Overview

A number of iCIMS Talent Cloud products utilize variables, including: 

• iCIMS Connect (Legacy CRM)
• iCIMS  Applicant Tracking (ATS)
• iCIMS Offer Management 
• iCIMS Onboarding 

Users with permissions to compose emails can leverage email variables to include information from the system that will vary based on the specific sender, recipient, job, talent pool, company, or form referenced. Message variables are highlighted in green and populate with the appropriate data when the email is sent. For example, users can include the Full Name sender variable at the end of an email, and the system will automatically populate the full name of the individual sending the email.

Creating an email template in the Email Template Library gives users access to all available variables based on their products. For more information on the Email Template Library, review the Creating and Managing Email Templates Knowledge Base article. When composing an email via the Compose Email tool, the range of variables available is limited based on where the Compose Email window is launched in the system. Review the Composing Emails Knowledge Base article for additional information.

This article covers the following topics:

• Types of Email Variables
  • Types of Email Variables in the Email Template Library
  • Unresolved Variables

• Using Email Variables

  • Adding Variables to an Email
  • Adding Variables to an Email Template
  • Using Variables as Links
  • Creating an Email Signature Using Variables

Types of Email Variables

There are several types of variables available for use depending on the type of email. There are variables associated with each type of profile, as well as general system, career site, and portal variables. The most popular types are:

• Sender Variables: Populate with information from the Person profile of the email’s sender. 
• Recipient Variables: Populate with information from the Person profile of the email's recipients.
• Recruit Workflow Variables: Populate with information from the Recruiting Workflow profile associated with the email’s recipients, including both candidate and job information.
  • Note: Recruit Workflow variables are only available when creating an email template in the Email Template Library, and when launching the Compose Email window from a Recruiting Workflow search or from the Job profile People tab.
• Form URL Variables: Populate a link to a specific iForm to be completed by the email's recipient. 

Types of Email Variables in the Email Template Library

Users can access a large range of variable types when creating or editing email templates in the Email Template Library. The Profile Type dropdown field displays selections based on the organization's available iCIMS' Talent Cloud products and is not configurable at the user group level. Selecting a profile type automatically updates the variables available in the Add Variable dropdown within the toolbar.

• Approval Variables: Populate with information relating to an approval process, such as the names of approvers and approval buttons.
• Event Attendee Variables: Populate with information relating to a candidate associated with an event, such as the candidate name and event date.
• Job Variables: Populate with information relating to sharing a job, such as the job title.
• Sourcing Workflow Variables: Populate with information relating to sharing a candidate in a talent pool, such as candidate contact information and the talent pool name.
• Onboarding Workflow Variables: Populate with information relating to sending a new hire an onboarding welcome email, such as the start date and job title.
• Interview Variables: Populate with information relating to sending interview invitations to both a candidate and an interviewer, such as the location and the job the interview is for. (Legacy interview management must be enabled to use these variables.)

Unresolved Variables

If an email indicates that it contains unavailable variables, there are variables in the email that the system cannot access. If the variable is unavailable, it will display with a strikethrough. As a best practice, do not send out emails with unavailable variables.

When an available field has no value, the system will not be able to resolve the variable for that field, and, instead, a blank space will appear in the sent email. To determine which variables will not resolve for specific recipients, use the Preview link on an email. If an email or email campaign will not resolve correctly when received by one or more recipients, the Email Preview popup indicates how many variables are broken and what percentage of valid emails would resolve correctly if sent. The system also warns the user before an email with unresolved variables is sent via a popup message.

Using Email Variables

Adding Variables to an Email

The steps below describe composing an email from the Job profile People tab, which will allow users to leverage Recruit Workflow variables, as well as Sender and Recipient variables in their email. They describe adding the Recipient Full Name: First Last variable to an email, which will resolve as the email recipient’s full name (e.g., John Smith). The steps are similar to adding other variables.

1. Navigate to the applicable Job profile.
2. Click the People tab, then click the By Status grouping option.
3. Expand the bins and statuses to locate and select the checkbox beside the applicable candidate(s).
4. Click the More Actions menu available at the bottom right of the People tab. Then, select Email. The Compose Email window displays.
5. Select a template from the Template field or enter the body of the email .
   • Note: If selecting a template, the Template Category dropdown narrows down the available templates. In the Template field, type to search or click the dropdown menu to select a template.
6. Place the cursor where the variable should display in the body of the email, then click Add Variable in the toolbar to open the variable picker.
7. Select Recipient, then search for full name.
8. Select Contact Tab > Full Name: First Last.
9. Click the Add Selected button to include the variable in the email.
10. Review the newly-added variable within the email, which displays in green highlighting. Repeat steps 6-9 of this section of the guide as needed for different variables and continue composing the email as described in the Composing Emails Knowledge Base article. 

Adding Variables to an Email Template

The steps below describe adding variables to a new email template in the Email Template Library.

1. Click Library from the menu bar, then click Email Template.
2. On the top right of the Email Template Library, click Create New Template. The New Mail Template popup displays.
3. Click the Profile Type dropdown and select an applicable option. Selecting a profile type automatically updates the variables available in the variable picker within the toolbar.
4. Review steps 6-9 of the Adding Variables to an Email section of this article, which describes, as an example, adding the Recipient Full Name: First Last variable. The steps are similar to adding other variables.

For more information on email templates, review the Creating and Managing Email Templates Knowledge Base article.

Notes:

• The variable picker supports keyword searching to easily direct the user to the desired variables. Enter the desired keyword to identify matches among applicable variables.
• For more information about composing emails, review the Composing Emails Knowledge Base article.

Using Variables as Links

Several variables provide the email recipient with a linked URL that leads to options such as a career site or a password reset screen. Variables that provide a link can be easily identified as they all end with URL. This type of variable populates as a full URL in the recipient's email, such as https://www.icims.com. However, these variables can also be used to populate links that use custom clickable text. The following steps describe how to create a custom link using a Password Reset URL, though any URL variable can be used in this manner. 

1. Follow steps 1-6 in the Adding Variables to an Email section of this article. 
2. Select Recipient, then search for Password Reset URL.
3. Select General Variables (Portal), then select the variable for the appropriate career site or portal. 
4. Next to the Add Selected button, check the Link Friendly box. Then click Add Selected. 

• Rather than a green highlighted variable, a text string displays (e.g., V:Recipient:$T{Person}.$F{Portal3ResetPasswordLink}:URL:V.).

5. Highlight the newly-added text string, right-click, and select Cut.
6. From the toolbar, click the Link Options icon, and select Link. The Insert Link popup displays.
7. In the URL field, paste the text string. In the Text to Display field, add the desired text, e.g., Reset Your Password.
8. Click OK. The email body displays linked text rather than a URL.

Notes:

• Password reset URL variables will not work if recipients have been carbon copied (CC) or blind carbon copied (BCC) on an email.
• An opt-out link variable is automatically added to all email campaigns and mass emails (i.e., emails with more than one recipient) sent from the system. This variable can also be manually added to emails by selecting the Email Opt-Out URL recipient variable.

Creating an Email Signature Using Variables

Users can leverage email variables to create a dynamic email signature that automatically populates with information from the profile of the user sending the email. An email variable signature allows users to utilize the same shared email templates without needing to take the time to manually add their own information before sending the email.

For the variables in the signature to resolve correctly, the information corresponding to the variables must be filled out on each user's profile. Phone number, email, and other contact information can be stored on the Contact tab of the user's profile. Job title, department, and other work information can be stored on the Employee tab of the user's profile.

To create an email signature, first determine what information will be included and complete this information on each user's profile. In the variable picker of the email, click Sender and select the desired information from the Contact and Employee tabs. Images, such as a logo, can also be added to the email signature; for more information on using images within emails, review the Composing Emails Knowledge Base article. 

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Additional Resources: Working with Email

The iCIMS Knowledge Base includes additional resources on working with email and email templates. Click here to access related resources.