Improving emails with code-based variables

I streamlined Kraken’s recurring and custom order emails, cutting 25 templates down to 5 with variables and a code-driven approach. This made them easier to manage, minimized errors, and enabled 5x faster updates.

The problem

Our recurring and custom orders feature was generating too many transactional emails, leading to data inefficiencies, higher storage costs, and a growing maintenance burden. Every small change required manual updates across 25 templates. It was cumbersome and time consuming to manage.

My solution

I worked with a PM and engineer to simplify our emails using code-based variables that dynamically inserted key details based on:
• Order type (custom or recurring)
• Payment method
• Buy, sell, or conversion
• Fixed or market-dependent pricing

Implementation

Instead of guessing or creating pseudo-variable names in Figma, I worked directly with my engineering partner to find the exact terms used in the codebase. This ensured that the variables I embedded in the design files matched the code that was in production, making implementation and handoff much easier.

The results

• 80% fewer emails to manage.
• 5x faster updates to emails
• No implementation errors
• Reduced storage capacity
• Increased efficiency

Our solution was easier to maintain, scalable, and freed up our valuable time.

Email the user receives

Code-based version with variables

This example is for illustrative purposes only. It does not use real Kraken code.