Simple emails are the 13 built-in transactional emails Off The Couch sends automatically when something happens — a booking is confirmed, a reminder needs to go out, a cart is abandoned, a payment is requested, a refund is processed, and so on. Each one ships ready to use; you configure the subject, sender, dynamic sections, timing (where applicable), and additional toggles on each type's editor.
Most venues configure these once during onboarding and never need to touch the Advanced emails surface (custom drag-and-drop templates and multi-step automation workflows).
Getting started
Navigate to Mail > Simple emails. The page lists every type as a row with its name, current status badge, and a three-dot menu.
How it works
Each row is one built-in email type. The status badge tells you whether the type is currently firing (active) or skipped (disabled).
| Per-row action | Effect |
|---|---|
| Preview email | Renders the email with sample data so you can see what customers receive |
| Edit email template | Opens the editor for this email type |
| Deactivate email type | Stops the system from firing this email. Available when status is active |
| Activate email type | Re-enables firing. Available when status is disabled |
Click into Edit email template to open the editor. The editor lays out form sections vertically; a right-side panel surfaces the dynamic variables you can paste into any text field for that type.
Step-by-step guide
Activate or deactivate a type
Click the three-dot menu on the row and pick Activate email type or Deactivate email type. The status badge flips immediately. A disabled type never fires even when the underlying event happens.
Configure a type
Click the three-dot menu on the row and pick Edit email template. The editor opens with form sections in vertical order.
Email subject
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Email subject | The subject line every email of this type uses. Helper: "Email subject for all emails." Supports dynamic variables |
Sender information
The sender section overrides the global values from Email settings for this type only.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sender name | Display name in the From field. Placeholder: "Name" |
| Sender email address | Reply-to address. Placeholder: "Email" |
| Use defaults from email settings | Link that copies the saved sender from Email settings into the two fields above |
| Revert to previous values | Link that undoes the last save and restores the previous sender values |
The helper above the section reads: "The specified name will appear in the From field of the email. The specified email address with appear in the reply-to field."
Type-specific timing settings
Four of the 13 types have their own timing-driven General settings section.
| Type | Section | Fields and options |
|---|---|---|
| Reminder email | General settings | "Send reminder emails [N] [period] before the event" with period options: minute(s) / hour(s) / day(s) / week(s) / month(s) before the event |
| Follow-up email | General settings | "Send follow-up emails [N] [period] after the event" with the same period options |
| Abandoned cart | General settings | "Send abandoned cart emails [N] [period] after abandonment" with options: minute(s) / hour(s) / day(s) after abandonment |
| Surveys | General settings | "Send survey emails [N] [period] after the event" with the same after-event period options |
Dynamic content sections
Each type has one or more configurable content sections — Introduction content, Additional information, Reschedule policy, Cancellation policy, etc. Each section has the same shape.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Show in all emails | Master toggle. When on, the title and content render in every email of this type |
| Title | Section heading the customer sees |
| Content | Rich text editor (500px tall). Supports dynamic variables |
Gift card redemption button (Gift card delivery only)
The Gift card delivery type has its own redemption-button section.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Include in gift card delivery email | Toggle |
| Button text | Placeholder: "Redeem gift card" |
| Button color | Color picker |
| Button text color | Color picker |
| Custom redirect link | Toggle. When on, surfaces a Redirect link input |
| Redirect link | Placeholder: "https://example.com" |
Additional settings
Each type has a set of additional toggles. The list varies by type.
| Toggle | Used on |
|---|---|
| Include waiver link | updated_booking, confirmation, reminder |
| Include PDF invoice | confirmation, gift_card_confirmation |
| Hide pricing information | updated_booking, gift_card_confirmation, confirmation, reminder |
| Show business location | all types |
| Send to everyone in the group with waivers signed | follow_up, surveys |
Attached survey (Surveys only)
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Attached survey | Dropdown of every survey you've created. Helper: "Select a survey to include as a link in your email." |
Save
Click Save at the bottom to commit, or Cancel to discard.
Use dynamic variables in your copy
The right-side panel of the editor surfaces the dynamic variables available for that type, each with a one-click copy button. Paste a variable like [Customer First Name] into the subject, a content section's title, the content body, or a button URL — at send time the variable is replaced with the booking's actual value.
The available variables are type-specific. Common ones:
| Variable | Available on |
|---|---|
| [Booking Id] | Most types (excludes abandoned_cart, gift_card_confirmation, refund_issued) |
| [Company Name] | All types |
| [Customer First Name] | All types |
| [Customer Last Name] | All types |
| [Order Number] | Most types (excludes surveys, photos, abandoned_cart) |
| [Group Name] | Gift card types only |
| [Host First Name] / [Host Last Name] / [Host Nickname] | follow_up, surveys, photos |
| [Refund Amount] | refund_issued only |
Preview an email
Click the three-dot menu on the row and pick Preview email. The preview renders with sample data so you can see exactly what customers receive before activating the type.
Reference
Page
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Page title | Simple emails |
| Status badges | active (success) or disabled (danger) |
| Per-row actions | Preview email, Edit email template, Deactivate email type / Activate email type |
The 13 simple email types
| Type | Fires when |
|---|---|
| Booking confirmation | A booking is created |
| Updated booking | A booking is edited |
| Reminder email | Configured time before the event |
| Follow-up email | Configured time after the event |
| Cancelled transaction | A transaction is cancelled |
| Cancelled booking | A single booking on a transaction is cancelled |
| Abandoned cart | A customer adds items to their cart and leaves without paying, after the configured delay |
| Payment request | Triggered manually from a transaction or booking with a balance due |
| Refund issued | A refund is processed |
| Gift card delivery | A gift card is delivered to its recipient |
| Gift card purchase confirmation | A gift card is purchased |
| Photos | Player photos are ready and shared with the group |
| Surveys | Configured time after the event |
Editor sections
| Section | Fields |
|---|---|
| Email subject | Subject line, supports dynamic variables |
| Sender information | Sender name, Sender email address, plus Use defaults from email settings and Revert to previous values links |
| Type-specific timing | Reminder / Follow-up / Abandoned cart / Surveys timing fields (only on those four types) |
| Dynamic content sections | Per-type sections, each with a Show in all emails toggle, Title, and Content rich text editor |
| Gift card redemption button (Gift card delivery only) | Include toggle, Button text, Button color, Button text color, Custom redirect link toggle plus Redirect link |
| Additional settings | Type-specific toggles (Include waiver link, Include PDF invoice, Hide pricing information, Show business location, Send to everyone in the group with waivers signed) |
| Attached survey (Surveys only) | Dropdown of every survey |
| Save / Cancel | Footer buttons |
Reminder / Follow-up / Abandoned cart / Surveys period options
| Type | Period values |
|---|---|
| Reminder email | minute(s) / hour(s) / day(s) / week(s) / month(s) before the event |
| Follow-up email | minute(s) / hour(s) / day(s) / week(s) / month(s) after the event |
| Abandoned cart | minute(s) / hour(s) / day(s) after abandonment |
| Surveys | minute(s) / hour(s) / day(s) / week(s) / month(s) after the event |
Common dynamic variables
| Variable | Available on |
|---|---|
| [Booking Id] | All except abandoned_cart, gift_card_confirmation, refund_issued |
| [Company Name] | All |
| [Customer First Name] | All |
| [Customer Last Name] | All |
| [Order Number] | All except surveys, photos, abandoned_cart |
| [Group Name] | Gift card types |
| [Host First Name] / [Host Last Name] / [Host Nickname] | follow_up, surveys, photos |
| [Refund Amount] | refund_issued |
Status badges
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| active (success) | The system fires this email type when the underlying event happens |
| disabled (danger) | The type is configured but won't fire |
Good to know
- Simple emails cover the standard transactional moments. The 13 built-in types match the events most venues care about. Configure them during onboarding and most groups never need a custom Advanced email.
- Disabled types don't fire even if the underlying event occurs. The status badge tells you at a glance what's on and what's off.
- Per-toggle inline saves. Each toggle disables individually while saving with a small inline spinner. Toast notifications confirm the save instead of full-page popups.
- Custom Sender name / Sender email override the globals. The values you set on a type apply only to that type's emails; the global Email settings values apply to every type that doesn't override.
- The Use defaults from email settings link is a quick way to undo a per-type override and revert to the global values without retyping them.
- Send to everyone in the group with waivers signed is a follow-up / survey specific toggle. When on, the email goes to every signed-waiver participant on the booking, not just the booker.
- Each simple email type fires at most once per event (e.g., one reminder per booking). For repeated sends with conditional logic, use a custom Advanced email automation.
- The right-side variables panel is type-specific. Different types get different variables based on the data available at send time. A Refund email knows the refund amount; a Survey email doesn't.
FAQ
Q: How do I customize the look of a simple email beyond the subject and content sections?
A: Simple emails use a built-in design that you can't fully restyle. If you need a custom look (branded header, hero image, custom layout, etc.), use the Advanced emails surface — design a drag-and-drop template there and send it via an Automation triggered by the same event.
Q: My customer never received the booking confirmation. What should I check?
A: 1) Open this page and confirm Booking confirmation is set to active. 2) Check the customer's email address on the booking for typos. 3) Open the booking's Booking drawer and check the Customer communication section — if the email shows as sent but the customer didn't receive it, it likely landed in spam or got bounced (the badge chain will show Bounced or Complaint). 4) Verify your sender domain in Email settings is set up correctly.
Q: Can I send a Reminder email earlier than X minutes before?
A: The minimum period is 1 minute. Pick minute(s) before the event in the period dropdown and enter the number.
Q: Where do I see what was actually sent to a customer?
A: Open the booking, expand the Customer communication section in the Booking drawer, and click View history to see every email sent for the transaction with status badges (Sent / Delivered / Opened / Clicked / Bounced) and per-badge timestamps.
Q: Why don't dynamic variables work in some fields?
A: Variables are interpolated everywhere they're supported, but the variable has to be available for the type. The right-side panel of the editor only lists variables that work for that type. Pasting [Refund Amount] into a Booking confirmation won't render because the refund context isn't there.
Q: How is this different from Advanced emails?
A: Simple emails are the 13 built-in types that fire automatically when system events happen. You configure them but don't design them. Advanced emails are fully-custom drag-and-drop designs that you can plug into multi-step Automation workflows with triggers, schedules, waits, and conditional branches. Most venues only need Simple emails; reach for Advanced when you want a custom design or a lifecycle flow that Simple emails can't express.
Q: Can I activate just some types and keep others disabled?
A: Yes. Each type's status is independent. Disable the ones you don't want (e.g., abandoned cart if you handle that flow elsewhere) and leave the rest active.
Q: I changed the subject on a simple email but past emails still show the old subject. Why?
A: Already-sent emails are unchanged — what the customer received is what's in their inbox. Your change applies to future sends of that type only.