Gnome Evolution Templates: How to use it properly for new messages?

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  1. The templates plugin seems to be not working for my set-up of evolution (3.50.2-1) installed from the repository.
    I tried also with the flatpak package (3.50.1) using the backup of the evolution from repository. There it works.     After several new starts, it suddenly works also in the version from the repository.

  2. Does anyone have experience with this plugin? I didn’t understand how to use it properly when creating new mails (not replying to previously received ones). I made a template

Dear $ORIG[to],
...

If I open that template message, insert a recipient and send the mail, then the template field does not get replaced. Only if I use the Reply with Template then I get it replaced (although with extra space before the comma to e.g., Dear John Doe ,).

Edit: first point got magically resolved