Saved Replies are template emails for common scenarios that make it quick and easy for your team to respond to requests. Here’s how to go one step further with AI! 

Template emails take a lot of the work out of responding to common queries! If your team manages a shared inbox with Email for Trello, it’s useful to have immediate responses available so that your team can save time, reduce errors and get more done.

If you’re keen to get set up, but writing isn’t your thing, ChatGPT can help you out! With a bit of prompt engineering, you can create useful prompts that get ChatGPT to generate the kind of response that you want. 

So if you’ve been putting off email automation, settle in – let’s take a closer look at how AI can help you write your Saved Replies. We’re experimenting with including AI features in the Email for Trello Power-Up itself, but for now, head over to Open AI to get started.

Master variables with ChatGPT

To save you the trouble of looking up or learning the available variables, use a configuration prompt to teach ChatGPT which variables are supported by Email for Trello, and then use them in its response.

Step 1: Load the variables

Before you start generating anything, give ChatGPT some context and feed it the set of available variables. For example, you might say something like:

I am writing template emails for my business. The following is a list of supported variables. Do not start writing yet. 

Then paste the set of variables. We’ve made an easy-to-copy list that you can use in your configuration prompt:

Step 2: Tell ChatGPT what to write

ChatGPT works best when it is given specific instructions. We’ve already primed the tool with our variable set, and explained the context (writing template emails), so now it’s time to give the writing brief. It’s helpful to lay out your expectations about the content and be specific about which variables should be included. For example, you might say:

Using the variables I gave you, write a short saved response notifying my customer that we will get back to their query within 48 hours. Address them by first name, include their reference number and sign off using the sender's full name. 

Once ChatGPT has generated a reply, you can give the AI more prompts to refine the length and tone – or just use its response as a starting point and make the necessary line edits yourself.

Teach ChatGPT to include Trello Custom Fields

Perhaps you’d like to include some information that’s not available in the standard set of variables? Trello Custom Fields are a powerful feature that you can tailor to include data that’s unique to your business.

Let’s use the Pet Cuts team as an example. The salon team would like to include a few pet-related Custom Fields in their Saved Replies to make their email communications more personal and relevant to their clients. 

Step 1: Load the Custom Fields and variables

As before, give ChatGPT the list of variables and Custom Fields it has to work with. Remember, Custom Field variables are case-sensitive and any spaces must be replaced with underscores! You can read more about how to work with Custom Field variables in our help center. For example:

I am writing template emails for my pet salon. The following is a list of supported Custom Fields and variables. Do not start writing yet.

Custom Field variables
{%Pet_Name%}: The pet’s name, e.g. Hero
{%Pet_Type%}: The type of pet, e.g. Dog
{%Loyalty_Card%}: The client’s loyalty card number, e.g. DOG123

Copy the list of standard variables and paste them into your prompt, too.

Step 2: Tell ChatGPT what to write

Write out a concise prompt for ChatGPT, including the types of information you’d like the email to touch on. For example:

Using the variables I gave you, write a short saved response reminding my customer that they have a salon booking for their pet. Include the name and type of their pet, and remind them to bring their loyalty card. The due date of the card is the appointment date and time.

After you’ve made your edits, double-check the variables before loading it up as a Saved Reply!

Write difficult emails with ChatGPT

From time to time, we all need to send sensitive emails like rejection letters or payment requests – and it can be difficult to know how to word them! Here’s how to get ChatGPT to write your tricky emails for you. 

Step 1: Load the variables

Configure ChatGPT to work with the list of supported variables. 

Step 2: Tell ChatGPT what to write

Give ChatGPT a brief about the type of email you’d like to write. For example:

Using the variables I gave you, write a 50 word email to a prospective job candidate letting them know their application has been unsuccessful. Address them by first name and sign off using the sender's full name.

Write your email templates with AI

With Email for Trello and ChatGPT, you can unlock the power of email automation without the need for strong writing skills. Using AI technology, you can streamline your workflow, enhance customer service, and get more done – in less time.