Create and use template shortcuts
In Shared Email Templates for Microsoft Outlook
To get a quick Shortcuts cheat sheet, click the button below.
How to use nested templates as building blocks for Outlook messages
Learn how to make shortcuts for your templates. This lets you easily nest them inside other templates and use as building blocks for your email messages.
Run time: 03:08
What is a template shortcut
A template shortcut is a short name of a template. It always starts with two hash signs (##). You can use template shortcuts as building blocks for email messages and other templates. You can also use them in datasets and in profile or team properties.
Suppose you often use this salutation in your emails:
Hello InsertRecipientFirstName,
I'm writing regarding your request.
Instead of typing this text in each template where it's needed, you can create a separate template that will contain only this text, add a shortcut to it, say, "##hello1", and then include "##hello1" in all the templates where you want to use this salutation.
##hello1
...
When you insert such a template into an email message, "##hello1" will be replaced with the text of the corresponding template.
Hello Joe,
I'm writing regarding your request.
...
Also, you can enter template shortcuts directly into the message body.
##hello1
##followup
##askreply
Then you'll just need to click the Handle shortcuts button, and the template shortcuts that you've entered will be replaced with the content of the corresponding templates.
Hello Joe,
I'm writing regarding your request.
Is the problem you were having already fixed?
I look forward to hearing from you.
How to create a template shortcut
You can add a shortcut to an existing template or to a new one.
Add a shortcut to a new template
- Select a folder or a team, and then click the New Template button.
- Enter the name and text of your template, and then click ##.
- Enter the name of the shortcut you're creating. Select OK.
- The name of the shortcut is above the name of the template now. Save your template.
Add a shortcut to an existing template
- Select a template, and then click ## on the preview pane.
- Enter the name of the shortcut. When you're done, select OK.
The name of the template shortcut will appear on the preview pane.
How to use template shortcuts
You can use template shortcuts as building blocks when creating templates and email messages.
Note. Template shortcuts are case-insensitive.
Use shortcuts directly in email messages
- In the message body, type names of template shortcuts, including hash signs (##).
- In the lower-right corner of the add-in pane, select the Handle shortcuts button.
As soon as the shortcuts are processed, the content of the corresponding templates appears in the email message.
Note. If you have several template shortcuts with the same name, the template associated with the shortcut that is listed first on the Shortcuts tab will be inserted.
Use shortcuts in templates
- In a template that you're creating or editing, enter template shortcuts. To enter a template shortcut, select the Insert shortcut button on the template editor toolbar.
-
From the list of available shortcuts, select the one you need.
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After entering all the necessary template shortcuts, save your template.
You can also enter template shortcuts manually if you want to.
When such a template is inserted into an email message, the content of the corresponding templates appears there.
Note. If you have several template shortcuts with the same name, the template associated with the shortcut that is listed first on the Shortcuts tab will be inserted.
How to find all your template shortcuts
To see all your shortcuts, go to the Shortcuts tab.
Note. Template shortcuts that have the same name are shown in red.
How to change a template shortcut
- On the Shortcuts tab, right-click a template shortcut, and then select Edit Shortcut.
- Change the name of the shortcut. When you're done, select OK.
How to remove a template shortcut
On the Shortcuts tab, right-click a template shortcut, and then select Remove Shortcut.
Responses
Tiffany says:
May 25, 2021 at 11:23 pm
Is it possible to create a keyboard shortcut for the Handle Shortcuts button? This would be much more efficient not having to physically select it.
Hi Tiffany,
Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't provide us with a handling keyboard API. But we review all Office improvements via Office Insider and will definitely add keyboard shortcuts as soon as we get the required api changes.
Mark Tudor says:
April 7, 2021 at 10:49 am
In my opinion, it would be a better experience if shortcuts were replaced automatically instead of requiring a press of the Process Shortcuts button. Is this possible?
Ideally it would happen as soon as a shortcut tag has been completed (e.g. space/tab/enter pressed, or mouse clicked somewhere else?
The above would likely be the nicest option, negating the need for any of the interim options below...
A slightly less user-friendly option, but still an improvement, would be a shortcut combination for running the Process Shortcuts action?
Another improvement would be to detect shortcuts on pre-send and offer to substitute them at that point. It wouldn't be necessary if they were replaced as soon as they are complete, but in the interim it would help not to send an email without the shortcuts substituted. Ideally this option would allow viewing a preview of the email that would be sent rather than just substituting and then immediately sending (in case the substitution didn't work properly).
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your idea. However, it is impossible with the modern Office Extensibility technology. We could develop this feature if the add-in supports Outlook for Windows only. But for platform independent add-ins Microsoft guys have not supplied us with an event we need to trap keyboard input in the message body.
Another con is nested shortcuts, templates and macros. You can use shortcuts inside of messages, templates, profile and team properties. Behind a single shortcut, there may be a tree of other shortcuts, properties, templates, macros, etc. As the result, your final message can be built from various blocks, one of which can be a WTE macro dependent on the user’s input. Therefore, shortcuts are processed when the user inserts a template and/or clicks the Process shortcuts button.
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