To create a new email without using a template or layout, follow these steps:
Step 1 Log into the Digital Communication platform
Step 2 Select the Product Suite product and the Emails module
Step 3 Choose the desired email type
Step 4 Under the Add New section, click New on the appropriate card
Step 5 Complete The Basics page
Note: Anything in italics is an optional field as noted below. Some of the fields will auto populate from Account Settings.
- Name
- Description (optional)
- Store your email in a folder
- Would you like to use the DocuMatix Editor or would you like to import HTML instead?
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- Yes, use the DocuMatix Editor – create email within the DocuMatix tool
- I have HTML I would like to use – load HTML code from outside source
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- Layout Mode
Note: Mobile Layout Mode is for a single column email making it easier to view on a mobile device and Desktop Layout Mode allows for multi-column emails for viewing on a computer.
Step 6 Click Continue to advance to the Editing your email page
Step 7 Select the desired email element, and “Click, Drag, and Drop” the corresponding icon into the body of the email being created
- Image
- Text
- Text + Image
Note: When utilizing an IMAGE within the email, the Alt Text will need to contain text that describes what the image represents as it is used when emails are viewed through a viewing impaired app.
- Social
- Copy Cell
- Web Poll
- Submit Button
- Video
- Divider
Step 8 Click and adjust email parameters as needed
- Full Screen (It is necessary to disable this function before moving the the next screen.)
- Toggle Gridlines
- Toggle Resize
- Settings
- Autosave
Step 9 Hover over each cell to Edit, Move, or Delete
- Edit
- Move
- Delete
Step 10 To preview, click the Preview icon
Step 11 Select from the following options:
- Preview On Desktop
- Preview On Mobile
- Send Sample
- Spam Content Check
- Email Client Preview
Note: The preview opens in a new browser window. From that window, you can toggle between preview options. Click on the preferred testing Method. The test email will appear in a new browser tab.
Step 12 If a misstep was made and the changes need to be reset, click on the History button
12.1 Hover over the versions in Email History
12.2 Click View to preview the version for each email
12.3 Once the desired version is found, click Revert
Step 13 The system autosaves every minute, but we recommend clicking on Save on the right side of the menu bar
Note: Clicking the button is optional, but recommended before proceeding, as this will save time when the email is scheduled for launch. Clicking Validate will identify any missing pieces (e.g., required alt text) or invalid links. If this step is skipped now, validation will happen automatically when the email is scheduled for launch.
Step 14 Click the Inbox Appearance in the top center of the page
Step 15 Complete the Inbox Appearance page
- Email Subject, if needed Use Merge Fields and Use Emoji
- Preview Text, if needed Use Merge Fields
- From
- Reply-to Address
Step 16 Click Continue to advance to the Email Recipients page
Note: Not every type of email will have the Email Recipients page.
Step 17 Drag and Drop the file into the box or click Select Files to browse and select the desired file
Note: The data file must be in a CSV format with the header row located within the first row. The header row cannot contain spaces, numbers, or special characters.
Step 18 To include duplicates, select the check box, if desired
Note: At the completion of the data file being uploaded, the record information will appear under the header of the Map Merge Fields page.
Step 19 Complete the Map Merge Fields page
Note: Mapping is the process of aligning the merge fields created within Digital Communication to the header fields contained in the CSV file.
19.1 Using the drop-down arrow, select the Email Address from the list
19.2 Use the drop-down arrow to select the appropriate field for each required merge field
19.3 Use the drop-down arrow to select the desired Action if blank:
- Use default value: The default value entered will be used in place of a custom value
- Reject record: The email will not be sent to that recipient
- Remove merge field from the email: The merge field will be removed from the email
19.4 If “Use Default Value” action is selected, enter the desired text into the Default value field
19.5 Select the optional fields, if desired
Note: The Merge fields containing “Custom Field” in the name are optional data fields that can be populated for reporting capabilities but will not be placed in the email.
19.6 Select the launch date if one is present in the file
Note: When selecting a launch date field, if a record contains a blank in the Launch Date field, the email will not be sent out.
19.7 Click Continue
Note: If the data file contains Invalid and/or Corrupt Records, they will be automatically removed, and the file will be uploaded. Clicking the underlined number to the right of Corrupt Records will open an Excel file which provides reasons the records were classified as corrupt. Invalid Records indicate there is missing data and Corrupt Records indicate that an email address is not in the correct format.
Step 20 To continue, click Next
Step 21 Click Schedule Launch. For more information, please refer to procedure Scheduling an Email Launch (DMX375).
Article Reference: DMX301