Custom Templates

Last updated: 13 November 2022

warning

You can only create a custom template based on a registered operator template.

After registering an operator template in Active status, you need to create a custom template based on it in order to use it in future broadcasts (operator templates cannot be used in broadcasts). If your operator template contained auto-fill elements, you can specify variables or other combinations in the user template instead.

To create a custom template:

1. On the Settings → Templates page, click Add template → Viber.

2. In the Sender(s) field, select the sender’s name(s): this will be the name(s) that the clients will receive the messages from. The names reflected in this list are the names you specify for a Viber channel in the Name in English field. You can only select the sender name(s) of active channels.

   warning

   The template is linked to the sender's name: therefore, you need to select the name of the sender for whom the operator template you need is registered. For example, if operator template 1 is registered for sender edna, but not for sender edna Marketing, then when you create a user template based on it, template 1 will only be available for selection for sender edna, but not for edna Marketing.

3. Ignore the Template ID field: this is a system field, it will fill in automatically upon saving the template.

4. In the Template name field, enter the name of the new template.

5. From the drop-down under the Custom radio button, select an operator template you want to use as the basis for your new template.

   The Registered template text box fills in with the text of the selected operator template.

6. In the Enter text based on the template box, enter the text you want the message to contain. If there are regular expressions, you can either replace them with your own text, digits, punctuation marks, etc., or enter a variable by putting your cursor where you want the variable to be and clicking the  button. The Select a variable element appears: click it and select the variable you need from the drop-down that opens, as shown in the following screenshot.

   In Viber, only text can be used in user templates. Such messages do not contain buttons, images, or files. The maximum number of characters in a template is 500.

   The auto-fill element can be replaced with other text, numbers, etc., and a variable can also be added. A variable can be any information about the customer — their pet's name, the sport they are interested in, their car brand, etc. Variables help you personalize the text for a specific customer. With their help, you can address them by name in the message, substitute their car number, and so on. Please note that when creating a custom template, the variable is not filled with a real value — this will happen when creating a broadcast based on this template, and the customer will receive a message where the variable will be replaced with a specific value.

   Creating and Assigning Variables How to Configure Broadcast Content

   To add variables, place the cursor in the desired location in the message, click the {} button below the message input field, and select the appropriate variable from the list.

7. Make sure the text in the Enter text based on the template box matches the template given in the Registered template box.

8. Add a comment, if necessary.

9. Review how the message looks in the message preview box. If everything is correct, click Save (you don’t need to register a custom template).

10. If necessary, review the template status in the Status column on the Templates page. As no registration is required for a custom template, the template immediately moves to the Active status, and you can start using it in your broadcasts.