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Creating a Canvas template

This reference article covers how to create and manage templates for Canvas. Using templates can refine your messaging by creating a consistent framework that can be easily customized to fit your specific goals across your Canvases.

Method 1: Create from an existing Canvas

Step 1: Select your existing Canvas

In the Braze dashboard, go to Messaging > Canvas and select an existing Canvas you want to use as a template.

Step 2: Create your template

In the Canvas editor, select Edit Canvas or Edit draft, depending on if your Canvas is active or in a draft. Expand the Save as draft dropdown in the footer and select Save as template.

Step 3: Save your template

Next, give your template a name and add any relevant tags. Then, select Save. Your template is now ready to use for building a Canvas, giving you a head start with your basic settings and steps already in place.

Method 2: Create via Canvas template editor

Step 1: Go to the Canvas template editor

In the Braze dashboard, go to Templates > Canvas Templates.

Step 2: Create a new template

Select Create template and begin setting up your Canvas details. You can start by giving your Canvas template a name.

An example Canvas template named "Annual sale Canvas template" with the description "Use for annual spring promotion".

Step 3: Customize your template

Next, customize your template by setting up your Canvas. You can decide when users should enter the Canvas, determine which users can enter this Canvas, adjust your send settings, and build your user journey for the template.

Step 4: Save your template

After you’ve finished customizing your template, select the Save template button. On the Canvas template page, you can view your Canvas template details by selecting Template details.

Using Canvas templates

There are two ways to use your template when composing a Canvas:

  • From Messsaging: Go to Messaging > Canvas. Select the Create Canvas button and Use a Canvas Template.
  • From Templates: Go to Templates > Canvas Templates and find your desired template. Then, select the menu followed by Apply template. This will bring you to a new Canvas with the template applied in the Canvas composer.

Available Braze templates

Braze has a selection of Canvas templates available for you to reference and use as best practices for common use cases. While these templates can’t be edited, you can view them in Templates > Braze templates or use them in your Canvases.

Braze templates in the Canvas templates section with six available templates.

Select from the following available templates to reference or use as your Canvas.

Engage with users in real-time to encourage them to complete their purchases.

Consider the following when using this template:

  • Add a specific audience. Currently, the audience paths are triggered based on “Made Any Purchase”, but you can tailor this to specific products you want to target.
  • This template assumes you have a separate post-purchase journey, so making a purchase will cause users to exit the Canvas.
  • Fill out the details in the Audience Sync step.

Drive purchases by notifying your users when an item is back in stock with personalized messaging. Consider the following when using this template:

  • In Entry Schedule, select a catalog to use. This allows you to access data, such as products, discounts, and promotions, to further target your users.
  • In Target Audience, add a segment to target users who indicated interest in a certain item.
  • In the Message steps throughout the Canvas, update the Liquid to reference your catalog.

Deliver timely personalized messages to highlight the benefits and usage tips. Consider the following when using this template:

  • Exclude users who have already used the product. For example, in Target Audience, add a filter in
  • To use the Experiment Path step, define a conversion event. This event should be the event that signals feature adoption.
  • Set up the Action Path step in the template with custom events for “Activated Feature” and “Taken Tour”.
  • Set up the custom attributes in the Message step named “Feedback Survey” to capture sentiment of feedback.

Bring users back to your app with incentives based on their past engagements. Consider the following when using this template:

  • In Basics, select a specific app to track conversions for.
  • In the Canvas editor, add specific apps for the Action Paths steps.
  • Configure the Audience Sync step with the partners and audiences for your use case.

Create onboarding journeys that promote strong initial adoption and encourage lasting relationships with your users. Consider the following when using this template:

  • In the Audience Paths step named “Audience Split”, consider customizing the key actions for engaged users. In the template, the segment filter is “Has clicked email for step Welcome Email”.

Orchestrate personalized experiences that allow you to respond to feedback and build a relationship with your users. Consider the following when using this template:

  • In the first step of the Canvas editor:
    • Specify the custom attributes in the in-app message to indicate the sentiment of the feedback based on the selected survey option.
    • Specify attributes on links for each call-to-action to capture which option is selected. These attributes are referenced in the subsequent audience path.
  • Customize the Audience Path with the attributes from the first step of this template.
  • Set up the Audience Sync step named “Ad Retargeting”.

Managing Canvas templates

Canvas templates can be duplicated and archived, similar to an actual Canvas. To edit a Canvas template, select the template then Edit.

At a workspace level, you can update user permissions to allow or limit the access to create, edit, view, or archive Canvas templates.

Permissions for teams and workspaces

To only allow certain users to access and use specific Canvas templates, add a team to the templates, then assign team-level “Access Campaigns, Canvases, Content Cards, Content Blocks, Feature Flags, Segments, Media Library, and Preference Center” permissions.

If you assign any of the following permissions at a team level, but not a workspace level, you can only do the following assigned to your team:

  • Create and edit Canvas templates
  • View Canvas templates
  • Archive Canvas templates

If permissions are granted at both a workspace and teams level, the workspace level permissions will be prioritized.

Frequently asked questions

Can I save an incomplete step in a Canvas template?

Yes, you can save incomplete steps as a Canvas template. However, when the template is used, there will be an error on the Save template button that indicates what is needed to launch the Canvas.

Can I save my Canvas builder settings as a template, or can I only save steps?

Yes, you can save settings in the Canvas builder within a Canvas template. For example, if you plan to use a combination of segments and filters often, you can save these Target Audience settings as part of your Canvas template.

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