Comms Connector

A Figma plugin that fetches real transactional communications content – email subjects, body copy, CTAs, SMS, push notifications – from the source YAML repository and inserts it directly into Figma designs.

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Title

Comms Connector

Type

Figma Plugin

Date

2026

Problem

Transactional emails, SMS, and push notifications at the company were written in YAML and compiled at build time. The subject line, preheader, and variable-resolved copy that users actually receive were invisible in the tools designers use. The existing preview tool for comms templates was clunky, inefficient, and gated by specific access permissions.

This created real gaps. Designers couldn’t accurately design email updates without knowing the production content. Localized variants couldn't be checked until they were already developed by engineering. And partner-specific content overrides weren’t visible at all in Figma.

Approach

I built a two-part solution: a Figma plugin that fetches content directly from the comms YAML repo, and a published Figma DS component library with the component masters needed to receive that content.

The plugin supports 3 white-label themes, 5 locales, and roughly 50 content tags per theme covering subjects, preheaders, body paragraphs, CTAs, SMS body, and push titles. Two insertion modes let designers fill existing named text slots in a frame, or create from a DS template.

It also surfaces unresolved Jinja variables before insertion, so designers see where runtime values (like a user’s name or a dollar amount) will land. The most recent update supports bulk email creation as well.

The architecture is deliberately simple: no backend dependency. The plugin is client-side only, which means it can be published to the internal Figma org as soon as the auth UX decision is made.

Outcome

The plugin is complete and in active bug-fixing. Rollout is pending an auth decision (three options are on the table, ranging from a GitHub App with device flow to a pre-configured personal access token).