or px)
* **Radius** — Border radius in px
* **Alt text** — Accessibility description
#### Link
When cursor is inside a link:
* **URL** — Edit the link href
* **Color** — Link text color
* **Style** — Underline, Bold, Italic toggles
#### YouTube
When a YouTube embed is selected:
* **URL** — Update the YouTube video URL
### Image Upload
Images are uploaded and hosted by Gately. The placeholder card shows an upload state while the file is being processed.
YouTube embeds are automatically converted to a linked thumbnail image when the email is sent, since email clients block iframes.
***
## Email Templates
Save any email as a reusable template from either editor.
### Saving a Template
1. Click **Save Template** in the editor
2. Enter a template name and category
3. Click **Save Template**
The template stores which editor created it (`code` or `visual`) so it always opens in the correct editor.
### Using a Template
1. Go to **Campaigns → Templates**
2. Find your template
3. Click **Use** — opens in the correct editor pre-filled with the template content
### Template Categories
| Category | Use case |
| ------------ | ---------------------------- |
| Marketing | Newsletters, promotions |
| User | Welcome, onboarding |
| Notification | Alerts, updates |
| Security | Password reset, verification |
***
## Recipients
Click **Add recipients** in the secondary bar to open the recipients modal.
### Adding Recipients
* **Search contacts** — Search by name or email from your members/customers
* **Type an email** — Enter any email address directly
* **Multiple** — Add as many recipients as needed
Recipients are shown as chips and can be removed individually.
***
## Sending
### Send Now
Click **Send** in the top bar. The email is sent immediately to all selected recipients.
### Schedule
Click **Schedule** to pick a date and time. The email will be queued for delivery at that time.
### Send Test
Click **Send Test** in the secondary bar to send a test version to one or more email addresses. The subject is prefixed with `[TEST]`.
***
## How Emails Are Sent
Gately sends emails exactly as styled — no wrapper or footer is added automatically.
| Content type | Behavior |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Full HTML doc (``) | Sent as-is |
| Visual Builder fragment | Wrapped with your container styles (bg, padding, width, radius) |
| YouTube embeds | Converted to linked thumbnail image |
***
## Workflows Integration
Use the **Send Email** action in Workflows to send emails automatically based on triggers.
### Using a Template in a Workflow
1. Open a workflow and add a **Send Email** action
2. In the config panel, select a template from the **Use Template** dropdown
3. The subject and body are pre-filled from the template
4. You can still edit them or use `{{variable}}` tags
### Variable Interpolation
All text fields in the Send Email action support trigger variables:
```
Subject: Welcome to Gately, {{member.name}}!
Body: Hi {{member.email}}, your plan is {{member.plan}}.
```