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Importing and Exporting Templates

An email template can be exported to a file and imported back into Outreach. This is useful for keeping a copy before a risky change, moving content between organisations, or handing a template to a colleague as a file.

File Types​

Each editor uses its own file type for export and import:

EditorFile extensionExample filename
Design Editor.or_design_templatemarch-promo.or_design_template
Code Editor.or_code_templatemarch-promo.or_code_template

The extension is set automatically on export and is what identifies the template type on import.

Exporting a Template​

  1. Open the template in the email editor.
  2. On the Template tab, select Export in the toolbar.
  3. The template is saved to your device with the appropriate extension.

What Is Included in the Export​

ElementIncluded?
Email body contentYes
Sender settings (From, Reply-to, Subject)Yes
Variables and their sample valuesYes
Completed attachmentsYes
Attachments still uploadingNo
Failed attachmentsNo

Exporting While Attachments Are Uploading​

If an attachment is still uploading when Export is selected, Outreach warns that in-progress uploads will not be included in the file. Continue to export without those files, or cancel and wait for the uploads to finish.

Importing a Template​

  1. Open the template in the email editor.
  2. On the Template tab, select Import in the toolbar.
  3. Choose a template file from your device.
  4. On a successful import, the content, variables and attachments are restored.

Editor Type Matching​

A template can only be imported into the same editor type it was exported from:

Exported fromCan import into Design?Can import into Code?
Design Editor (.or_design_template)YesNo
Code Editor (.or_code_template)NoYes

Importing an .or_design_template file while the Code Editor is in use, or the reverse, is rejected with an error notification.

warning

Switch to the correct editor before importing. Switching editors clears the existing body content, so export anything worth keeping first.

What Happens on Import​

  • The email body content is replaced with the imported content.
  • Sender settings (From, Reply-to, Subject) are restored from the file.
  • Variables and their sample values are restored.
  • Attachments from the file are restored on the Attachments tab, marked to show they came from an export.
  • Anything already in the editor is overwritten.

Invalid Files​

If the selected file is not a valid Outreach template, for example the wrong format, a corrupted file or an unrecognised type, the import is rejected with an error and the current template is left untouched.

Common Scenarios​

Backing Up Before Switching Editors​

To try the other editor without losing the current work:

  1. Export the current template.
  2. Switch to the other editor, which clears the body content.
  3. To go back, switch to the original editor and import the saved file.

Reusing Content​

Reuse inside the organisation does not need a file. Apply the same saved template to as many campaigns as needed, or duplicate it in the library and adjust the copy. Export and import are for cases a file solves better, such as keeping an offline copy or moving content to a different organisation.

Sharing a Template as a File​

An export file can be sent to another user. To use it, they need to:

  1. Open an email template in the editor.
  2. Have the same editor type in use as the one the export came from.
  3. Select Import and choose the file.