Email editor 2.0: module level values for Variables

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Currently, per the doc, variables can have only 1 value for the whole email. The consequence is that if the variable is used in a module, and the module is inserted more than once in the template, the various instances of the module will always have the same variable value. Let's say you want to use two variable do define a CTA (CTA text + URL), are you sure you want all the CTAs in your email pointing to the same page?

This idea is to enable a variable to have a different value for each module in which the variable is used.

This would take the form or an mktModuleValue = true or false attribute in the variable definition. If set to true, the variable could have a different value in each module. The false value (default) would just work as the variables do currently.

-Greg

[Justin_Cooperm2]

I know this is a big one, we're working on it.

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Hi Justin,

An alternative that could be easier, yet would cover only part of the need, is this one:

-Greg

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Hi Justin Cooperman​,

The truth is, until this one is made available, we just cannot use variables with modules... The push back from the users is systematic. There are some exceptions with modules that are supposed to be used only once in an email (such as hero banners), but at the end of the day, this is really missing strong.

-Greg

[Justin_Cooperm2]

I would say that's actually specific to your use case. There are some people I've talked to that do feel it's a limitation, but have still found use for variables. Anyway, we're adding this functionality. I'm hoping for the Summer release in ~1 month.

Cheers,

Justin

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Hi Justin,

There are other usages of variables indeed

But the capability to replace CTA's with a couple of variables was very much expected because the configuration of CTA's so that they render properly on all devices require inlining. So setting a CTA as an editable zone is error prone.

That would be great if it is fixed with the next version.

-Greg

[Geoff_Krajeski1]

1

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Tested! It works very well.

Kudos to the engineering and PM.

-Greg

[Anonymous]

Hello Justin Cooperman​

I know that Marketo have released Global Variables and Local Variables for modules ( David Kreitter demonstrated this at Marketo User Group Melbourne this week) but not all modules have Global and Local Variables available so this idea should still be open.

For example I am using Slam Dunk (Marketo Starter Template) for an email and have used the Free-Text module twice and because the module only has Global Variables I cannot change the module background for just one use of that module - I wanted to keep one as white and change other to grey.

Considering the issues encountered this should not have the status of "Already Have It".

Thanks and seasons greetings!

[Grégoire_Miche2]

Hi Kara,

This is not due to the feature missing, it's due to the fact that the template has not been updated so that all variables are setup as module level ones. This is a different need, I think.

-Greg

[Justin_Cooperm2]

Greg is correct. We have delivered product functionality to enable variables to be either local or global in scope.

Our syntax is defined here: Email Template Syntax - Marketo Docs - Product Docs and it is the mktoModuleScope attribute that determines whether your variables are local (true) or global (false).

The starter templates have not been updated to include local variables yet, but we will probably issue an update that incorporates them soon. In the meantime, you can right-click on any starter template and choose to "clone to design studio", where you could make these simple modifications in order to take advantage of this feature.

Justin