Creating an email

There are a few different ways to create emails from data in the database:
1. Simple emails vs. Customized email templates
When you click the E-Mail button anywhere through the software it will ask if you want to use a customized e-mail template? If you choose "yes" you will see the screen above. If you choose "No" the program will try and launch a regular email using your default e-mail client and try and fill in the "to" email address with the appropriate email address(es).

If you choose "yes" to using a customized email template, continue reading:

There are three types of customized email templates:
1. Contact Related Emails:
You can create contact related emails from the contact list screen or from the contact details screen.
Example #1: You filter the contact list screen to give you a list of 50 contacts and then you click the email button to create 50 individual emails.
Example #2: You click the email button from the contact detail screen to create an email for that specific contact.

2. Donation Related Emails:
Donation related emails can only be created from the donation detail screen by clicking on the email button.

3. Pledge Related Emails:
Pledge related emails can only be created from the pledge detail screen by clicking on the email button.

4. Use a mailing list and create emails:
See the next topic in this manual on how to create emails from mailing lists.

Once you click the email button you will open the screen showing you the available email templates stored int he database. Email templates are stored right in the database (not like word templates which live outside the database)

Functionality on the above screen is as follows:
- Add New Template
Will open a new screen with a blank email template

- Modify the template
You select a template from the list and it opens this template for you to modify.

- Delete the template
Will delete the selected email template.

- OK - Send Email
Will change the screen and start sending emails (see screen shot below). As each individual email is sent you will see the status on this screen.

There are a few different ways to create email from data in the database:
1. Contact Related Email:
You can create contact related emails from the contact list screen or from the contact details screen.
Example #1: You filter the contact list screen to give you a list of 50 contacts and then you click the email button to create 50 emails.
Example #2: You click the email button from the contact detail screen to create an email for that specific contact.

2. Donation Related Email:
Donation related emails can only be created from the donation detail screen by clicking on the email button.

3. Pledge Related Emails:
Pledge related emails can only be created from the pledge detail screen by clicking on the email button.

4. Use a mailing list and create emails:
See the next topic in this manual on how to create emails from mailing lists.

Note: There is a option to "Record Correspondence", if set to "Yes" every time you click the "Ok - Send Emails" button the correspondence will be recorded. Example: on the above screen shot we are about to create an email for 1 contact, this contact will show that an email was made at the current date/time and the contents of the email will be saved in the correspondence history (without attachments). Correspondence history is found on the contact correspondence tab and on the donation and pledge detail screens.

We tried to make the functionality of creating an email template similar to how Microsoft word works to create mail merge documents. You fill out the various fields and insert merge fields where appropriate.

Emails can be constructed as simple text emails or HTML emails. If using HTML the HTML will be displayed to the user if they have a email reader that can display HTML, otherwise they will see the text version of the email. HTML emails require a knowledge of HTML and require all images to be placed on an internet website. Contact RPT Software for more details on creating HTML email templates.