Templates in Circles

How to create document and email templates in the real estate CRM

Document and email templates are essential tools to standardize and optimize communication and document management in a real estate agency, a circle, or an MLS. Their main advantage lies in the ability to reuse previously prepared texts, quickly and automatically incorporating data already recorded in the contact, demand, owner, and property records.

This functionality is especially valuable for creating recurring documents, such as earnest money contracts, and for emails that need to maintain a consistent communication line among the different agencies that make up a network.

What are document and email templates?

A document template is a reusable base format that includes fixed text along with variable fields. Instead of drafting a document from scratch each time, a model is created that contains parameters linked to the information stored in the CRM, facilitating the automatic and accurate generation of personalized documents.

Similarly, an email template allows storing common messages to be reused later. This ensures that communication maintains a coherent and professional tone throughout the organization, speeding up the sending process and guaranteeing information consistency.

Both tools contribute to optimizing repetitive processes, minimizing manual tasks, and allowing agencies integrated into an MLS to work with common and standardized models.

Location of templates in the advanced panel

The options to manage templates are found within the Circles section. From there, it is necessary to access the Advanced Panel and go to the corresponding Templates section.

The detailed access path is as follows:

• Access Circles from the left sidebar.
• Select Advanced Panel.
• Choose between Document Templates or Email Templates, depending on the specific need.

In this area, you can also find other advanced panel functionalities, such as announcements, surveys, processes, and dashboards. For creating contracts and reusable texts, the key sections are document templates and email templates.

Procedure to create a document template with dynamic data

Creating document templates allows you to write the content directly or import previously prepared texts, for example, from Word. From this base content, it is possible to insert parameters that the system will automatically replace with the corresponding data stored in each record.

1. Prepare the base text

The first step is to have a structured and stable document. A standard contract is a clear example, as its clauses usually remain constant while the specific data of the parties, the property, or the operation vary.

You can write the content directly in the editor or copy and paste a prepared text. Before inserting variable data, it is essential to identify which information will change each time.

In an earnest money contract, the most common variable fields might include:

• Full names of the involved parties.
• Identification data stored in the corresponding record.
• Reference and address of the property.
• Information of the agent responsible for the operation.

2. Insert parameters linked to the CRM

The editor offers different groups of fields associated with the various types of available records. For real estate documents, the most relevant groups are usually properties, demands, and contacts.

Expanding each group displays the available data within that record. By selecting a field, the corresponding parameter is inserted at the cursor position within the document.

For example, instead of manually writing a client's name, you add the parameter that will automatically extract the name from the contact record. In this way, when generating the document for a specific operation, the system will replace the parameter with the actual stored data.

3. Correctly place each data in the document

Precise placement of parameters is essential to maintain the coherence and structure of the document. Each parameter must be located exactly where the final data will appear.

A practical scheme for preparing the template is as follows:

• First, write all the clauses and fixed texts of the document.
• Leave defined spaces where the variable data will be inserted.
• Insert a parameter for each available data in the CRM.
• Keep as manual text those data not managed through CRM records.

This method ensures the document is ready for reuse, eliminating the need to search and copy information manually in each operation.

Practical example: template for an earnest money contract

The earnest money contract is a recurring document in the real estate sector, making it an ideal candidate to be turned into a template.

This template can contain all the standard wording and use parameters for the specific data of each operation, such as the involved parties and the property information.

The recommended workflow would be:

• Create a model of the earnest money contract with the usual wording.
• Include contact parameters to identify the parties.
• Incorporate property parameters for the reference and address of the property.
• Associate the template with the record from which it will be used.
• Load the model when managing the corresponding property, demand, or contact.

When executing the substitution function, the parameters are automatically replaced by the data recorded in the related records, allowing you to start from a common text without losing the specificity of each operation.

Save and associate a document template

Once the text creation is finished and the necessary parameters are added, it is essential to save the template with a clear and descriptive name. A precise nomenclature facilitates its location and avoids confusion with similar documents.

It is recommended to use names that clearly reflect the purpose of the model, for example:

• Earnest Money Contract
• Reservation Document
• Visit Authorization
• Sales Assignment

Additionally, it is possible to associate the template with the specific record where it will be used, whether a property, demand, or contact. This way, when working from that record, the prepared document can be loaded directly, speeding up the process.

Applying parameters when generating the document

Inserting parameters in the template does not automatically complete the document during editing. The effective substitution is performed when applying the corresponding function, available at the top of the editor under the "Doc" option.

The process to generate a personalized document is as follows:

• Open the template from the appropriate record or load it manually.
• Add the necessary contacts, demands, or properties for the document.
• Verify that the linked records contain all the required information.
• Execute the parameter substitution function.
• Carefully review the generated document before its final use.

Reviewing is crucial, as a parameter can only be completed with the information available in the corresponding CRM field. If any data is missing, it must be completed in the record before finalizing the document.

How to use email templates in an MLS or circle

Email templates are essential for storing messages that are frequently sent. They are used to contact clients, maintain regular communications, or distribute uniform corporate messages among the agencies of an MLS.

Their usefulness goes beyond time saving, as they ensure that messages sent from different offices maintain a uniform approach, a coherent structure, and the essential information defined by the organization.

Creating an email template

When drafting an email, you can write the desired message and attach files if necessary. Once the content is ready, it is saved as a template to facilitate reuse in future communications.

To create an email template, follow these steps:

• Write the subject and body of the message you want to reuse.
• Include usual attachments when they are part of the standard communication.
• Select the option to save the template.
• Assign a representative and clear name that identifies the type of email.

Loading a template in a new email

Once registered, a template can be easily incorporated when composing a new message by using the option to load templates available in the email drafting area.

The usage flow is as follows:

• Start composing a new email.
• Access the option to load templates.
• Select the desired model.
• Customize the content as needed before sending.

This functionality is especially useful for first contact emails, operational communications, or messages that an MLS wishes to share uniformly among all its agencies.

Key differences between document templates and email templates

Although both tools are designed to reuse content, their application responds to different needs:

Document templates are oriented to formal and structured texts, linked to property, demand, owner, or contact records. Their main feature is the use of parameters that automatically complete the information recorded in the CRM.

Email templates focus on creating and reusing frequent electronic messages. They allow quickly loading predefined texts and attaching files when necessary, facilitating agile and uniform communication.

Best practices for managing and organizing templates

Having a well-organized template library is essential to maximize its usefulness and avoid errors or duplications. We recommend following these guidelines:

• Use descriptive and consistent names for each template.
• Create specific models for each concrete purpose.
• Insert parameters only when the information is available in the CRM records.
• Verify that contact, demand, owner, and property records are updated before substituting data.
• Carefully review the generated document before use in any operation.
• Maintain a common and professional writing style in emails that all MLS agencies must share.
• Avoid saving multiple versions with very similar names to prevent confusion.

Common mistakes when working with templates

One of the most common mistakes is assuming that all data will be automatically completed when inserting a parameter. Substitution only occurs if the corresponding field contains information registered in the linked record.

It is also common to use templates that are too generic for operations that require specific and differentiated content. In these cases, it is preferable to create specific models adapted to the particularities of the text, data, and the record from which they will be used.

Regarding emails, loading a template does not eliminate the need to carefully review recipients, content, and attachments before sending. The template provides a uniform base, but each communication must be individually validated.

Conclusion

Document and email templates are strategic tools that transform repetitive tasks into efficient and orderly processes. By leveraging parameters linked to contacts, properties, and demands, documents are automatically completed with precise data stored in the CRM. Meanwhile, email templates facilitate managing common messages and recurring attachments, maintaining communicative coherence throughout the organization.

Creating clear models, properly associating them with the corresponding records, and conducting thorough reviews before application maximizes the potential of these tools, significantly optimizing the daily operation of an agency, circle, or MLS.