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Substitution Fields in Templates

Field values from Siebel Database records can be substituted into the structure of the template for each recipient of a communication for which the template is used. Field substitution can apply to text specified directly for the template, and to the subject line, as well as to literature items and files.

Available fields for substitution are those that correspond to the recipient group or business object specified for the template:

• For simple templates, which are used with Send commands or Siebel Email Response replies, you can specify a business object that has a primary business component—for example, Account.
• For advanced templates, which are used with outbound communication requests, you can specify a predefined recipient group that corresponds to one of the recipient groups you can specify for requests—for example, Account Team Members.

Fields from the Account business component can be inserted into template text (for simple or advanced templates) or inserted into template items (for advanced templates only).

For a template item, you can also use advanced field substitution, where you specify an iteration child business component from which to substitute field values for a given template item. Each template item repeats, in iterative fashion, for every applicable child record.

For example, assume the recipient group is Account Team Members, and Opportunity is specified in the Iteration Child Business Component field for the template item. In the outgoing message, the template item's content will be repeated once for each opportunity (child business component) that is associated with the account (parent business component).

Field substitution can be employed within plain-text or HTML templates or template items. (Template items specifying files of other formats, such as RTF or Microsoft Word, cannot support field substitution.)

In an HTML template or template item, for example, a row containing substitution fields can, for example, be specified in a single-row HTML table in order to align field data. If an iteration child business component is specified, the tables are repeated, thus allowing you to align field data from multiple records.

In order for field substitution to function correctly for an outbound communication request, the request must specify the same recipient group as was specified for the template. If a different recipient group is used, the field names (with enclosing brackets) may appear in each message as literal character strings without substitution. Substitution still occurs for fields that are applicable to the request's recipient group.

Siebel Repository Requirement for Using Substitution Fields

The Siebel repository applicable to where templates are created must be consistent with the repository applicable to where templates will be used. Otherwise, field substitution behavior when the templates are used may not occur as desired.

For example, if you use the Siebel Mobile Web Client (connected to a local database), then you create templates only if the applicable business objects and business components (and substitution fields) in that environment are consistent with those in the enterprise database.