Templates vs campaigns: the snapshot rule
A template is reusable content. A campaign takes a copy of that content at the moment it is created, and from then on the two are independent. Editing a template afterwards does not change any campaign already built from it — not even a draft or a scheduled one. To apply a template change, create a new campaign or edit that campaign's own messages.
The rule
Editing a template does not change campaigns that already exist. When you create a campaign, its messages are copied into the campaign itself. The template it came from is recorded for reference only, and the link stops mattering from that moment.
This is the single most common surprise in BuzzRelay. Someone spots a typo, fixes the template, and the scheduled campaign goes out with the typo still in it.
Why it works this way
It is deliberate. A campaign is a record of what you actually sent, or are about to send. If templates were live-linked, editing one would silently rewrite the content of campaigns already scheduled, and would retrospectively change the record of campaigns already completed. Neither is what you want when you are trying to work out what a customer received last Tuesday.
| Template | Campaign | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Reusable content | One specific send to specific people |
| Has recipients | No | Yes |
| Has a device | No | Yes — exactly one |
| Editing it affects | Future campaigns only | Only that campaign |
| Can be reused | Yes, any number of times | No |
What to do when you need a change
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Campaign is still a draft | Edit the campaign's own messages directly. |
| Campaign is scheduled and not yet started | Edit that campaign's messages, or delete it and create a new one from the updated template. |
| Campaign is running | Pause it, then decide: the recipients already messaged received the old version. |
| Campaign is completed | Nothing to do — it is a record of what was sent. |
| You want the fix everywhere in future | Update the template. Every new campaign picks it up. |
Using templates well
- Templates earn their keep on repetition. For a one-off send, compose in the campaign dialog and skip the template entirely.
- You can load a template and then add to it. Load the standard content, then append something campaign-specific.
- Keep variables in the template.
{{name}}and custom fields resolve per recipient at send time, so one template serves every contact — see Personalise messages with variables. - Version by name. "Renewal reminder v2" alongside v1 is clearer than editing v1 and losing what it said.
What is not snapshotted
The message content is copied. These are still resolved at send time:
- Variables —
{{name}}uses the contact's current value when the message is sent, not when the campaign was made. - Spin text — an option is chosen per send, so every recipient gets a fresh roll.
- {{date}} and {{time}} — the send moment, which matters for scheduled campaigns.
So a scheduled campaign still personalises correctly against contact data you update afterwards. It is the wording that is frozen, not the data.
Test after any template change. Because the change only reaches new campaigns, the safest habit is: edit template → create a fresh one-recipient campaign to yourself → check the message → then build the real campaign.
Frequently asked questions
I edited my template but the campaign still has the old text. Why?
Campaigns copy their messages from the template at the moment they are created, and the two are independent afterwards. Editing a template never changes a campaign that already exists, including drafts and scheduled campaigns. Edit that campaign's own messages, or create a new campaign.
Do I need a template to send a campaign?
No. You can compose messages directly in the campaign dialog. Templates are worthwhile for content you send repeatedly.
Does a scheduled campaign use contact data from when it was created?
No. Only the wording is frozen. Variables such as {{name}}, spin text choices, and {{date}} and {{time}} are all resolved when each message is actually sent, so updated contact data is used.
Can one template be used by several campaigns?
Yes, any number of times. Each campaign takes its own independent copy when it is created.
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