Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator Exam: Difference between Email Template and Mail Merge Template

Difference between Email Template and Mail Merge Template

Question

SIMULATION - Describe the difference between an email template and a mail merge template:

Explanations

See the solution below.

Mail Merge - done in outside application, paper-driven Email Template- sent from the application via email.

An email template and a mail merge template are both tools used in Salesforce to send emails, but they differ in their purpose and functionality.

An email template is a pre-designed message that can be used to send personalized emails to multiple recipients. These templates can be created in Salesforce and can include text, images, and merge fields. Merge fields are fields that are populated with data from the related record when the email is sent. Email templates can be used for a variety of purposes, including marketing campaigns, customer service responses, and general communication. They can be sent manually or through an automated process, such as a workflow or process builder.

A mail merge template, on the other hand, is used to create personalized documents, such as letters or labels, that can be sent to multiple recipients. Mail merge templates are typically created in Microsoft Word and then uploaded to Salesforce. They include merge fields that are populated with data from the related record, just like email templates. The key difference is that mail merge templates are designed for creating documents, while email templates are designed for creating emails.

In summary, the main differences between an email template and a mail merge template are:

  • Email templates are used to create personalized emails, while mail merge templates are used to create personalized documents.
  • Email templates are created and managed in Salesforce, while mail merge templates are typically created in Microsoft Word and then uploaded to Salesforce.
  • Email templates can be sent manually or through an automated process, while mail merge templates are typically used to create documents that are printed or sent as attachments.