Overview
This function helsp you when you need to send a marketing letter, newsletter, or newsflash to mutliple clients, customers or members.
Be aware however, that you should not abuse this function otherwise you could be classed as a Spammer!
The function has the additional features that let you:
- Save messages as templates which you can later reload and re-use.
- Use 'tokens' to personalise your messages, by subsituting for actual values when the message is sent
- Add attachments
- Import email addresses from file
Managing Bulk Email
Login in with Administrator permissions
Select 'Bulk Email' from the Admin Menu
Constructing the Email
Message: Enter a Subject line and complete the message as you would normally. The format will be HTML 
Addresses: There are three options, which can be combined.
- Manually enter Email Addresses: Enter the email addresses separated as shown by semi-colons (;), commas(,), space ( ), or each on a separate line
- Selected users: Tick the required user role from the 'email template' above the message area. OctEportal will identify the email addresses from the members in the role(s) selected
- Import Email Addresses from file: Click
to select the file containing the email addresses. This should contain ONE email address per line. Click Import Emails to add the list of addresses to the email address box
Attachment: Use the 
to find and select your attachment. Note you can only have one attachment. If you need to include several files consolidate them into a zip file.
Message Tokens: When you send the message, OctEportal looks through your registered users and where it finds a match with the selected user roles, or with the email address, it will then substitute the tokens you may have used. In our example, we've personalised the email by using the [First name] token. A list of available tokens is shown at the bottom of the email section on the form
By default one (personalised) message will be sent to each email address
Click Send Email to distribute your message to the list. If successful, the following indicator appears at the top of the page:
Saving an Email as a Template
If you want to use most of the message again (perhaps as a standard format for a newsletter), Give the template a name and click Save Template. The content and subject, but not the mailing list will be saved with the extension '.emailtemplate'. Whilst it is possible to construct these templates yourself and upload them, we suggest it's easier to write the email and save it!
Using an Email Template
Click and select the saved template from the list. Select which user roles (if any) will be selected from the list when the message is loaded
Other Bulk Email Options
Send Method: By default one message will be sent to each user, personalised if necessary. However, you can also send the message BCC. That is everyone gets the same message, but there is no personalisation. Select your option from the drop down:
Send Action: By default the emails are sent Asynchronusly - the emails are sent in the background whilst we do other things. However, you may want to wait until all emails have been sent. If this is the case then click 'Synchronous' before sending