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Drag & Drop Email Builder

The Drag & Drop Builder lets you design professional, responsive emails without writing code. You drag blocks and ready-made sections onto a canvas, click anything to edit it, and adjust the look with visual controls. It's part of every Mumara ONE account; there's nothing to install.

It's one of three ways to create a broadcast, alongside the HTML editor and the AI Email Builder. See Broadcasts.

Open the builder​

For a new email:

  1. Go to Campaigns → Broadcasts and click Add New.
  2. Under Drag & Drop Builder, click Use Builder.
  3. In Choose a Template, click Use This on a template, or choose Blank Template.

Mumara ONE creates a draft broadcast and opens it in the builder, full screen.

For an email you've already made with the builder: edit the broadcast from Campaigns → Broadcasts. On the Content tab, the HTML Body card shows Edit Design (or Open Email Builder if the design is still empty). Click it to open the builder. Preview on the same card shows the saved design without opening the builder.

Builder emails stay in the builder

A broadcast made with the builder is always edited in the builder; its HTML Body card has no HTML editor. Likewise, a broadcast made with the HTML editor has no button to open it in the builder. To switch, start a new broadcast with the other editor.

The builder at a glance​

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ← Back   Broadcast name   [Desktop][Tablet][Mobile]   AI  Variables  Preview |
|                                                          Save  Save & Exit   |
+---------------+----------------------------------------+--------------------+
| Blocks        |                                        | Styles | Page |     |
| Modules       |               CANVAS                   | Layers              |
|               |         (your email, editable)         |                     |
|  drag  ───────┼──►                                     |  settings for the   |
|               |                                        |  selected element   |
+---------------+----------------------------------------+--------------------+

Toolbar​

ControlWhat it does
BackReturns to the broadcast editor. It doesn't save; click Save first.
Desktop, Tablet, MobileResizes the canvas to a desktop, tablet (768 pixels) or phone (375 pixels) width so you can check the layout.
AIOpens the AI Assistant panel. See AI Assistant.
VariablesOpens the list of personalization tags. See Variables.
PreviewOpens the email in a new browser tab, without the builder around it. Allow pop-ups for one.mumara.com if nothing opens.
SaveSaves the design. Ctrl+S (⌘+S on a Mac) does the same, from anywhere in the builder.
Save & ExitSaves and returns to the broadcast editor.

Blocks​

The Blocks tab on the left holds the building blocks. Drag one onto the canvas where you want it.

GroupBlocks
ContentText, Button, Image, Divider, Spacer, Social Links, Hero, Header Bar, Quote, HTML Block, Footer
Layout1 Column, 2 Col 50/50, 2 Col 25/75, 2 Col 75/25, 2 Col 33/67, 2 Col 67/33, 3 Columns

Start with a layout block to set up columns, then drop content blocks into them. HTML Block holds HTML you write yourself, for something the other blocks can't do.

Modules​

The Modules tab holds complete, responsive sections, ready to customize. Hover over a module to see a preview of it, then drag it onto the canvas. They're listed in the order they usually appear in an email:

PurposeModules
Top of the emailPreheader, Header Centered, Header + Nav, Header + Tagline, Header Dark, Hero Banner
ContentText Block, Image + Text Card, Image + Content, Article Grid, Feature List, Steps, FAQ, Stats Row, Team Cards, Image Gallery, Video
Calls to action and offersCTA Banner, Countdown, Newsletter Signup, Coupon Code, Alert Banner, Product Card, Pricing Columns, Order Table, Event Date
Social proofTestimonial, Rating & Review, Logo Bar, Social Icons
Bottom of the emailFooter, Footer Minimal, Footer Columns
SpacingDivider, Spacer

The Footer, Footer Minimal and Footer Columns modules already include an unsubscribe link, and the first two a web version link as well.

Build from the top down

A quick way to a finished email: drag a header module, then a hero or text section, then your content and call to action, and finish with a footer module. Then replace the placeholder text, images and links.

Edit content​

Click any element on the canvas to select it. Selected elements show a small toolbar for moving, copying and deleting them.

  • Text. Click into text to edit it. The text toolbar has bold, italic, underline, strikethrough and link.
  • Links. Select text and click the link button, or click an existing link. A small panel opens with the link's Text and URL. Click Apply to save it, or Remove to remove the link.
  • Buttons and images. Select them and set the link and other options at the top of the Styles tab.

Images​

Click an image, or drag in an Image block, to open your image library:

  • Upload images by dropping them onto the upload area or browsing for them. They're stored in your account and appear in the library for reuse.
  • Add from a web address. Paste an image URL and click Add image. Mumara ONE downloads the image and adds it to your library, so your email doesn't depend on the original site.
  • Reuse anything already in the library by clicking it.

Styles, Page and Layers​

The right panel has three tabs.

Styles​

Controls for the selected element: its settings (such as a button's link) at the top, then its typography (font, size, weight, color, line height, alignment), dimensions (width, height, padding, margin) and decorations (background, border, rounded corners, shadow). Changes show on the canvas straight away.

Page​

Settings for the whole email:

SectionSettingWhat it does
Email BodyWidthThe width of the email, from 400 to 800 pixels. 600 is the usual choice.
BackgroundThe background color of the email.
CornersHow rounded the email's corners are, from 0 to 20 pixels.
Card ShadowShadowA shadow around the email: None, Subtle, Medium or Strong.
Body FontFontThe default font: Arial, Helvetica Neue, Georgia, Times New Roman, Verdana, Tahoma or Trebuchet MS. These are safe in every email app.
CanvasBackground, PaddingThe working area around the email while you edit. They don't change the email itself.

Layers​

The structure of the email as a tree. Use it to select an element that's hard to click on the canvas, such as a column inside a section.

Variables​

Variables opens the same list of tags as Insert Variable in the broadcast editor, with the tabs All, System, Fields, Spintax, Dynamic and Profile. Search for a tag and click it: the builder copies it, and you paste it into your text with Ctrl+V (⌘+V).

For example, click into a heading, type Hi and paste %%first_name%%. See Broadcasts for what each tag inserts.

AI Assistant​

When Mumara AI is part of your plan, the AI button opens the AI Assistant beside the canvas. Describe what you want and it builds or changes the email for you: a whole new email, a new section, a rewrite, a move or a removal.

Quick actions at the top of the panel do common jobs in one click: Inspect Email, Generate Subject, Generate Preheader and Plain Text Version. Each request uses AI credits.

See AI Assistant in the Builder for how it works, and AI Credits for what it costs.

Keyboard shortcuts​

ShortcutAction
Ctrl+S (⌘+S)Save
Ctrl+Z (⌘+Z)Undo
Ctrl+Shift+Z (⌘+Shift+Z)Redo
Delete or BackspaceDelete the selected element

Finish and send​

  1. Click Save & Exit. You're back in the broadcast editor.
  2. On the Content tab, set the Email Subject, the pre-header if you want one, and the Text Body (Convert HTML to Text fills it from your design).
  3. On Settings, give the broadcast its real name and group.
  4. On Preview & Test, send yourself a test.
  5. Schedule it under Actions → Schedule. See Scheduling Campaigns.

Good practice​

  • Check every width. Switch to Tablet and Mobile before you save, and use Preview for a clean look.
  • Use your image library. Upload images or add them from a web address, rather than linking to images on other sites that may move or disappear.
  • Keep layouts simple. Deeply nested columns look fine in the builder but can render unevenly in some email apps.
  • Save often. Back doesn't save, and closing the tab loses unsaved changes.

Troubleshooting​

ProblemWhat to try
Preview doesn't openYour browser blocked the new tab. Allow pop-ups for one.mumara.com.
An image doesn't loadUpload it to your library, or add it from its web address so it's copied into your account. Check that the address opens the image in a browser.
A pasted variable shows up as text in the emailIn test emails this is expected unless you use Associate a Contact id. Otherwise check that it was pasted exactly, with both %% signs.
Changes disappearedThey weren't saved. Save with Save or Ctrl+S before leaving the builder.
Ctrl+S does nothingClick an empty part of the canvas first, then press it again.
The AI button is missingMumara AI isn't part of your plan. Contact Mumara support.

Next steps​

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