Managing e-mails "on hold"

When an e-mail bounces, it is automatically put on hold by CiviCRM to avoid being blacklisted.

CiviCRM itself is not a mailing server

CiviCRM is a system that manages contacts and webmails sent to them, but relies on an external webmail service to manage the deliverability. FDI has set up an account with Twilio SendGrid, one of the industry leaders, to send webmails and e-mails on behalf of FDI.

All e-mails and webmails sent through a service like this need to follow certain rules:

• if the e-mail is a marketing e-mail/newsletter (such as FDI News, Congress News, etc.), then the user needs to have opted in (subscribed) to the e-mail

• there needs to be a footer with:

  • the contact information of the organization

  • an unsubscribe/manage subscription link

Reputation: the most important aspect

In order to maintain a good reputation, not be blacklisted, and allow for uninterrupted service and deliverability of your webmails/e-mails, FDI must follow the above rules. Once reputation is affected, it is very difficult to reverse it.

Reputation is safeguarded by putting e-mails on hold. If a message isn't delivered, the recipients e-mail provider sends a message back to SendGrid with the reason for which the webmail was held or undeliverable; SendGrid then informs CiviCRM that the e-mail was not delivered; CiviCRM then puts that e-mail on hold to ensure that FDI doesn't get blacklisted.

An e-mail can have its on hold status removed individually or in a group. Generally, an e-mail should not be removed from from the on hold status unless the administrator is sure that e-mail can receive e-mails again. This can be verified through the SendGrid delivery report. You can access this information for the past 30 days.

Generally, an e-mail should not be removed from from the on hold status unless the administrator is sure that e-mail can receive e-mails again.

Removing the 'on hold' status for contacts

An exception to the rule is for e-mails sent to our Governance contacts.

Before sending any communication to FDI Members using CiviCRM, the administrator can ensure that there is a high rate of delivery by Removing Governance e-mails from being held. To do this:

• Click "Mailings"

• Click "Unhold Governance e-mails"

• Select "all xx records"

• From the Actions drop-down menu, select "Email – unhold addresses"

• You will be redirected to a new page, listing how many contacts are on hold. Select "Unhold Email"