Create mailing

Mailingmessages

The Mailing module, uses certain aspects of the website maintenance module, specifically the sections Images, Files and Styling. These sections explain how to add images and/or files to e-Captain, thereby making them available for use in emails, newsletters and on the associations website. These sections also explain how to create Style Sheets. In the section Templates, you will learn how to create a house style for your association which can be used for invites, emails and the website.

Mailing messages

Once the images or files are uploaded, the styling is set and you’ve created templates, you’re ready to send emails.

• In the main menu select Mailing
• Click on the folder Concepts

Before we send an email we will first create a concept (or draft). Once the concept is finished to your satisfaction you can send it to the target group you have in mind.

Once you open the Concept folder you’ll see a list similar to the one above. This folder contains any concepts. It may also be that the folder is empty. This will be the case if you’re making a concept for the first time or if you’ve made and already sent a concept. A concept message which has been sent will appear in the sent items folder.

• Click on the   icon to create a new concept message.
• You will be asked if you want to use a template or start with a blank document.

• If you want to use a template, click on the drop down menu.
• You will see the existing templates.

• Select the desired template
• Click on the Next button. In this example we selected the newly created template.

you will go through to the email editor. You can give the email a name. This name will also be used as the Subject when you send the email.

Below the name field is your text editor. Enter your message here.

Edit style

Style adjustments

	In this menu you can select the style sheet you’ve created in the Styling section.
	The second option gives the paragraph style. This hasn’t yet been implemented in e-Captain.
	In Font Family you can select your preferred font.
	In Font Size select the size font you prefer. You can use a selection of fonts and font sizes in each message.
	In the last option drop down box you can select from a range of available variables to use in your message.

• Once you’ve created your message and chosen the associations house style, click on Save. (You can of course also create a message without formatting).
• Your email will now be saved in the folder Concepts.

Mail

It's time to send the mail. Behind the line you can see a selection of icons.

	Send e-mail / send e-mail test
	Preview e-mail
	Change e-mail message
	Delete e-mail message
	View message properties

 

• click on the  icon, and the next screen will open:

 

 

(De)select recipients

In this example there are not yet any recipients selected for this email. Your membership list will be opened and you can select which individuals/groups receive the email by clicking on the blue text: no recipients selected – click here.

• Once you’ve made your selection click on OK.
• Now the recipients will be linked to the message you want to send.
• The membership selection list will close and you will see a screen as shown below.
• Click on Next.

Attachments

Once recipients are added you can also add an attachment to the message.

• Click on the link: no attachments selected – click here
  
  

• Select the desired attachment from the list of documents.
• Documents you want to attach must first be uploaded to e-Captain.
  
  

An email sent from e-Captain can have a maximum size of 2MB. therefore files larger than 1.5MB will not appear in the list.

If you wish to send larger files to your members we suggest you place a link to the document in the text of your email. The reason for this maximum size is that inboxes quickly fill up with larger messages, and sending a link is faster and uses less data.

Attachments

Attachments

Once recipients are added you can also add an attachment to the message.

• Click on the link: no attachments selected – click here
  
  

• Select the desired attachment from the list of documents.
• Documents you want to attach must first be uploaded to e-Captain.
  
  

An email sent from e-Captain can have a maximum size of 2MB. therefore files larger than 1.5MB will not appear in the list.

If you wish to send larger files to your members we suggest you place a link to the document in the text of your email. The reason for this maximum size is that inboxes quickly fill up with larger messages, and sending a link is faster and uses less data.

Sending the e-mail

The following screen is opened. In this screen it is possible to first test the message.

• Click on the button Send test message.
  
  

• e-Captain will produce a report indicating if all recipient email addresses are correct.

In the screen above you can see a list of members who cannot receive the email. These members either do not have or have an incorrect email address in their contact details. you are now able to correct or add these email addresses if you have them.

• If the test is successful, click on Send (e)mail to send the email to all selected members.
• In this example we’ve left the email address of Dhr. Joost Pietersen blank.

• Once the email is sent it will be moved to the folder Sent items.

If you click on the first icon in the item line, you will see a list of sent and unsent emails. In the example below, the test email was sent without adding the address of Mr Pietersen, so he will not receive this message.

Send mailing as a letter

If a member does not have a valid email address, it is possible to send the message to them by post.

• Click on Mail messages and go to Sent items
  
  

• Click on the details icon for the message you wish to post.

• Click on Copy to letters
• Link the recipients who you wish to post the message to.
• Click on Continue

• The email will be converted to a letter, which you can find under Mailing in the folder Letters.

• Open the letter, make any necessary changes and click on Create letter to send it.

• Click on Finish in the screen below to create the letter.

• The following pop-up confirmation will appear. Click on OK.

• e-Captain will now create the letters for each selected member and show you an example.
• You will see the following message once the letters have been created.

Copy to newsmessage

If you send a newsletter regularly which you want to display on the website, there is a possibility within the e-Captain Mailing Module to show this in website item  Nieuwsberichten.

• When creating  mailing/newsletter you click "Copy to CMS2 Newsmessages"

You have to complete this newsmessage yourself. The title and content are already filled in for you.

• Click on Website management 2 on the main menu.
• Go to the lower section Newsmessages in the sub menu.
• The mailing will be shown as a newsmessage
  

Mailing checks and SPF record

Several checks are built in when sending a mail to warn you when something is wrong with the sender. Known providers like Gmail, Outlook etc show this;

If you choose for a different domain, e-Captain checks the SPF-record of the sending domain. Is there nothing about it in our serves, the next notification will be shown: