Email templates help ensure consistent and efficient communication. But, sharing them with colleagues on different platforms (Outlook, Gmail, or various CRMs) requires the right approach.
Below, we explore methods for one-time template sharing versus ongoing collaboration, covering built-in features, third-party tools, and best practices for managing templates across an organization.
Single Email Template Sharing Methods
One-time sharing is useful when you need to distribute a template for immediate use by others without setting up a permanent shared library. Common methods include exporting or sending the template content directly. Here are instructions for some of the most popular email platforms.
How to Share Email Templates in Microsoft Outlook
In Outlook’s desktop version, you can compose an email and save it as an .oft file (Outlook Template). Colleagues can then open the .oft file to load the email.
If working in a Microsoft 365 environment, you might save the .oft to a shared location (e.g. OneDrive or SharePoint) that teammates can access.
Note that Outlook doesn’t natively allow sharing templates across users by default–each user’s templates are stored locally or in their mailbox, so manual distribution (via file share or email) is the go-to, one-time method.
How to Share Email Templates in Gmail
Gmail’s built-in Templates (formerly “Canned Responses”) feature allows individual users to save email drafts for reuse. However, Gmail has no direct built-in function to share these templates with others.
A simple one-time workaround is to send the template content as an email to your colleagues. Recipients can then copy that email and Save it as a new template in their own Gmail account (essentially recreating the template on their side).
For Google Workspace users, another option is to store template text in a shared Google Doc or a shared Google Keep note with the template content. Colleagues can then access the note and copy the text into a Gmail message.
Enabling Google Keep for your team and storing responses there makes Gmail templates effectively shareable, since Keep notes can be opened beside your Gmail and pasted in.
How to Share Email Templates in Mailchimp, HubSpot or Salesforce
If you use a CRM or marketing email system (e.g. Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp), one-time sharing might involve exporting or copying the template out of that system. Many marketing email tools let you export a template as HTML or a file, which you can then send to someone else. The colleague could import that HTML into their own system or email client.
If exporting isn’t available, you can share the raw content (HTML code or text) via a document or email. Keep in mind that formatting may need adjustment when moving a template between platforms (for example, an HTML email exported from a CRM might render differently in Outlook or Gmail).
Always communicate any images or special styling required, and include instructions if the recipient needs to do anything specific to use the template (such as enabling HTML mode or copying into their template storage).
Ongoing Collaboration and Shared Email Template Libraries
For teams that need to co-create and continually use a common set of templates, an ongoing sharing solution is ideal. These methods ensure that everyone always has access to the latest template versions and can contribute updates under controlled conditions.
Shared Drives or Cloud Folders
One straightforward approach is to maintain a central repository of templates in a shared drive.
For Outlook, a common practice is saving .oft files to a shared OneDrive or SharePoint folder accessible by the team. Team members can open templates from that folder whenever needed, ensuring they all use the same up-to-date version.
This is a manual form of collaboration. If a template needs updating, someone must save a new version to the shared folder (overwriting or renaming it). Colleagues will then use the updated file next time they open it.
This method works across platforms to an extent: for instance, you could also store HTML template files or text snippets in a shared network folder or a tool like Dropbox for colleagues to copy into Gmail or other clients. The downside is that it’s not automated. It relies on individuals to retrieve and copy templates, and edits aren’t synchronized in real-time.
Built-In Team Template Features in Email & CRM Apps
Many platforms that handle emails have native support for team templates:
- Outlook: The newer Outlook versions (including Outlook 365 web and new desktop app) have a My Templates add-in, but those templates are stored per user and cannot be shared directly. Instead, organizations often turn to Exchange/Office 365 features or form scripts, or use the shared folder method described above. In summary, vanilla Outlook lacks a real-time collaborative template library, so consider add-ins or external sharing for ongoing use.
- Gmail: Gmail itself doesn’t offer a shared template library for teams. A creative built-in workaround is using Google Keep (or even Google Drive) to collaborate on templates. For example, you can have a shared Google Keep note (enabled for your Google Workspace domain) containing template snippets that multiple people can edit and use. Team members can open that note inside Gmail’s sidebar and copy-paste the content. While not as seamless as a native feature, this ensures everyone is pulling content from the same source.
- CRM Systems: If your team works in the same CRM or email platform, leverage its template sharing capabilities. Most CRMs allow organization-wide templates or sharing templates with specific roles/teams. For example, in Salesforce you can store templates in shared folders and control access for users. Similarly, platforms like HubSpot, Zendesk, or monday.com have team or global email template features to ensure everyone uses the same approved messaging. Using these built-in libraries is often the easiest ongoing solution when all collaborators use the same system. Any updates made to a central CRM template will immediately be available to the team.
Using TextExpander to Share Email Templates with Your Team
TextExpander is a powerful tool for creating and sharing email templates, allowing teams to streamline communication while maintaining consistency.
By setting up shared snippets, colleagues can quickly insert pre-written responses with simple abbreviations, reducing typing time and ensuring uniform messaging.
Creating and Organizing Email Templates in TextExpander
To get started, create a new snippet within TextExpander by opening the application and selecting the New Snippet option. Enter the desired email template text and assign it a shortcut abbreviation (e.g., ;followup) that will expand into the full email when typed.
For added flexibility, TextExpander supports Fill-in Fields, allowing users to personalize parts of a template, such as recipient names or specific details.
To keep templates organized, group similar snippets into folders (e.g., “Sales Emails” or “Support Responses”). This makes it easier to manage multiple templates and ensures users can quickly find relevant responses.
Sharing TextExpander Templates with Your TeamTextExpander allows teams to collaborate by sharing snippet groups. The steps are as follows:
- Select the group of snippets you want to share.
- Click the Share button and enter your colleagues’ email addresses.
- Assign appropriate permissions. “View Only” users can insert the templates but cannot modify them. “Can Edit” users can update and add new templates.
Once shared, team members can immediately start using the templates, ensuring consistent messaging across the organization.
Using TextExpander Email Templates Efficiently
With shared templates in place, team members can insert an email response by simply typing the assigned abbreviation (e.g., ;intro for an introduction email). TextExpander will automatically replace the shortcut with the full template. If the template includes Fill-in Fields, a pop-up window will appear, prompting users to customize specific details before inserting the email.
Best Practices for Template Management
1. Ease of Use
Choose a sharing method that fits naturally into your team’s workflow. The goal is for colleagues to insert templates into emails with as few extra steps as possible.
For example, opening a template from within Outlook via the Choose Form dialog, an add-in, or using TextExpander to quickly insert pre-written snippets is easier than digging through folders on a network drive. Likewise, a Gmail extension button or a TextExpander shortcut is more convenient than copy-pasting from an external document.
Provide clear instructions or training for any new tool or process so that even non-technical team members can use the templates confidently.
2. Accessibility & Compatibility
Ensure all intended users can access the templates on their respective platforms. Be mindful of cross-platform compatibility issues. A format that works on one client may not on another. For instance, Outlook’s .OFT files can’t be used in Gmail, and even within Outlook, the new Mac or web versions don’t support opening .oft templates.
If your organization has a mix of email clients, favor neutral formats (like HTML or plain text) or use a third-party service that provides a consistent interface across platforms. TextExpander can be a helpful tool for managing and distributing text-based templates efficiently, ensuring consistency across different platforms.
Store templates in a location everyone can reach (shared cloud folders or a team knowledge base), and make sure permissions are set so that all relevant colleagues have at least view access. Additionally, using TextExpander allows users to quickly insert templates without relying on file access, reducing friction in workflow adoption.
Accessibility can also refer to making content accessible to all recipients. Ensure your templates follow accessibility guidelines (clear language, proper formatting for screen readers) if that’s a concern for your use case.
3. Version Control & Updates
Designate a “source of truth” for each template to avoid divergence. If you’re using an ongoing shared library (via an add-in, CRM, or shared folder), establish who can update templates and how changes are communicated.
Some tools help with this. For example, TextExpander enables teams to maintain a centralized library of snippets, ensuring that updates are automatically propagated while allowing for personal customization where needed.
This can be useful if you want to experiment individually without altering the team template. If your method doesn’t inherently track versions, consider adopting a simple version control practice. For example, include a version number or date in the template name (e.g., “Welcome Email v2 – Jan 2025”), or maintain a change log in a shared document. This way, if someone edits a template, others can quickly identify if they’re using the latest draft.
For more formal control, you could manage templates in a version-controlled repository (like a private GitHub or a SharePoint library with version history). While not everyone on the team needs to use Git or complex tools, having an admin archive old versions can be a safety net in case a change needs to be rolled back.
4. Organization and Naming
Keeping templates well-organized will save time and reduce mistakes. Group templates into logical categories or folders (by function, department, or campaign) and use clear, consistent naming conventions.
As a Gmail guide suggests, effective labeling and naming of canned responses makes it easier to find the right response and distinguish templates for different purposes.
If your sharing tool supports folders or tags (many do), take advantage of that structure for clarity.
Regularly audit the template list to remove or archive outdated templates so the team isn’t overwhelmed with irrelevant choices.
5. Performance and Feedback
Treat your shared templates as living content. Encourage colleagues to give feedback on templates. Are they getting good responses, is the wording up to date, does anything need tweaking for clarity?
Shared template solutions in sales environments (like CRMs) often include analytics to see usage rates or response metrics. Use that data to improve templates over time.
For example, if one email template consistently performs better (higher open or reply rate), you might standardize on that and phase out less effective ones. Conversely, if a template isn’t being used, find out why. Maybe people forget it’s available or it’s hard to find, indicating a need for better communication or reorganization.
6. Security and Privacy
If your templates contain sensitive information (client data, pricing, etc.), ensure that sharing them doesn’t violate any policies. Using a controlled environment (like an enterprise template manager or a permission-limited folder) is safer than emailing files around. Some Outlook add-ins even allow you to encrypt shared templates or restrict who can edit them.
Always verify that third-party tools you use comply with your company’s security requirements (especially important for financial, legal, or healthcare organizations where emails may contain confidential content).
