What Template Studio is for
The company-level template studio is where branded layout design lives. This is different from the letter template editor. The letter template editor controls the wording and placeholders for a document type. The template studio controls the visual shell around that content.
Current capabilities in the codebase
- Separate internal and external template studio pages
- Preset-based starting points
- Visual editing through Unlayer
- Merge-tag support for dynamic company-aware content
- Large full-width editing experience for design work
- Template save actions tied directly to the company record
Why this split from letter templates matters
Teams often want a stable branded frame but flexible wording. If layout and wording are locked together too tightly, every copy change becomes a design change. By keeping company-level visual templates separate from letter-type content, the product stays easier to maintain.
When to use Template Studio
- When the organization wants a polished visual layout across many letter types
- When HR wants external letters to look different from internal ones
- When teams need reusable branded blocks instead of duplicating design work in every template
External vs internal template studio
External templates
These are meant for documents that leave the organization or are shared outside the internal workflow. They often need more polished branding and stronger consistency.
Internal templates
These are better suited for internal communications, memos, operational notices, or staff-facing documents where the structure still matters but the audience is different.
Practical design advice
- Keep branding stable at the company level so letter authors can focus on content.
- Use presets to create consistency before designers begin manual customization.
- Avoid over-designing layouts that will eventually carry many different types of content.
- Test with both short and long content because some designs look good only with one content shape.
Edge cases to think about
- Preset switch late in the process: changing the design foundation after many templates depend on it can create rework.
- Merge tag overuse: too much dynamic layout content can make visual QA difficult.
- External/internal confusion: teams should agree which layout family belongs to which audience.
- Very narrow or very wide content: always check how the design behaves with different content lengths.
Studio workflow recommendation
- Choose a preset that is closest to the intended audience.
- Apply brand colors and layout structure before fine text styling.
- Test with realistic long and short content blocks.
- Save and review the design in a real generated-letter scenario.