Sending Test Emails
Before using an email template in workflows or sending it to families, you can send a test email to any address to verify formatting, variable placement, and overall appearance in real email clients.
Why Send Test Emails
- Verify layout -- Email clients render HTML differently. A test email lets you confirm the layout looks correct in Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and others.
- Check variables -- Confirm that placeholder variables like
{{name}}and{{school_name}}appear in the right places. - Catch errors -- Spot typos, broken links, or formatting issues before the email reaches families.
- Team review -- Send to colleagues for feedback before making a template active.
How to Send a Test Email
- Navigate to Configuration > Email Templates.
- Find the template you want to test in the list.
- Click the actions menu (three-dot icon) on the template row.
- Select Send Test.
- The Send Test Email modal opens, showing:
- A recipient email field where you enter the address to send the test to.
- A preview panel displaying the template subject and body.
- Enter the recipient email address.
- Click Send Test.
TIP
The test email is sent to the address you specify -- typically your own email or a colleague's. It does not go to any leads or parents.
What to Expect
- The test email arrives in the recipient's inbox within a few seconds.
- Variables are not resolved in test emails. You will see the raw placeholder syntax (e.g.,
{{first_name}}) so you can verify that variables are placed correctly. - The email subject includes the template's subject line.
- The email body renders the full HTML content as configured in the template editor.
WARNING
If the test email does not arrive, check the following:
- Verify the recipient email address is correct.
- Check the spam/junk folder.
- Ensure your school's email sending configuration (Amazon SES) is properly set up.
Previewing Without Sending
If you just want to see how a template looks without sending an actual email:
- Open the template for editing (click Edit from the actions menu).
- Click the Preview button in the modal header.
- A preview modal displays the rendered subject line and an HTML preview of the body in a sandboxed iframe.
This is useful for quick visual checks without generating an actual email.
Best Practices
- Test every template before activating -- Even small formatting changes can look different in email clients.
- Send to multiple email providers -- Test with Gmail, Outlook, and a mobile client to ensure broad compatibility.
- Check on mobile -- Open the test email on a phone to verify the template is responsive.
- Review variable placement -- Ensure variables are in natural positions within sentences and have proper spacing.
- Verify links -- Click any links in the test email to confirm they work correctly.