.agents/skills/email-best-practices/resources/transactional-email-catalog.md
A comprehensive catalog of transactional emails organized by category, plus recommended email combinations for different app types.
Use these combinations as a starting point based on what you're building.
Apps where user accounts and security are core (login systems, identity providers, account management).
Essential:
Optional:
Apps focused on content delivery and subscriptions.
Essential:
Optional:
Apps where users buy products or services.
Essential:
Optional:
Apps with paid subscription tiers and ongoing billing.
Essential:
Optional:
Apps handling money, payments, or sensitive financial data.
Essential:
Optional:
Apps focused on user interaction and community features.
Essential:
Optional:
Apps targeting developers with API access and integrations.
Essential:
Optional:
Apps handling protected health information.
Essential:
Optional:
Note: Healthcare apps have strict requirements. Emails should contain minimal PHI and link to secure portals for sensitive information.
When to send: Immediately after user signs up or changes email address.
Purpose: Verify the email address belongs to the user.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: When user requests two-factor authentication code.
Purpose: Provide time-sensitive authentication code.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: When user requests password reset.
Purpose: Allow user to securely reset forgotten password.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: When security-relevant events occur (login from new device, password change, etc.).
Purpose: Notify user of account security events.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: Immediately after successful account creation and verification.
Purpose: Welcome new users and guide them to next steps (must not be promotional).
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: When user changes account settings (email, password, profile, etc.).
Purpose: Confirm account changes and provide security notice.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: Immediately after order is placed.
Purpose: Confirm order details and provide receipt.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: When order ships, with tracking updates.
Purpose: Notify user that order has shipped and provide tracking.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: After payment is processed.
Purpose: Provide payment confirmation and receipt.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: When user subscribes or changes subscription.
Purpose: Confirm subscription details and billing information.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: Before subscription renews (typically 3-7 days before).
Purpose: Notify user of upcoming renewal and charge.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: When subscription payment fails.
Purpose: Notify user of payment failure and provide resolution steps.
Content should include:
Best practices:
When to send: When a feature the user is using changes significantly.
Purpose: Notify users of changes that affect their use of the service.
Content should include:
Best practices:
Note: General feature announcements are marketing emails. Only send as transactional if the change directly affects an active feature the user is using.