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Finding Creative & Template IDs

When you send mail through the API or an integration, you point it at things in your account by ID: usually a creative, sometimes a front or message template, and often a mailing list. Every one of these IDs has a copy button in the dashboard, so you never need to dig it out of a URL.

Creative ID​

A creative is a saved design: one front paired with one message, for one mailer type. Sending by creative ID is the simplest way to send from another tool, because the creative brings its front, message, handwriting, QR code and background with it.

To copy a creative's ID:

  1. Open Creatives in the sidebar.
  2. Find the creative. Use the mailer-type tabs and search to narrow the list.
  3. Open the creative's ⋮ menu and choose Copy creative ID.

You can also click Preview in the same menu (or the expand button on the card's image). The preview shows the Creative ID with a copy button above the front and back.

Only a complete creative - one that is Ready to send - has a creative ID you can send. An incomplete creative's preview says Finish this creative to send it by its ID, and Copy creative ID isn't in its menu. See Creatives for what each mailer type needs.

Where to use a creative ID​

  • API - pass creative_id on any /send/* or /estimate/* endpoint. The creative sends exactly as saved, so leave out the design and message parameters (templates, front image, message, handwriting, background, PDF); only qrcode_url and, for letters, additional_pages_url can be added. GET /creatives and GET /creatives/{id} list and read your library. See Send a creative in the API reference.
  • Zapier - the thanks.io send actions accept a creative ID. See Zapier.
  • n8n - every mailer send operation in the thanks.io community node has a Creative field: pick one from the list (filtered to the mailer type you chose) or enter its ID. Update the node if you don't see the field. See n8n.
  • HubSpot workflows - the thanks.io send actions have an optional creative dropdown, used instead of the image and message template fields. See HubSpot Integration.
  • AI assistants - an assistant connected to the thanks.io MCP server can list and read your creatives and send by creative_id. Connect one from the AI Assistants card on Integrations & API.

A creative ID only sends a creative of the same mailer type (and postcard size) as the endpoint or action you use. If a send is refused, see creative ID errors.

Front and message template IDs​

Each creative is made of a front design (an image template) and a message (a message template), and each has its own ID. Some tools still take these separately: image_template_id and message_template_id in the API, and the template fields in Zapier, n8n, and HubSpot.

To copy them, open the creative's Preview (from its ⋮ menu). The Image template ID is under the front and the Message template ID is under the back, each with a copy button. Hovering over a copy button shows the API parameter that takes the ID. The same IDs are on the Review step when you edit a creative.

tip

Making a creative the default for its type (Make default in its menu) also makes its front and message your account's default templates for that type. Those are what an API or Zapier send that names no template uses. See Creative defaults and sharing.

Mailing list ID​

Click Mailing Lists in the sidebar, then click the list you want the ID for.

The ID appears after # under the list's name, next to its recipient count and the date it was added. It is also the number at the end of the page's URL (/app/mailing-lists/115262).

API keys​

API keys are on Settings → API Access: click your name in the top right of the dashboard and choose API Access. See Generate an API Key.

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