Communication templates are useful for ensuring that your hiring teams speak with a consistent voice throughout the hiring process. They also help teams comply with regulations (e.g., GDPR) by including all relevant and necessary information.
Adding a new template
📌 Only Super Admins of your Workable account can add and edit communication templates.
- Click your user icon in the upper right of Workable and then go to Settings > Templates.
- New templates can be added using the Add a new template link to the top right of the ‘Communication templates’ section.
- Start by entering the name of the template. The ‘Name’ field of a template is not the subject line of the email. The subject line for emails using a template will consist of the job title and your company’s name. Candidates will never see the name of the template used to contact them.
There are two types of communication templates:
- Texting
You can enable one or both types (from the respective toggle). For example, below, we have enabled this template for both emails and text messages.
All users on your account will be able to send these templates to candidates, but only admins can create and permanently edit templates.
Set template availability based on department/location
Note that templates can be segmented for use based on job department and location(s). See more examples.
Editing templates
Under Templates, you’ll also see a list of some default templates that cover the most common recruiting communication. The default templates will work ‘out of the box’ for most companies—however, they’re easy to customize too. Rollover the template name to reveal the ‘preview’, ‘edit’, or ‘delete’ options:
Placeholders
There are a number of default placeholders you can add to your communication templates. These are shown in your working file as green pill-shaped labels inside the template body. They are replaced with a dynamic value (e.g., the candidate’s first name, your name, or the position title) when the email/text is sent to add a more personal touch to your mass communication. Add or edit placeholders via the [+] icon in the menu bar:
| Default placeholder | Notes |
| [candidate] | Candidate's full name as listed in the candidate profile |
| [candidate_first_name] | Candidate first name only |
| [company] | Your Workable company name |
| [user] | The sender of the email/text |
| [job] | Job title |
| [job_link] | Job shortlink |
| [self_schedule_link] | Set the basic parameters for your self-schedule link (e.g., type of event, duration). |
| [due_date] | ❗This is the due date for Workable Video interview and assessment invitations. It won't work unless the email template includes a [video_interview_link] or [assessment_link] placeholder. |
| [video_interview_info] | Related to Workable Video interview invitations |
| [video_interview_link] | Related to Workable Video interview invitations |
| [assessment_info] | Related to Workable Assessment invitations |
| [assessment_link] | Related to Workable Assessment invitations |
Custom placeholders can be included using curly brackets, e.g.: {interview-date}. Before sending the email/text, the user must manually fill in the details by replacing any terms enclosed in curly brackets in the template.
Adding attachments
Attachments can be added only to the email type of communication templates by using the paper clip icon at the bottom right of the window (see the template image shown above). More than one attachment can be added to a template, and should you add an attachment by mistake, it can be deleted quickly using the trashcan icon.
When a template with an attachment has been created and saved, people using the template will still have the option to delete the attachment if necessary or to add additional attachments when required.
Communication template translations
If you are utilizing language kits, each of your communication templates can have translations for other languages added to them. Check more on how to enable the Language kit.
When Language Kits are activated, Workable default templates will automatically have translations available. You can add translations for your own templates as needed.
- Navigate to the Templates section.
- Edit or add a template and select the various language tabs to add a version of the template for that language.
👉 Next steps: Use communication templates when sending an email/text to a candidate.