Message templates
Message and branding templates control what your automated emails, SMS messages and printable documents say and how they look. They are managed under Configurations > Templates, on the Messages and Branding tabs. Editing them needs the Configuration & settings right set to Manage; with View the editors open read-only.
Wording and sending are separate
A template only decides what a message says. Whether and when the message goes out is decided elsewhere:
- The event — a booking, a cancellation, a reminder time and so on (see Message types below).
- The switch — most client emails have a switch on each resource and session, under Email notifications in the resource dialog. That switch is the only control: there is no exception for a single booking or participant.
- The module — SMS needs the SMS module with its credentials, the waitlist email the Waitlist module.
- The template — a message type that has no saved template for your organisation is not sent.
Editing a template never changes when or whether a message is sent, and switching a message on does not change its wording. When you introduce a message, do both: write the text here and check the switch on every resource and session that should send it.
Which templates are listed
The Messages tab lists every standard email type, so you can open and adjust one even before it has been customised. Some entries depend on modules:
- The three SMS reminders appear only once the SMS module is on and all four SMS credentials are stored (Configurations > Organisation, Modules tab — see Organisation).
- Waitlist — spot available appears only while the Waitlist module is on.
- The documents Receipt and Credit note appear while Payments is on, Voucher card while Vouchers is on.
go flow sets up every message type when an organisation is created. A type that has never been set up for your organisation is still listed with its default text, but nothing is sent for it until you open it and save it.
Adding templates
The standard email, SMS and document templates are provided — you open and adjust them rather than create them. Two things can be added: on the Messages tab the + button (Add document) adds a custom PDF document, and on the Branding tab the + button opens a menu to create a new Header, Footer or Signature.
Message types
go flow's platform team maintains the technical reference for every message type, its trigger and its placeholders. The tables below reflect that reference as of this version of the help (October 2026). Each message type has exactly one template on the Messages tab, listed under the name in the first column.
| Message (template) | Sent when | To | Switched by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verification code | A client signs in on the booking site, or changes their email address there. | The client, in the language selected on the booking site. | Always sent; no switch. Not listed on the Emails page. |
| Confirmation | A client completes an online booking (paid, free or to pay at the desk); a client joins a group or private session; you add a client to an appointment or session in the dashboard; you record a desk payment with Take payment. | The client. | Confirmation on the resource or session. Off on every booked resource means no confirmation. |
| Reminder — 1 day before | 09:00 the day before, in your organisation's time zone. One email per client and day, listing all their bookings of that day. | The client. | Reminder — 1 day before. |
| Reminder — morning of | 07:00 on the day. One email per client and day. | The client. | Reminder — morning of. |
| SMS — Reminder 1 day before, SMS — Reminder morning of, SMS — Reminder 2 hours before | As the email reminders; the two-hour reminder two hours before the client's first booking of the day. | The client's mobile number; clients without one get none. | The matching SMS switch on the resource or session (off by default), plus the SMS module and its credentials. |
| Cancellation | A booking is cancelled — by the client on the booking site or by you in the dashboard. Not sent once the session has ended. | The client. | Cancellation. |
| No-show | You mark a participant as no-show; sent at the end of that day. | The client. | No-show. |
| Waitlist — spot available | A waitlisted client is moved into a freed place. | The client. | Waitlist — spot available (the move itself happens either way), and the Waitlist module. |
| Place held for you | You hold places with Hold places and tick Email the client the link to book. | The client. | That tick, per hold. |
| Post-visit follow-up | After a session ends, at the session's Follow-up timing or the feedback form's Send delay (days). Sessions only. | The participants, except those marked no-show. | Post-visit follow-up on the session. |
| Refund confirmation | Money is returned to a card, a wallet or a voucher, including automatic refunds on cancellation. The credit note is attached. | The client. | Always sent with a refund; no switch. |
| Group member joined | Someone joins a group booking. | The group's organiser. | Group member joined (off by default). |
| Group member cancelled | A group member cancels on the booking site. A cancellation you make in the dashboard notifies nobody. | The group's organiser. | Group member cancelled (off by default). |
| Resource — new booking | A client books the resource online or joins a group or private session on it; one email per order. | The address in the resource's Email, with CC emails in copy, in your organisation's default language. | Notify resource of bookings set to Yes or Yes, include client details on a standard resource, with Email filled in. |
| Resource — booking cancelled | A client cancels on the booking site. A cancellation you make in the dashboard notifies nobody. | As above. | As above. |
| Ad-hoc email | You send an email with Compose email or Message clients. | The clients you choose. | Sent when you send it. This template only sets the header, signature and footer. |
Every email to a client shows your organisation's name as the sender. Replies go to the Booking email of your booking template; without one, replies do not reach you. Messages to clients are written in the language of the booking — the language the client used on the booking site; bookings you add in the dashboard use your organisation's default language. If a template has no text in that language, the default language's text is sent.
Placeholders by message type
A placeholder such as {{clientFirstName}} is replaced with the real value when the message is created. It works in the subject and in the text. Write it exactly as shown, with two braces on each side and the same upper and lower case.
Each message type is filled with its own set of values. A placeholder that is not in the type's list below is not replaced: the recipient receives the literal text, braces included. The editor warns only when a placeholder the layout requires is missing; it does not warn about one that the type does not support. The preview cannot tell you either.
In the table, the booking set stands for {{clientFirstName}}, {{resourceName}}, {{dateTime}}, {{appointmentDate}}, {{appointmentTime}}, {{organisationName}}, {{companySignature}}, {{bookingUrl}} and {{year}}.
| Message | Placeholders it supports |
|---|---|
| Verification code | {{code}}, {{expiryMinutes}}, {{organisationName}}, {{companySignature}}, {{year}} |
| Confirmation | {{clientFirstName}}, {{organisationName}}, {{companySignature}}, {{year}}, {{bookingUrl}}, {{profileUrl}}, {{orderReference}}, {{currency}}, {{sessionRows}}, {{presenceMinutesBefore}}, {{amountDue}}, {{topUpAmount}}, {{voucherRows}}, {{productRows}}. No single date or time: the bookings are listed by {{sessionRows}}. In the group-invite row: {{openSlots}} and {{resourceName}}. |
| Reminder — 1 day before, Reminder — morning of | The booking set, plus {{presenceMinutesBefore}}, {{profileUrl}} and {{appointmentRows}} |
| SMS reminders | As the email reminders. {{appointmentRows}} is a table and does not suit a text message. |
| Cancellation | The booking set, plus {{cancellationReason}} |
| No-show | The booking set |
| Waitlist — spot available | The booking set, plus {{reservationMinutes}}, {{expiresAt}} and {{profileUrl}} |
| Place held for you | The booking set, plus {{slotCount}}, {{unitPrice}}, {{price}}, {{expiresAt}} and {{claimUrl}} |
| Post-visit follow-up | The booking set, plus {{feedbackFormUrl}}, {{rebookUrl}}, {{offerText}} and {{offerUrl}} |
| Refund confirmation | {{clientFirstName}}, {{organisationName}}, {{companySignature}}, {{year}}, {{orderReference}}, {{refundOrderReference}}, {{amount}}, {{destination}} — no booking details |
| Group member joined, Group member cancelled | The booking set, plus {{memberName}}. Here {{clientFirstName}} is the organiser's first name. |
| Resource — new booking, Resource — booking cancelled | The booking set without {{clientFirstName}}, plus {{appointmentRows}}. With Yes, include client details also {{clientName}}, {{clientEmail}} and {{clientMobile}}. |
| Ad-hoc email | {{body}} (your text, required), {{clientFirstName}}, {{organisationName}}, {{companySignature}}, {{year}} |
Waitlist templates saved before October 2026 may still contain {{confirmUrl}}, {{declineUrl}} or {{confirmDeadline}}. These are still filled — both links lead to the client's profile, where the place is confirmed; there is no decline link.
What the placeholders contain
| Placeholder | Value |
|---|---|
{{clientFirstName}} | The recipient's first name. |
{{organisationName}}, {{companySignature}} | Your organisation's name — both give the same value. {{companySignature}} is not your signature block. |
{{year}} | The current year. |
{{bookingUrl}} | Your booking site. |
{{profileUrl}} | The client's profile on the booking site, where bookings are viewed, managed and cancelled. The client signs in there. |
{{resourceName}} | The name of the session or resource. In a reminder covering several bookings, all names in order. |
{{appointmentDate}}, {{appointmentTime}}, {{dateTime}} | The date, the start and end time, and both together — in your organisation's date and time format. |
{{sessionRows}}, {{appointmentRows}} | A table with one row per booking (date, time and name), built by go flow. You edit only its column headings. |
{{presenceMinutesBefore}} | The resource's Presence (minutes before). The arrival note is left out when it is 0. |
{{orderReference}}, {{currency}} | The order number and your currency. The order number is empty for a booking you added in the dashboard and for a group join. |
{{amountDue}}, {{topUpAmount}}, {{voucherRows}}, {{productRows}} | The amount to pay at the desk, the wallet top-up, and the vouchers and products in the order. |
{{cancellationReason}} | The reason typed in the cancel dialog, if any. |
{{reservationMinutes}}, {{expiresAt}} | How long a promoted client has to confirm, and when the place or hold ends. |
{{slotCount}}, {{unitPrice}}, {{price}}, {{claimUrl}} | Places held, the price per place, the total, and the link that completes the booking. |
{{feedbackFormUrl}} | The link to the feedback form — only when a feedback form applies to the session. |
{{rebookUrl}} | A link to book the same session or service again. |
{{offerText}}, {{offerUrl}} | The session's Follow-up offer text and Follow-up offer link. |
{{refundOrderReference}}, {{amount}}, {{destination}} | The credit note number, the refunded amount with currency, and where the money went ("your card", "your wallet", "a voucher", in the email's language). |
{{code}}, {{expiryMinutes}} | The sign-in code and how many minutes it stays valid. |
{{memberName}} | The group member who joined or cancelled. |
{{clientName}}, {{clientEmail}}, {{clientMobile}} | The booking client's name and contact details, for the resource person. |
{{body}} | The text you write when you compose the email. |
Email templates
Open an email template from the Messages tab. An email template combines a header, an optional signature and a footer with the message content for each of your organisation's languages.
- Choose a Header, Signature and Footer from your branding blocks.
- Switch between language tabs to enter the Subject and edit the content blocks for each language; a warning marks any language with missing required content.
- Choose documents to attach under Attachments. They are sent only with the Confirmation.
- A live preview on the right shows the assembled email with sample data.
The Ad-hoc email template is a special case: it only sets the header, signature and footer used when you compose an email manually. It has no language tabs, subject or content blocks — you enter the subject and message when writing the email.
See Email template for the editor in detail, including the optional sections and what the preview does not show.
SMS templates
Open an SMS template from the Messages tab (SMS templates are listed only when SMS is set up for your organisation). Switch between language tabs to write the message text for each language, and write it in every language. Use the placeholder menu in the text field to insert dynamic values. See SMS template — the menu currently offers some values that SMS reminders do not supply.
Document templates (DOCX / PDF)
Document templates cover printable documents. The fixed set — Receipt, Credit note and Voucher card — keeps its built-in names and is shown while the corresponding module is enabled. While no credit note file is uploaded, credit notes are produced with your receipt template — correct figures, but a receipt's heading. Custom PDF documents added with Add document take a name of your own; you attach them to emails under Attachments in an email template.
Open a document template, switch between language tabs, and use Upload to add the file for each language or Download to get the current one. See Document template.
Branding: header, footer and signature
The header, footer and signature are not part of the saved email text: go flow adds them when each email is sent. Editing a header, footer or signature therefore changes every email that uses it from the next send on, including emails already waiting to be sent, without re-saving any email template — see Email header. For each of the three, go flow uses the block selected in the email template if it still exists, otherwise none; your organisation default is never used in its place. Placeholders are not filled inside a header, footer or signature.
Header templates
Open a header template from the Branding tab. A header sits at the top of your emails and shows either your organisation logo (aligned left, centre or right) or a banner image that you upload and crop. You can also set the header background colour. A preview shows the result. The header is the same in every language.
Footer templates
Open a footer template from the Branding tab. A footer sits at the bottom of your emails. Set its background and text colours and the text alignment, then enter the footer text for each language. A preview shows the result.
Signature templates
Open a signature template from the Branding tab. A signature is a single block of text per language that can be added to your emails. Give it a name and enter the signature text for each language.
Setting defaults
On the Branding tab, the Default column marks one header, one footer and one signature as your organisation default with a star; click Set as default on another row to change it. The default is only the preselection when you open an email template your organisation has never saved. It is not used when an email is sent: each email carries the header, footer and signature its template has selected, and leaves out any set to none or deleted since (see Email template).
Changing the default changes no saved template. To change the look of all emails at once, edit the block they use. A default cannot be cleared, only replaced.
When changes take effect
- Template text applies to messages created after you save. Reminders are written in advance — when a booking is made, and again whenever one of that client's bookings is made, moved or cancelled — so reminders already written keep their old text until then.
- Header, footer and signature apply to every email sent after the change, including ones already waiting.
- Switches on a resource or session apply to messages created afterwards. Switching a reminder off does not withdraw reminders already written for existing bookings; they still go out unless the client's reminders are rewritten or the booking is cancelled.
After a go flow template correction
go flow keeps your organisation's own saved copy of each template. When go flow corrects a standard template — new wording, a new optional section, a renamed placeholder — copies that were never saved in the editor may be updated for you, but a copy you have saved keeps your text and does not receive the correction. Such a copy keeps being sent as it is. For example, a Confirmation saved before the pay-at-the-desk note existed leaves that note out until the template is opened and saved again.
Open each message type you use from time to time, and whenever a sent message looks wrong. If the editor reports that the template was updated to the latest format, or that it was replaced by the current default, review it, re-apply your wording and save — see Email template. Then send yourself a test.
Deleting templates
An SMS template, a custom PDF document, or a header, footer or signature can be deleted: the toolbar of its editing dialog has a delete icon. Clicking it marks the item for deletion at once, shows a "Marked for deletion" banner and locks the rest of the form. Saving then deletes it; clicking the icon again, or closing the dialog without saving, cancels the deletion. Email templates and the fixed Receipt, Credit note and Voucher card documents cannot be deleted. A deleted SMS reminder is no longer sent; the type stays listed with its default text until you save it again.