Email preview allows you to see exactly what emails will be sent to candidates and referees at different stages of the reference process. This helps you verify that your email templates are correctly configured and display the right information before sending them.
Accessing Email Preview
Navigate to Question Profiles from the main menu
Open the question profile you want to preview emails for by clicking on its name
In the profile header (top of the page), click the "Preview" button
From the dropdown menu, select "Preview Emails"
The Email Templates Preview dialog will open
Understanding the Email Preview Interface
The email preview dialog is divided into two main sections:
Left Sidebar
The left sidebar contains:
Simulation Options: Checkboxes to simulate different reference scenarios
Email Template Groups: Organised lists of email templates grouped by recipient type
Right Preview Area
The right side displays the actual email preview in an iframe, showing exactly how the email will appear to recipients.
Simulation Options
Simulation options allow you to preview how emails will look under different conditions. You can enable or disable these options using the checkboxes:
Personal Reference
When enabled, this simulates emails for personal references. Use this to see how personal reference emails differ from professional ones.
Educational Reference
When enabled, this simulates emails for educational/academic references. This helps you preview emails sent for academic reference requests.
Digital ID Required
When enabled, this simulates emails that require digital ID verification. Use this to preview emails sent when identity verification is mandatory.
Tip: You can select multiple simulation options at once to see how emails appear in combined scenarios.
Email Template Groups
Email templates are organized into three main groups:
Candidate Emails
These are emails sent to candidates during the reference process:
New Candidate: Initial email sent when a candidate is added to a reference request
New Candidate Reminder: Reminder email sent to candidates who haven't completed their part
Candidate Referee Reminder: Reminder sent to candidates about adding referees
Candidate Part Complete Reminder: Reminder when candidate has partially completed their information
Candidate Reference Completed: Confirmation email when references are completed
Candidate Verification Reminder: Reminder about completing identity verification
New Referee Bounced: Notification when a referee email bounces
Reference Emails
These are emails sent to referees:
New Referee: Initial email sent to a referee requesting a reference
New Referee Reminder: Reminder email sent to referees who haven't completed their reference
Reference Completed to Referee: Confirmation email sent to referees when they complete their reference
Requestor Notifications
These are notification emails sent to the person who created the reference request:
New Candidate Bounced: Notification when a candidate email bounces
New Candidate Declined: Notification when a candidate declines the reference request
New Candidate on Last Reminder: Notification when a candidate is on their final reminder
Referee Action Log: Summary of referee actions
Referee Added Notification: Notification when a new referee is added
Reference Completed: Notification when a reference is completed
New Referee Declined to Author: Notification when a referee declines
Referee Removed Notification: Notification when a referee is removed
Referee Updated Notification: Notification when referee information is updated
Candidate Verification Success to Author: Notification when candidate verification succeeds
Vacancy Pool Notification: Notification related to vacancy pool opt-ins
How to Preview an Email
Open the email preview dialog (see "Accessing Email Preview" above)
Expand or collapse template groups by clicking on the group headers
Click on any email template name in the left sidebar to select it
The preview will load automatically in the right panel
Wait for the preview to finish loading (you'll see a loading indicator)
The email will display exactly as recipients will see it
Using Simulation Options
In the left sidebar, find the "Simulation Options" section
Click the section header to expand or collapse it
Check or uncheck the simulation options you want to test
The preview will automatically update to reflect your selections
You can combine multiple options to see how emails appear in different scenarios
Note: Changing simulation options will reload the preview, so you may see a brief loading indicator.
Opening Email Preview in a New Tab
To view the email preview in a separate browser tab:
Select the email template you want to preview
Click the "Open in new tab" icon (square with arrow) in the top right corner of the dialog
The email preview will open in a new browser tab
This is useful for printing, sharing, or viewing the email at full size
Best Practices
Test different scenarios: Use simulation options to preview emails for different reference types (personal, educational, professional)
Check all templates: Review all email templates to ensure they're configured correctly
Verify content: Check that dynamic content (names, dates, links) appears correctly
Test on different devices: Open previews in new tabs to test how emails look on different screen sizes
Review before sending: Always preview emails before sending reference requests to ensure everything looks correct
What You'll See in the Preview
The email preview shows:
The complete email content as recipients will see it
Your organization's branding and logo (if configured)
Custom colors for links and buttons (if configured)
All dynamic content and placeholders
The email layout and formatting
Any attachments or links included in the email
Customizing Email Templates
Important: Email templates are customised by the RefNow team. If you need to customise your email templates, please contact our team at [email protected].
The preview feature allows you to see how your customised templates will appear, but you cannot edit them directly from the preview interface.
Troubleshooting
Preview won't load
If the email preview doesn't load:
Check your internet connection
Try refreshing the page
Try selecting a different email template
Clear your browser cache and try again
Contact support if the issue persists
Preview looks incorrect
If the preview doesn't match what you expect:
Check your simulation options - they may be affecting the preview
Verify that your organisation branding and colours are correctly configured
Try opening the preview in a new tab to see if it displays differently
Contact support if you notice any issues with template content
Can't find a specific email template
If you're looking for a specific email:
Make sure all template groups are expanded
Scroll through the template lists in each group
Check if the template might be in a different group
Contact support if you cannot find a template that should be available