Using the Attachment URL Custom Field

SharpSpring enables you to create custom fields that be used in various locations in the application. These custom fields come in in a variety of formats, enabling you to tailor your instance of SharpSpring to fit your company’s needs. One such field is the Attachment URL custom field. This article details how to create and use the Attachment URL custom field. Article Contents Understanding the Attachment URL Custom Field Creating the Attachment URL Field Mapping the Field on Import Using the Field in Emails Using the Field in Workflows	Available with:
	Marketing Automation	✓
	CRM Ultimate	✓
	CRM PRO	✓
	CRM Free	✓

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	Users:
	Administrators	✓
	Company Managers
	Marketing Managers
	Sales Managers
	Salespersons
	Jr. Salespersons

Understanding the Attachment URL Custom Field

The Attachment URL custom field is a lead field that can contain a URL for an attachment that exists in an external system. While the Attachment URL can be any URL link that directs to an external source, its intended use is for emails. This field will store the location of a file that would be attached to the email. For example, consider that you have a file that is hosted at the following URL:

http://yourownwebsitehere.com/myFile.PDF

If you have an Attachment URL custom field, you can place that URL in the field for a specific lead. This means that, when you are creating an email, you can place the merge variable for that field anywhere in the email. It will not appear in the content of the email.

Instead, it will attach that file to the email. This allows you to specify different files for different leads, so the same email may have a different file attached—all depending on the URL stored in that recipient's field. SharpSpring's email system will retrieve the file from the URL and add it to the email as an attachment.

Important: This will only work if the email is sent from a visual workflow or action group. If sent to a list or from some other place, the file will not be attached.

Creating the Attachment URL Field

You will need to create the Attachment URL field to use it in other SharpSpring features.

To create the Attachment URL field, do the following:

Click User Menu > Settings in SharpSpring's top toolbar.
Click Custom Fields, located under Features in the left panel.
Click Add Field > Lead Field.
Enter the desired name for the field.
Select Attachment URL in the Field Type section.
Enter other necessary parameters for the field.
Click Create Field.

Be aware that creating custom fields with the same name as available system fields will result in those system fields being rendered invisible and unusable in the platform.

If this happens to you, you will need to contact SharpSpring Support in order to restore your system fields.

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Important: SharpSpring CRM PRO and SharpSpring Free CRM users are limited to 20 custom fields.

Mapping the Field on Import

When importing .CSV files, if there an Attachment URL column included in the file, you can map the contents of that column to the leads during the import process.

To map the Attachment URL field, do the following:

Click Contacts in SharpSpring's left toolbar.
Click Options > Import Contacts.
Scroll to the bottom of the Import Tool page.
Click Choose a File.
Enter the standard import parameters.
Click Choose a File.
Select the applicable .CSV file.
Click Upload .CSV File.
Scroll to the .CSV Columns section.
Match the Attachment URL column header to the Attachment URL custom field.
Click Import.
Type CONFIRM into the text field.
Click the I confirm that... checkbox.
Click Import.

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Once the import is complete, you will be able to see the Attachment URL as a custom field in the Contact Manager.

Using the Field in Emails

You can build Visual Workflows that will send an email that contains the Attachment URL as a merge variable when a user does a specific action.

To set the Attachment URL field in an email, do the following:

Click Email in SharpSpring's left toolbar.
Create or edit an email.
Click into an email textbox.
Click Merge > Custom Fields > Attachment URL in the Email Designer toolbar.
Add other content to the email as necessary.
Click Save.

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Note: This field will not work in custom notification emails.

Using the Field in Workflows

Once you have added the Attachment URL field to an email, you can set it to operate in a workflow. To add the Attachment URL as an action in visual workflows, do the following: Click Automation > Visual Workflows in SharpSpring's left toolbar. Create or edit a workflow. Click + Add > Trigger under Start or an applicable branch. Add the desired trigger. Click + Add > Action under the created trigger. Click send the email, located under Communication. Enter the name of the email with the Attachment URL merge variable. Add triggers, actions, time delays, and action groups as necessary. Contacts who trigger the workflow will receive the email containing their specific Attachment URL as a merge variable.		Click to enlarge.

		Note: Attachment URLs as merge variables can only be used when sending emails that are a part of a workflow. If you attempt to send an email that contains an Attachment URL merge variable directly to a list, or from the email itself, the Attachment URL merge variable will not populate as intended.

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