The newsletter e-mail will be generated based on a template designed by you. In short, a template is a standard Outlook e-mail (in HTML format), stored as a msg-file (Outlook message format). In the campaign module you will find a button that generates a very simple template. This template can serve as a base for further design.
In the template you can insert merge codes, which during send will be changed into the relevant data for each target. Merge codes are of the type <<Company.Name>>. See more merge codes here.
Observe some pitfalls though:
| 1. | The field can be polluted: Outlook is not good at producing clean HTML. This means that a document after some repeated formatting will contain hidden and redundant HTML formatting. If - for example - some text is partly formatted as boldface - and later you format a larger selection - Outlook will not remove the first formatting. As a result the field is not recognized by the merge algorithm. The solution is to key in the merge field anew. (Copy wont do as the formatting will be copied as well.) |
| 2. | The field can be marked by Outlook as wrong-spelled: Outlook will mark spelling errors with a red zig-zag line. This is done by inserting HTML formatting resulting in the field not being recognized by the merge algorithm. The solution is to right-click the field in case and choose Add to dictionary. |
Test
Before progressing with the send out it is a very good habit to test the e-mail. Use the button Test for this. Clicking this button will generate one e-mail with content resembling the first target in the target group. But the e-mail will be sent to you e-mail address. (This e-mail address is drawn from the User information).
The purpose of the test mail is to allow you to check whether the e-mails are merged correctly and with graphics, attachments etc. intact.
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