Set up Braze with Jacquard

Guides: New customer setup · Existing customers: moving to the new Jacquard · API connection (optional) · All guides

Set up Braze so Jacquard can optimise your campaign language. Your Braze admin or developer creates the Connected Content blocks and event tracking (Part 1), then your marketing team adds Jacquard to your emails and push messages (Part 2). Want to import your campaigns into Jacquard as touchpoints? See the API connection guide.

Part 1: Set up Braze (technical)

For your Braze admin or developer.

1.1 Create your credential and Connected Content blocks

Braze fetches Jacquard’s chosen content at send time through a Connected Content block, which authenticates with a Connected Content credential. You create one credential, then one block per touchpoint.

1. Create your Jacquard runtime key

   In Jacquard, go to Admin > API keys & webhooks and click + New API key. Set:

   • Name: Braze Connected Content

   • Scopes: RUNTIME:SELECT

   • Integration type: Braze

   Leave the other fields as they are and click Create key. Copy the key, which starts jq_live_, straight away: it’s only shown once.

2. Add the token as a Connected Content credential

   In Braze, go to Settings > Connected Content (older dashboards: Manage Settings > Connected Content) and add a credential. Use the credential name shown on any touchpoint’s Connect tab in Jacquard, for example jacquard_credential, choose token authentication as shown there, and paste your jq_live_ key as the value. Save.

3. Get the block code from Jacquard

   For each touchpoint, copy the Connected Content block code from its Connect tab. It already refers to the credential by name, so the key itself never appears in your content.

4. Create the Connected Content block

   In Braze, go to Templates > Content Blocks and click Create Content Block. Use the block name shown on the Connect tab, for example jacquard_touchpoint, paste the code and save.

5. Check the block uses the credential

   Make sure the block refers to the credential you just added and doesn’t contain the key pasted in directly.

1.2 Send events with Currents

Braze Currents streams message events to Jacquard so it can learn which language works.

1. Get your destination details from Jacquard (Jacquard does this)

   Jacquard sends the destination details through a secure channel: for Amazon S3, an Access Key ID, Secret Access Key, bucket name and folder name.

2. Create a new Current

   Go to Partner Integrations > Data Export (older dashboards: Integrations > Currents) and click Create New Current. Choose the destination type Jacquard specified, name it Jacquard, add a contact email for export errors, and paste Jacquard’s credentials. Bucket and folder names are case sensitive.

3. Choose the events

   Tick Include events from anonymous users, then select Email Send, Email Open, Email Click, Email Bounce, Email Unsubscribe and Purchase.

4. Remove personal data

   On the Field Transformation Configuration tab, set EMAIL_ADDRESS (and any other personal field, such as phone number) to Removed. Jacquard doesn’t need or store personal data.

5. Launch it and tell Jacquard

   Launch the Current, then let your Jacquard contact know so they can confirm events are arriving.

1.3 Hand over to your marketing team

1. Confirm the setup (Jacquard does this)

   Your Jacquard contact confirms the blocks and your events.

2. Tell your marketing team Part 1 is done

   Point them to Part 2.

Part 2: Add Jacquard to your messages (marketing)

For the team that builds your campaigns and Canvases. Start once your admin has finished Part 1.

2.1 Prepare

1. Set up your touchpoints in Jacquard

   With your Jacquard contact, create a touchpoint for each campaign or Canvas message you want to optimise, choose which parts Jacquard controls, and approve the content.

2. Find the details on the Connect tab

   Open each touchpoint in Jacquard and go to its Connect tab. It shows the block reference and the variable name for each part of the message.

3. Check the blocks exist

   In Templates > Content Blocks, check you can see the Jacquard blocks. If not, ask your admin whether Part 1 is finished.

2.2 Add Jacquard to your emails

The Jacquard block at the top of each email fetches the chosen content; variables put it in the right places.

1. Add the block to the top of the email

   Open the campaign or Canvas message step. At the very top of the email body, add the block reference from the Connect tab:

   {{content_blocks.${jacquard_touchpoint}}}

   The block fetches Jacquard’s chosen content once per send and stores each part in its own variable.

2. Swap static copy for Jacquard variables

   In each part of the email Jacquard controls, replace the static copy with the matching variable from the Connect tab. For example:

   {{jq_subject_line}}

   Use the exact names Jacquard shows. Every part selected on the touchpoint needs its variable; deselect any part you don’t want Jacquard to control.

3. Update the subject line and preheader

   Braze builds the subject line and preheader separately from the body, so add the block reference at the start of each field too, then its variable. Check both in preview.

4. Check personalisation

   If Jacquard’s content includes personalisation, such as a first name, make sure the matching attributes are set on the users you send to.

5. Save

   Save the campaign. For Canvases, save and publish the update.

2.3 Add Jacquard to your push messages

Skip this if Jacquard only optimises your emails.

1. Open the push message

   Open the push campaign or Canvas step Jacquard optimises. Your Jacquard contact confirms which fields your touchpoint controls: title, message or both.

2. Add the block at the start of the message

   At the very start of the message field, add the block reference. It sets the variables without adding visible text.

   {{content_blocks.${jacquard_touchpoint}}}

3. Swap static copy for Jacquard variables

   Replace the static title and message copy with the matching variables, for example {{jq_push_title}}. If the title is optimised, add the block reference at the start of the title field too.

4. Save and send a test

   Save, then send a test to a test device. Push has tight character limits, so check nothing is cut off on the lock screen.

2.4 Test and go live

1. Preview and test

   Use Preview & Test to preview as a test user, then send a test to an internal inbox or device. Every Jacquard-controlled part should show Jacquard copy, including the subject line and preheader.

2. Approve and activate in Jacquard

   Approve the experiment plan on the touchpoint, then activate it.

3. Launch in Braze

   Launch the campaign or publish the Canvas as normal. Jacquard never sends anything itself; Braze fetches the variant at send time.

Reference

Who sends what, and what to check when something doesn’t look right.

Handover checklist and troubleshooting

Troubleshooting for admins

Previews show an error from the block

Check the key is active under Admin > API keys & webhooks with the RUNTIME:SELECT scope, the Connected Content credential holds that key, the block refers to that credential by its exact name, and the block hasn’t been edited.

No events are reaching Jacquard

Check the Current is launched, the bucket and folder names match exactly, and Braze hasn’t emailed your contact address about export errors.

Troubleshooting for marketers

A part of the message is blank or shows fallback copy

Check the block reference is at the very top and uses the exact name, and each variable name matches the Connect tab exactly.

The subject line or push title is blank

Those fields are built separately, so each needs the block reference at its start.

Handling secrets safely

Keys, tokens and secrets on this page give access to your account. Enter them directly into Jacquard’s Connections screen or share them through the secure channel your Jacquard contact sets up. Never paste them into email, chat, tickets or shared documents. If one is exposed, create a replacement, update it wherever it’s used, then revoke the old one. For Jacquard keys, you do this under Admin > API keys & webhooks.