# Preview a follow-up step

`POST https://api.parasend.com/v1/reminder_policies/preview`

Source: https://parasend.com/docs/api/follow-up-policies/preview-step

Authentication: `Authorization: Bearer <API key>` (a `ps_test_` key in test mode, `ps_live_` in live mode).
Send an `Idempotency-Key` header: a retry with the same key returns the first answer.

The reminder the worker would send for this step, for a sample delivery, in the brand named (null for Parasend's own look, left out for the organisation's default). Checked as a saved step would be (param under step.). For an SMS step, also whether its own text keeps the reminder one SMS (3.5). Nothing is stored.

## Query parameters

- `locale` (string, optional): One of: `is`, `en`. Default: `"is"`.

## Body (application/json)

- `step` (object, required): One step of a follow-up policy: after `after_days` (a whole number of days, 1–365, never earlier than the step above), send a reminder by `email` or `sms`, with the wording in `message`. `alternate_email` and `paper` steps are refused (`policy_step_invalid`) until the contact lookup and paper mail are available. Responses add `available`: false for a step that cannot run yet (only `rpol_debt_collection`'s paper step).
  - `step.after_days` (integer, required): Days after the first notice when the step is due: a whole number from 1 to 365, never smaller than the step before it. The reminder goes within the send window and at least 24 hours after the delivery's last message.
  - `step.channel` (string, required): How the step's reminder goes: `email` or `sms`. A step whose channel the recipient has no contact for is skipped. `alternate_email` and `paper` are refused with `policy_step_invalid` until they are available. One of: `email`, `sms`, `alternate_email`, `paper`.
  - `step.conditions` (array of string, optional): What must all hold for the step to go, else it is skipped: `not_delivered` (always included, listed or not); `email_not_opened`, no e-mail to the recipient has been opened (a hint, not proof); `email_bounced`, an e-mail to the recipient bounced or failed. One of: `not_delivered`, `email_not_opened`, `email_bounced`.
  - `step.requires_approval` (boolean · nullable, optional): Paper defaults to approval-required.
  - `step.message` (object, optional): The wording a follow-up step's reminder sends. Left out: Parasend's standard reminder. `preset` picks Parasend's wording; `custom` holds your own, by language (Plan 1–3 and Enterprise). A field or language left out comes from the preset.
    - `step.message.preset` (string, optional): `standard` is the usual reminder; `firmer` and `final` are Parasend's stronger wordings. One of: `standard`, `firmer`, `final`. Default: `"standard"`.
    - `step.message.custom` (object, optional): Your own wording, by language (`is`, `en`); a field or a language left out comes from `preset`. Needs Plan 1–3 or Enterprise; otherwise refused with `theme_knob_plan_gated`.
      - `step.message.custom.is` (object, optional): Plain text. An e-mail step takes `subject`, `heading` and `text`; an SMS step `text` only. Variables: {{recipient.name}}, {{recipient.first_name}}, {{sender.name}}, {{delivery.title}}, {{delivery.sent_on}}, {{delivery.expires_on}}, {{files.count}}; an SMS only the two dates. No links, e-mail addresses or phone numbers. An e-mail may hold the gender word {{recipient.gender: male | female | other}}.
      - `step.message.custom.en` (object, optional): Plain text. An e-mail step takes `subject`, `heading` and `text`; an SMS step `text` only. Variables: {{recipient.name}}, {{recipient.first_name}}, {{sender.name}}, {{delivery.title}}, {{delivery.sent_on}}, {{delivery.expires_on}}, {{files.count}}; an SMS only the two dates. No links, e-mail addresses or phone numbers. An e-mail may hold the gender word {{recipient.gender: male | female | other}}.
    - `step.message.source` (object, optional): The saved wording and version this step's wording was loaded from. A record only: the step keeps its own copy. Not on a saved wording's own message.
      - `step.message.source.wording` (string, required)
      - `step.message.source.version` (integer, required)
- `brand_profile_id` (string · nullable, optional)

## Example: Preview a firmer e-mail reminder

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.parasend.com/v1/reminder_policies/preview" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PARASEND_KEY" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: $(uuidgen)" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "step": {
      "after_days": 7,
      "channel": "email",
      "message": {
        "preset": "firmer"
      }
    }
  }'
```

```js
const res = await fetch('https://api.parasend.com/v1/reminder_policies/preview', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PARASEND_KEY}`,
    'Idempotency-Key': crypto.randomUUID(),
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    step: {
      after_days: 7,
      channel: 'email',
      message: {
        preset: 'firmer',
      },
    },
  }),
});
const data = await res.json();
```

## Response 200

The rendered step.

```json
{
  "object": "reminder_step_preview",
  "channel": "email",
  "locale": "is",
  "preset": "firmer",
  "template": {
    "id": "reminder.email",
    "version": 33
  },
  "email": {
    "from_name": "Sending frá: Fyrirtæki ehf.",
    "subject": "Áminning: Sýnishorn af sendingu bíður enn",
    "text": "Fyrirtæki ehf. bíður enn eftir staðfestingu þinni\n\nVið sendum þér skjal 2026-10-30 og höfum ekki enn fengið staðfestingu á að þú hafir móttekið það. Vinsamlegast staðfestu móttöku sem fyrst.\n\nSýnishorn af sendingu\n1 skjal · aðgengilegt til 13. nóvember 2026\n\nSkilaboð frá sendanda:\nÞetta er sýnishorn. Svona birtist sendingin viðtakanda.\n\nOpna sendinguna: https://parasend.com/d/synishorn\nÞú staðfestir móttöku með rafrænum skilríkjum. Það tekur innan við mínútu.\n\nEr þetta öruggt? Parasend biður þig aldrei um lykilorð eða kortaupplýsingar. Móttaka sendingarinnar er skráð.\n\nIn English: Fyrirtæki ehf. has sent you 1 document through Parasend, an electronic registered delivery service. Open the delivery with the button above and confirm receipt.\n\n—\nÞessi tilkynning er frá Parasend. Sendandi: Fyrirtæki ehf.\nParasend er rekjanleg rafræn afhendingarþjónusta sem Justikal ehf. rekur, Akralind 3, 201 Kópavogi.\n",
    "html": "<!doctype html><html lang=\"is\"><head><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width,initial-scale=1\"><meta name=\"color-scheme\" content=\"light\"><title>Sýnishorn af sendingu</title></head><body style=\"margin:0;padding:0;background:#F5F6FA;\"><div style=\"display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden;\">Opnaðu sendinguna og staðfestu móttöku. Aðgengileg til 13. nóvember 2026.</div><table role=\"presentation\" width=\"100%\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"background:#F5F6FA;\"><tr><td align=\"center\" style=\"padding:20px 12px;\"><table role=\"presentation\" width=\"600\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:600px;\"><tr><td style=\"background:#FFFFFF;border:1px solid #E6E9F2;border-radius:12px;\"><table role=\"presentation\" width=\"100%\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\"><tr><td style=\"background:#0E1526;border-radius:12px 12px 0 0;padding:18px 28px;\"><table role=\"presentation\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\"><tr><td style=\"padding-right:9px;vertical-align:middle;\"><img src=\"cid:parasend-logo-v1\" width=\"22\" height=\"24\" alt=\"\" style=\"display:block;border:0;width:22px;height:24px;max-width:22px;\"></td><td style=\"vertical-align:middle;font-family:-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;\"><div style=\"font-size:18px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:-0.02em;line-height:1.1;color:#FFFFFF;\">Parasend</div><table role=\"presentation\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-top:4px;\"><tr><td style=\"vertical-align:middle;\"><table role=\"presentation\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\"><tr><td width=\"12\" height=\"3\" bgcolor=\"#EA553B\" style=\"width:12px;height:3px;background:#EA553B;border-radius:2px;font-size:3px;line-height:3px;\">&nbsp;</td></tr></table></td><td style=\"padding-left:6px;font-family:-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11.5px;font-weight:500;line-height:1.2;color:#9AA3BA;\">by Justikal</td></tr></table></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style=\"padding:32px 36px 28px;font-family:-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0E1526;\"><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:13px;font-weight:600;color:#147A52;\">Rekjanleg rafræn afhendingarþjónusta</p><h1 style=\"margin:8px 0 20px;font-size:24px;line-height:1.3;font-weight:700;color:#0E1526;\">Fyrirtæki ehf. bíður enn eftir staðfestingu þinni</h1><p style=\"margin:0 0 20px;font-size:15px;line-height:1.55;color:#202C49;\">Við sendum þér skjal 2026-10-30 og höfum ekki enn fengið staðfestingu á að þú hafir móttekið það. Vinsamlegast staðfestu móttöku sem fyrst.</p><table role=\"presentation\" width=\"100%\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border:1px solid #E6E9F2;border-radius:12px;\"><tr><td style=\"padding:14px 16px;\"><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:16px;font-weight:600;\">Sýnishorn af sendingu</p><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:14px;color:#5B6472;padding-top:4px;\">1 skjal · aðgengilegt til 13. nóvember 2026</p></td></tr></table><table role=\"presentation\" width=\"100%\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-top:16px;background:#EEF0F7;border-radius:12px;\"><tr><td style=\"padding:14px 16px;\"><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:12px;font-weight:600;color:#5B6472;\">Skilaboð frá sendanda</p><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:15px;line-height:1.55;color:#202C49;padding-top:4px;\">Þetta er sýnishorn. Svona birtist sendingin viðtakanda.</p></td></tr></table><table role=\"presentation\" width=\"100%\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-top:22px;\"><tr><td align=\"center\" style=\"background:#C2452D;border-radius:12px;\"><a href=\"https://parasend.com/d/synishorn\" style=\"display:block;padding:15px 20px;font-family:-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:600;color:#FFFFFF;text-decoration:none;\">Opna sendinguna</a></td></tr></table><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:14px;color:#5B6472;text-align:center;padding-top:10px;\">Þú staðfestir móttöku með rafrænum skilríkjum. Það tekur innan við mínútu.</p><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:13px;line-height:1.6;color:#5B6472;padding-top:20px;\">Virkar hnappurinn ekki? Opnaðu þennan hlekk í vafra:<br><a href=\"https://parasend.com/d/synishorn\" style=\"color:#C2452D;word-break:break-all;\">https://parasend.com/d/synishorn</a></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style=\"height:16px;line-height:16px;font-size:0;\">&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td style=\"background:#ECEEF4;border-radius:12px;padding:18px 24px;font-family:-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:1.6;color:#5B6472;\"><table role=\"presentation\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\"><tr><td style=\"padding:1px 12px 0 0;vertical-align:top;\"><img src=\"cid:safety-shield-v1\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"\" style=\"display:block;border:0;width:20px;height:20px;max-width:20px;\"></td><td style=\"vertical-align:top;font-family:-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:1.6;color:#5B6472;\"><b style=\"color:#202C49;\">Er þetta öruggt?</b> Parasend biður þig aldrei um lykilorð eða kortaupplýsingar. Móttaka sendingarinnar er skráð.</td></tr></table><p lang=\"en\" style=\"margin:0;padding:12px 0 0 32px;\">In English: Fyrirtæki ehf. has sent you 1 document through Parasend, an electronic registered delivery service. Open the delivery with the button above and confirm receipt.</p></td></tr><tr><td style=\"padding:16px 12px;font-family:-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:1.6;color:#5B6472;text-align:center;\">Þessi tilkynning er frá Parasend. Sendandi: Fyrirtæki ehf.<br>Parasend er rekjanleg rafræn afhendingarþjónusta sem Justikal ehf. rekur, Akralind 3, 201 Kópavogi.<br><a href=\"https://parasend.com/legal/privacy\" style=\"color:#C2452D;text-decoration:none;\">Persónuvernd</a></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></body></html>",
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    }
  }
}
```

Errors: one shape, `{"error": {type, code, message, param, request_id}}`; every code is listed at https://parasend.com/docs/errors.