How to Use the Email Builder and Inline Editor

Create professional, personalized emails for your families with Enrollio's Email Builder. The inline editor gives you real-time control over your message design — no technical skills required.

What is the Email Builder Inline Editor?

The inline editor is your built-in tool for creating and customizing emails within Enrollio's Templates and Campaigns. It uses a "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) approach, so as you make changes — bolding text, adding images, changing colors — you see exactly how your email will look.

This means you can create beautiful, on-brand emails for parent communications without any guesswork.

Key Features

  • Text styling: Multiple heading formats, font choices, sizes from 8px to 96px
  • Precise color control: Use hex codes to match your brand colors exactly
  • Text formatting: Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, and hyperlinks
  • Custom values: Insert personalized details for each family
  • AI-assisted content: Generate engaging email copy faster
  • Spacing control: Adjust padding around content for perfect layouts

Note: Default padding is set to maintain clean, consistent email structure:

  • Top: 12px
  • Bottom: 12px
  • Left: 24px
  • Right: 24px

You can adjust these settings to match your preferred layout style.

When to Use the Email Builder

Here are common scenarios where childcare centers use the email builder:

Enrollment Communications

Welcome Sequence: Create a series of emails introducing new families to your center. Use a single-column layout with your logo, clear headings, and step-by-step information. Add dynamic content to personalize with the child's name.

Tour Follow-Up: Send a warm follow-up after a family tours your facility. Use a clean, single-column design with photos from your center and a clear call-to-action to complete enrollment.

Waitlist Updates: Keep families informed about their waitlist status. A simple, personal layout works best — think letter-like format with warm colors and a direct message.

Parent Engagement

Weekly Newsletter: Share updates, photos, and upcoming events. A multi-section layout works perfectly — one section for announcements, another for photos, another for upcoming events. Use brand-aligned colors and easy-to-read fonts.

Event Invitations: Announce parent nights, open houses, or holiday celebrations. Keep it clean and straightforward with a prominent call-to-action button and essential event details in large, clear text.

Parent Appreciation: Show gratitude to your families. Use personalized content with each family's name and specific details about their time at your center. Warm colors and a single-column layout create an intimate feel.

Operational Communications

Tuition Reminders: Send gentle payment reminders. Use a multi-section layout — one section for the reminder, another highlighting the benefits of your program. Keep the tone professional and supportive.

Policy Updates: Communicate changes to schedules, policies, or procedures. A straightforward single-column layout with bullet points for key information ensures clarity.

Re-enrollment Campaigns: Encourage families to re-enroll for the next session. Use vibrant colors, highlight program benefits, and include a clear call-to-action button. Dynamic content can reference their child's current classroom.

Marketing & Growth

Promotional Campaigns: Announce limited-time enrollment offers or new programs. Use eye-catching colors that match your brand, high-quality images of your facility, and a prominent call-to-action button. Single-column layouts work best for mobile viewing.

Referral Requests: Ask happy families to refer friends. Keep the design simple and personal with a direct call-to-action and easy sharing options.

Open House Announcements: Create excitement for upcoming open houses. Include compelling headlines, date/time details in large text, and high-quality photos of your center.

Feedback & Reviews

Testimonial Requests: Ask established families for reviews. A simple, personal single-column email with a friendly tone and direct call-to-action encourages responses.

Survey Invitations: Gather parent feedback. Use a clean design with a clear explanation and prominent button to start the survey. Keep text concise.

Special Communications

Birthday Wishes: Celebrate children's birthdays. Use fun colors, festive images, and personalized content with the child's name.

Milestone Celebrations: Acknowledge transitions like moving to a new classroom. Personal tone, relevant images, and dynamic content make these emails memorable.

Year-End Review: Share highlights from the year. Use a multi-section layout with photos, key moments from each season, and gratitude for families' partnership.

How to Use the Email Builder

Follow these steps to create emails in Enrollio:

Navigating the Interface

  1. Navigate to Marketing → Email Templates or Marketing → Campaigns
  2. Click Create Template or New Campaign
  3. Choose Start from Scratch or select a template
  4. The editor opens with your canvas on the right and tools on the left

Managing Text and Formatting

  1. Click any text block to activate the inline editor
  2. Highlight text to see formatting options appear
  3. Use the toolbar for:
    • Headings: Choose from H1-H6 for hierarchy
    • Font style: Select from available fonts
    • Font size: Set anywhere from 8px to 96px
    • Text color: Click the color picker and enter hex codes
    • Formatting: Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough
    • Alignment: Left, center, right, or justified
  4. To add a link: Highlight text → click link icon → enter URL → Save

Pro Tip: Use your brand's hex codes for consistent colors across all family communications.

Using Advanced Editing Options

Adding Dynamic Content:

  1. Place cursor where you want personalized content
  2. Click the Custom Values button
  3. Select from options like:
    • Parent first name
    • Child's name
    • Enrollment date
    • Current classroom
  4. The merge field inserts automatically

Using AI Content Generation:

  1. Click in any text block
  2. Select the AI Assistant icon
  3. Describe what you need (e.g., "Write a friendly reminder about tomorrow's field trip")
  4. Review the generated content
  5. Edit as needed and insert

Managing Elements

Adding Elements:

  1. In the left sidebar, browse available elements:
    • Text blocks
    • Images
    • Buttons
    • Dividers
    • Social media icons
    • Spacers
  2. Drag and drop elements onto your canvas
  3. Click any element to customize it

Working with Images:

  1. Drag an image element to your canvas
  2. Click Upload Image or select from your library
  3. Adjust image settings:
    • Width and alignment
    • Alt text (important for accessibility)
    • Link destination (optional)
  4. Add padding or borders as needed

Creating Buttons:

  1. Add a button element
  2. Edit button text (e.g., "Schedule a Tour", "Complete Enrollment")
  3. Set the destination URL
  4. Customize appearance:
    • Background color
    • Text color
    • Border radius for rounded corners
    • Padding and alignment

Pro Tip: Use bold, contrasting colors for call-to-action buttons to make them stand out.

Adjusting Appearance and Styling

Layout Settings:

  1. Click on a section or container
  2. Access the settings panel on the right
  3. Adjust:
    • Background color: Set section backgrounds
    • Padding: Control spacing around content (default: 12px top/bottom, 24px left/right)
    • Borders: Add visual separation between sections
    • Column layout: Choose single or multi-column

Multi-Column Layouts:

  1. Add a Columns element
  2. Choose number of columns (2-4 typically)
  3. Drag content into each column
  4. Adjust column width ratios if needed

Note: Single-column layouts are more mobile-friendly. Use multi-column sparingly and test on mobile.

Mobile Formatting

Most parents check email on their phones, so mobile optimization is critical.

Mobile View Configuration

  1. Click the Mobile View toggle at the top of the editor
  2. Review how your email appears on phones
  3. Make mobile-specific adjustments:
    • Reduce font sizes if text feels too large
    • Stack columns vertically for easier reading
    • Increase button sizes for easier tapping
    • Adjust image sizes to fit smaller screens
  4. Toggle back to desktop view to ensure both versions look good

Best Practices for Mobile

  • Keep it simple: Single-column layouts work best
  • Large text: Minimum 14px for body text, 22px for headings
  • Tappable buttons: At least 44px tall with clear spacing
  • Short paragraphs: 2-3 sentences maximum
  • Compressed images: Optimize for faster loading
  • Clear hierarchy: Use headings to break up content

Preview and Testing

Using Preview in Browser

  1. Click Preview in the top right
  2. Your email opens in a new browser tab
  3. Review the full email as families will see it
  4. Check all links work correctly
  5. Review personalization fields render properly
  6. Test on both desktop and mobile browsers

Send Test Email:

  1. Click Send Test
  2. Enter your email address
  3. Send and review in your actual inbox
  4. Check how it displays in different email clients (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)

Pro Tip: Always send a test to yourself before sending to families. Check it on your phone too.

Saving and Using Templates

  1. When you're happy with your design, click Save
  2. Give your template a clear name (e.g., "Monthly Newsletter - Fall 2025")
  3. Add to a category for easy finding later
  4. Saved templates appear in your Templates library
  5. Reuse templates for consistent family communications

Common Questions

Can I save custom brand colors for easy reuse?
Yes. Save your center's brand colors as custom values or keep a document with hex codes handy to paste in.

What image formats work best?
JPG and PNG work best. Aim for images under 1MB for faster email loading.

Can I include videos?
Email doesn't support embedded videos well. Instead, add an image thumbnail linked to a video hosted on your website or YouTube.

How do I ensure my email doesn't go to spam?
Avoid spam trigger words ("free," "urgent," excessive caps), maintain a good text-to-image ratio, and always include an unsubscribe option.

Can I A/B test different email versions?
Yes, when creating campaigns, you can set up A/B tests to see which subject lines or content performs better.

What's the ideal email width?
Stick to 600-650px wide for desktop. The builder handles mobile responsiveness automatically.

Next Steps

Ready to communicate with your families? Start with a simple template and build from there. The more you use the email builder, the faster you'll create beautiful, effective parent communications.

Need inspiration? Check out our pre-built templates designed specifically for childcare centers — from welcome sequences to event invitations.