You can also create an alert template using a simple text document with a fixed set of substitution variables. This document contains elements for the e-mail alert subject and body. You specify the format of the e-mail using a combination of plain text and substitution variables.

When an alert is formatted, the Analytic Engine attempts to retrieve the template associated with the rule in the Mail Settings panel (see Specifying E-mail Alert Settings and Templates). If a template is found, the alert is formatted using the specified template. If no template is specified, or the specified template is not found, the alert is formatted using the default template.

As the subject and body of the alert are formatted, any substitution variables contained in the template are expanded. When used initially, these templates are stored in the Analytic Engine to reduce the overhead associated with file loading. If the template file is modified, you must restart the Analytic Engine (see Starting Optimize) for the changes to take effect.