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References are persistent directions you configure for your workspace. Unlike a one-off instruction you type into a chat session, a reference is stored at the workspace level and applied by Swell automatically every time it drafts or designs an email. Use references to encode your brand’s visual identity, writing expectations, and recurring constraints so you do not have to repeat them in every conversation.

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Types of references

Email references

Style guides or example emails that define how your campaigns should look and feel. Swell uses these when generating templates and laying out content.

Design reference photos

Visual examples — screenshots, mood board images, or sample designs — that guide Swell’s aesthetic choices. These are not inserted into emails; they inform design decisions only.

General instructions

Standing directions that apply across all email types for this workspace. For example: “Always include a plain-text fallback” or “Never use more than two call-to-action buttons.”

Image instructions

Guidance specifically about how images should be selected or generated within campaigns — size preferences, subject matter rules, style constraints, and similar.

Notes

Contextual information about your brand that does not fit another category — background on your audience, product context, or seasonal considerations.

Files

Documents you upload to provide Swell with brand context — brand guidelines PDFs, tone-of-voice documents, or product sheets.

Design skills

Specific design capabilities or techniques you want Swell to apply, such as layout preferences, spacing rules, or component styles.

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Persistent directions vs. one-off instructions

  • References — stored here in workspace settings. Swell reads and applies them to every campaign it generates for this workspace, regardless of what session or conversation you are in.
  • One-off instructions — typed into a chat session with Swell. They apply only to the current conversation and are not remembered for future sessions.
If you find yourself repeating the same instruction to Swell in every session, add it as a reference instead.

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Previewing a style reference

Select a reference in the list to preview how it affects email design. The preview shows you how Swell would interpret that reference when composing a template, so you can confirm it produces the results you expect before committing to it.

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Adding a brand note

Use the Notes section for context about your brand that does not fit into a structured field. For example: information about an upcoming product launch, a seasonal tone shift, or background about a specific audience segment. Notes are informal but durable — Swell will reference them when drafting.
References are tied to the workspace, not to individual campaigns. Every campaign Swell generates within this workspace is influenced by all active references you have set here.