Frequently Asked Questions for Mail Merge
Problems
The email files are stored in a Microsoft standard format called .EML. They cannot be opened by ACT itself, however, if you oepn the ACT History record and double-click the attachment, it will open in Outllook Express, if that is installed.
If you don't have Outlook Express installed, you may find a source to download it with this google websearch: "download office express"
Alternatively, there are other programs available that you can install that will open EML files. Try this google search: "open eml files"
NOTE: we have not tested and thus do not endorse any such solution, other than installing Outlook Express.
Alternatively, you can get Notepad (or other existing program) to open the file by establishing an association between the EML file type and the program. (Notepad is really only a good solution if your email is set to come in as plain text, so Word may be a better choice - see below).
To create the "opens with" file association for EML files:
1. Create a new text document. Type in it "This is a Test".
2. Change the file type to .eml
3. Right click the file, choose Properties, and change the program for "Opens with".
4. The program you chose will run whenever you double-click the eml file.
A quick test shows that Word can be made to open such files. It's not likely to be as ideal as using Outlook Express, but you might try it and see how that works. To use Word, you would use the above procedure (1, 2, and 3), but set the program to associate with "Opens with" to be Word.
1. I'm getting an SMTP error code.
Frequently Asked Questions for Mail Merge
Problems
I'm getting an error or SMTP error code, what does it mean?
If you get an SMTP error code, the easiest way to find out what it means is to ask Google. Search for SMTP Error Code the_code for example SMTP Error Code 501.3. There are two most common reasons for getting an SMTP error code - you are entering an incorrect password, or your ISP is blocking Port 25. If you aren't sure of your password, then have it changed. If your ISP is blocking Port 25, it may be beccause you are only paying for a residential account. If you don't want to purchase a more expensive account, then consider using Google's GMAIL. Mail Merge now supports sending through GMAIL.
Editing the Template
1.1 What is the best way to create the HTML for Mail Merge?
Bear in mind that email clients do not accept the full range of HTML coding that can be used on a website. It is also important when sending to many recipients to keep the HTML as small as possible.
We recommend using a tool like Dreamweaver to create your HTML template. It has a great deal of power and yet can produce "clean HTML" that will not present a problem when read by an email client. If feasible, ask your website designer to create the template.
You can also use the builtin HTML editor in Mail Merge. It can produce "clean" HTML acceptable for email clients.
We recommend that you NOT attempt to use Microsoft Word to create HTML. It almost always produces more complicated HTML than the above two editors. This can lead to slower sending, and even the inability for your recipients to view your message. If you insist on using Word, be sure that you use the "Save As" option of "Web Page Filtered". That option will remove a lot of the problems that can occur.
2. Using Pictures
2.1 What is the best way to put pictures in the template?
We recoimmend that you code the HTML to reference pictures located on your website rather than referencing pictures on your local hard drive. All that means is that you should upload your pictures into some images folder on your website, and reference each one in the HTML with a "fully qualified URL". A fully qualified URL is an http address that gives the address of the picture on the web, here is an example: http://www.crmaddons.com/skins/skin_2/images/CRM-addons.jpg
The benefits of doing this are: no hassles with lost/misplaced pictures when you move files around on your computer; and best of all: much faster email sending. Sending is much faster because instead of sending the picture files over and over again to each email recipient, only the much smaller URL is sent. The pictures are automatically downloaded when your recipient opens their email.
2.2. Can I put photographs in my HTML?
Putting raw photos in your HTML is not recommended. That's because today's digital cameras produce MUCH HIGHER RESOLUTION, and thus MUCH BIGGER picture files, than you need for email. For example, if a camera takes pictures that are "5 Megapixel", that means there are 5 Million picture elements in the picture. But, to display a 2 inch by 2 inch picture in an email only requires about 200 x 200 pixels or 40,000 total pixels. So, if you use a raw photo, you will be using a picture that is about 100 times too big (in bytes) than you need. It will thus take 100 times longer to send that picture (and possibly your email blast) than if you were to reduce the resolution!
You can reduce the resolution in a photo by processing the picture by software that will "resample" it, that is change its dimensions in pixels. Adobe Photoshop is one such program.
There is an EVEN SIMPLER way to resample a large picture to make it suitable for email. You can use software you already have on your computer:
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View the picture on your computer screen using Internet Explorer or better yet Microsoft Office Picture Manager.
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Change the size of the window until you get the picture to be viewed in a size that you like.
- Press the Alt key and Print Screen keys on your keyboard at the same time - that makes a Copy of the active window.
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Open Microsoft Paint and click Edit... Paste - that pastes the picture into Paint.
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Use Paint to crop the picture to just what you want.
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Have Paint save it as a JPG file. That JPG file now has a resolution determined by your computer screen's settings. It will undoubtedly have less resolution that your original, but sufficient resolution (and a much smaller size) suitable for emailing.
3. Recording History in ACT
3.1 How can I record a history in ACT that email has been sent?
To get Mail Merge to record a history note in ACT, you need to go to the Mail Merge Accounts tab and fill in an ACT! Username and ACT! Password. After you have entered correct information there, you must also make sure that the Create History checkbox is checked on Merge tab when you send the email. Mail Merge will then record a history for each contact that is successfully emailed. On the same tab, you also have the option to save a copy of the sent message as well.
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