Transactional Emails

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What are Transactional Emails?

Transactional emails are automated messages sent to individual users based on specific actions they take—like password resets, order confirmations, or account notifications. Unlike marketing emails, they contain essential information users need regardless of their subscription preferences.

Key characteristics:

• Triggered by user actions (not promotional campaigns)
• Always delivered, even to unsubscribed contacts
• Don’t require unsubscribe links (CAN-SPAM compliant)
• Focus on functionality, not marketing

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When Should I Use Transactional Emails?

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Quick Decision Guide

Ask yourself: “Can the user complete essential tasks without this email?”

• No → Transactional (password reset, order receipt)
• Yes → Marketing email (newsletter, product updates)

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How to Create and Send Transactional Emails

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Create with AI

Instead of building emails from scratch, tell Brew what you need:

Example prompts:

• “Create a password reset email with a secure link and security tips”
• “Draft an order confirmation with order details and tracking info”
• “Make an account verification email with a confirmation button”

Brew generates complete emails with proper security messaging, clear instructions, and your brand styling.

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Add Data Variables

Data variables insert personalized content into each email:

Common variables:

• {DATA_VARIABLE:firstName} - Recipient’s name
• {DATA_VARIABLE:resetUrl} - Password reset link
• {DATA_VARIABLE:orderNumber} - Order confirmation
• {DATA_VARIABLE:verificationLink} - Account verification URL

Adding variables:

1. Use the Insert data variable button in the editor
2. Type them directly: {DATA_VARIABLE:variableName}
3. Add to text, links, buttons, or subject lines

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Publish and Send

1. Review your email - Check variables and content
2. Click “Publish” - Gets your unique transactional ID
3. Copy the API payload - Use this for your integration

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API Examples

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Basic Password Reset

curl -X POST "https://api.getbrew.ai/v1/transactional" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "transactionalId": "te_password_reset",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "dataVariables": {
      "firstName": "Sarah",
      "resetUrl": "https://app.example.com/reset?token=abc123"
    }
  }'

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With Contact Management

curl -X POST "https://api.getbrew.ai/v1/transactional" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "transactionalId": "te_welcome",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "addToAudience": true,
    "firstName": "Alex",
    "subscriptionGroups": {
      "sg_newsletter": true
    },
    "dataVariables": {
      "firstName": "Alex",
      "dashboardUrl": "https://app.example.com/dashboard"
    }
  }'

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Testing and Troubleshooting

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Safe Testing

Use these special test domains that won’t affect your sending reputation:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]

These return success responses without sending actual emails.

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Common Issues

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Best Practices

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Content Guidelines

• Be clear and direct - Users expect immediate, actionable information
• Include your branding - Build trust with consistent design
• Explain the trigger - “You’re receiving this because you requested a password reset”
• Provide support contact - Never use “no-reply” addresses

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Technical Best Practices

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Monitoring

Track key metrics in your Transactional dashboard:

• Sends - Total emails sent
• Delivered - Successfully delivered emails
• Bounces - Failed deliveries
• Spam complaints - Recipients marking as spam

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API Reference

For complete API documentation, including all parameters and error codes, see our Transactional Email API Reference.

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Need Help?

Our team is ready to support you at every step of your journey with Brew. Choose the option that works best for you: