Transactional Email 101: Types, Templates, and Best Practices

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Every “reset your password,” “your order is confirmed,” and “your package is on the way” message is a transactional email doing quiet, essential work. In this guide, you’ll learn what transactional emails are, common types of transactional emails, and best practices for sending them. 

What Is a Transactional Email? 

A transactional email is a non-promotional message tied to a specific email transaction or account event. It’s sent to one recipient at a time, right when something happens, for example, creating an account, paying an invoice, or changing a password.

Core traits:

• Event-driven: Triggered by user or system activity (not a marketing blast).
• Timely & necessary: The user needs it to complete a task or stay informed.
• Highly personalized: References the user’s order, account, or request.

Common transactional notifications:

• Password resets & multi-factor authentication;
• Order confirmations, receipts, invoices;
• Shipping confirmations, tracking updates, and delivery alerts;
• Account verification, welcome messages, profile changes;
• Dunning emails (failed payment), subscription status changes;
• System alerts (security, usage thresholds, status updates).

Transactional vs. Commercial Emails

	Transactional emails	Commercial/marketing emails
Purpose	Complete a process, deliver info	Promote offers, nurture leads
Trigger	User/system event	Campaign calendar or segments
Personalization	High (order/account-specific)	Variable (segment-level)
Frequency	As needed	Scheduled or automated series
Compliance	Usually not required to include an unsubscribe link, but it’s good practice to offer preferences	Must include unsubscribe and follow promotional rules

(Transactional vs. Commercial Emails Comparison Table)

Note: Mixed content dilutes deliverability. Keep transactional emails free of heavy promotions.

How Transactional Emails Work

The process of sending transactional emails follows a clear structure:

1. Trigger – A user action (like placing an order) initiates the email.
   
2. Template – A transactional email template with dynamic fields (name, order number, tracking link) personalizes the message.
   
3. Email Server or API – A transactional email server or transactional email provider processes the request.
   
4. Delivery – The email is routed through a transactional email service and reaches the user’s inbox almost instantly.

The speed and reliability of this flow are what make transactional email delivery crucial for customer trust.

Transactional email best practices

Content & UX:

• Use a clear From name (“Support” or “Orders”) and a consistent address;
• Put the primary action above the fold with a strong button and plaintext link backup;
• Keep promotional content minimal or do not include it at all (avoid confusing filters and users);
• Include helpful details: order summary, links to track/manage, support contact;
• Add preheader text that complements the subject line;
• Localize time zones, currency, and language where relevant.
  

Deliverability & Compliance:

• Separate transactional and commercial emails on different subdomains and IPs;
• Warm new IPs gradually; keep lists clean with suppression for hard bounces/complaints;
• Maintain SPF/DKIM/DMARC alignment; monitor DMARC reports. Use GlockApps DMARC Analyzer and keep track of your records.

• Test your emails on a regular basis.

Transactional Email Templates

1. Password Reset.

Subject: Reset your password

Preheader: Use the secure link below; this link expires in 30 minutes.

Body:

Hi [First Name],
We received a request to reset your password.
Reset link: [Link]
This link expires in 30 minutes. If you didn’t request this, ignore this message or contact support.
[Your Company Name]

2. Order Confirmation.

Subject: Order confirmed

Preheader: We’re getting your order ready. Here are the details.

Body:

Thanks, [First Name]! We’re processing your order.
Items: [Item list]
Total: [Total]
Shipping to: [Address]
Need changes? Visit our website or reply to this email.

[Your Company Name]

3. Verification Code.

Subject: Your one-time code

Preheader: Use this code within 10 minutes.

Body:

Hi [Name],
Your code is [Code]. It expires in 10 minutes.
If this wasn’t you, let us know by replying to this email.

[Your Company Name]

Conclusion

Transactional emails are far more than simple notifications; they’re essential touchpoints that shape customer trust and brand perception. Because these emails are expected, timely, and action-driven, they consistently outperform promotional campaigns in engagement. By following deliverability best practices and designing clear, mobile-friendly templates, businesses can ensure every email transaction is delivered quickly and effectively. Test your emails before sending, make sure essential information doesn’t end up in spam. For transactional emails, we recommend using Smart and Automatic tests from GlockApps. Automatic tests need to be set up only once. When the content of your email doesn’t change, it is triggered by a specific action. This makes testing highly convenient to automate: you can configure it once and then simply receive regular reports.

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