grafana/docs/sources/alerting/manage-notifications/template-notifications/create-message-templates.md

---
aliases:
keywords:
  - grafana
  - alerting
  - notifications
  - templates
  - create templates
  - edit templates
  - delete templates
title: Create message templates
weight: 300
---

# Create message templates

Create reusable message templates to send to your contact points.

You can add one or more templates to your message template.

Your message template name must be unique. You cannot have two templates with the same name in the same message template or in different message templates. Avoid defining templates with the same name as default templates, such as: `__subject`, `__text_values_list`, `__text_alert_list`, `default.title` and `default.message`.

In the Contact points tab, you can see a list of your message templates.

To create a template, complete the following steps.

1. Click New template.

2. Choose a name for the message template.

3. Write the content of the template in the content field.

{{< figure max-width="940px" src="/static/img/docs/alerting/unified/new-message-template-email-subject-9-3.png" caption="New message template email.subject" >}}

5. Click Save.

`{{ define "email.subject" }}` and `{{ end }}` is automatically added to the start and end of the content:

{{< figure max-width="940px" src="/static/img/docs/alerting/unified/edit-message-template-email-subject-9-3.png" caption="Edit message template email.subject" >}}

To create a message template that contains more than one template:

1. Click New Template.

2. Enter a name for the message template.

3. Write each template in the Content field, including `{{ define "name-of-template" }}` and `{{ end }}` at the start and end of each template.

{{< figure max-width="940px" src="/static/img/docs/alerting/unified/new-message-template-email-9-3.png" caption="New message template" >}}

5. Click Save.

## Template the subject of an email

Template the subject of an email to contain the number of firing and resolved alerts:

```
1 firing alert(s), 0 resolved alerts(s)
```

1. Create a template called `email.subject` with the following content:

```
{{ define "email.subject" }}
{{ len .Alerts.Firing }} firing alert(s), {{ len .Alerts.Resolved }} resolved alert(s)
{{ end }}
```

2. Execute the template from the subject field in your contact point integration:

```
{{ template "email.subject" . }}
```

## Template the message of an email

Template the message of an email to contain a summary of all firing and resolved alerts:

```
There are 2 firing alert(s), and 1 resolved alert(s)

Firing alerts:

- alertname=Test 1 grafana_folder=GrafanaCloud has value(s) B=1
- alertname=Test 2 grafana_folder=GrafanaCloud has value(s) B=2

Resolved alerts:

- alertname=Test 3 grafana_folder=GrafanaCloud has value(s) B=0
```

1. Create a message template called `email` with two templates in the content: `email.message_alert` and `email.message`.

   The `email.message_alert` template is used to print the labels and values for each firing and resolved alert while the `email.message` template contains the structure of the email.

```
{{- define "email.message_alert" -}}
{{- range .Labels.SortedPairs }}{{ .Name }}={{ .Value }} {{ end }} has value(s)
{{- range $k, $v := .Values }} {{ $k }}={{ $v }}{{ end }}
{{- end -}}

{{ define "email.message" }}
There are {{ len .Alerts.Firing }} firing alert(s), and {{ len .Alerts.Resolved }} resolved alert(s)

{{ if .Alerts.Firing -}}
Firing alerts:
{{- range .Alerts.Firing }}
- {{ template "email.message_alert" . }}
{{- end }}
{{- end }}

{{ if .Alerts.Resolved -}}
Resolved alerts:
{{- range .Alerts.Resolved }}
- {{ template "email.message_alert" . }}
{{- end }}
{{- end }}

{{ end }}
```

2. Execute the template from the message field in your contact point integration:

```
{{ template "email.message" . }}
```

## Template the title of a Slack message

Template the title of a Slack message to contain the number of firing and resolved alerts:

```
1 firing alert(s), 0 resolved alerts(s)
```

1. Create a template called `slack.title` with the following content:

```
{{ define "slack.title" }}
{{ len .Alerts.Firing }} firing alert(s), {{ len .Alerts.Resolved }} resolved alert(s)
{{ end }}
```

2. Execute the template from the title field in your contact point integration:

```
{{ template "slack.title" . }}
```

## Template the content of a Slack message

Template the content of a Slack message to contain a description of all firing and resolved alerts, including their labels, annotations, Silence URL and Dashboard URL:

```
1 firing alert(s):

[firing] Test1
Labels:
- alertname: Test1
- grafana_folder: GrafanaCloud
Annotations:
- description: This is a test alert
Silence: https://example.com/alerting/silence/new?alertmanager=grafana&matcher=alertname%3DTest1&matcher=grafana_folder%3DGrafanaCloud
Go to dashboard: https://example.com/d/dlhdLqF4z?orgId=1

1 resolved alert(s):

[firing] Test2
Labels:
- alertname: Test2
- grafana_folder: GrafanaCloud
Annotations:
- description: This is another test alert
Silence: https://example.com/alerting/silence/new?alertmanager=grafana&matcher=alertname%3DTest2&matcher=grafana_folder%3DGrafanaCloud
Go to dashboard: https://example.com/d/dlhdLqF4z?orgId=1
```

1. Create a template called `slack` with two templates in the content: `slack.print_alert` and `slack.message`.

   The `slack.print_alert` template is used to print the labels, annotations, SilenceURL and DashboardURL while the `slack.message` template contains the structure of the notification.

```
{{ define "slack.print_alert" -}}
[{{.Status}}] {{ .Labels.alertname }}
Labels:
{{ range .Labels.SortedPairs -}}
- {{ .Name }}: {{ .Value }}
{{ end -}}
{{ if .Annotations -}}
Annotations:
{{ range .Annotations.SortedPairs -}}
- {{ .Name }}: {{ .Value }}
{{ end -}}
{{ end -}}
{{ if .SilenceURL -}}
  Silence: {{ .SilenceURL }}
{{ end -}}
{{ if .DashboardURL -}}
  Go to dashboard: {{ .DashboardURL }}
{{- end }}
{{- end }}

{{ define "slack.message" -}}
{{ if .Alerts.Firing -}}
{{ len .Alerts.Firing }} firing alert(s):
{{ range .Alerts.Firing }}
{{ template "slack.print_alert" . }}
{{ end -}}
{{ end }}
{{ if .Alerts.Resolved -}}
{{ len .Alerts.Resolved }} resolved alert(s):
{{ range .Alerts.Resolved }}
{{ template "slack.print_alert" .}}
{{ end -}}
{{ end }}
{{- end }}
```

2. Execute the template from the text body field in your contact point integration:

```
{{ template "slack.message" . }}
```

## Template both email and Slack with shared templates

Instead of creating separate message templates for email and Slack, you can share the same template.

For example, if you want to send an email with this subject and Slack message with this title:

```
1 firing alert(s), 0 resolved alerts(s)
```

1. Create a template called `common.subject_title` with the following content:

```
{{ define "common.subject_title" }}
{{ len .Alerts.Firing }} firing alert(s), {{ len .Alerts.Resolved }} resolved alert(s)
{{ end }}
```

2. For email, execute the template from the subject field in your email contact point integration:

```
{{ template "common.subject_title" . }}
```

3. For Slack, execute the template from the title field in your Slack contact point integration:

```
{{ template "common.subject_title" . }}
```