This topic describes the basic steps to send a message in Mapp Engage.

Before you start, create the message.

You can create an email message either in the message editor, or in the content management system.

A message that you create in the CMS has the same sendout process as a message created any other way. Once you start the sendout process for a CMS message, you can no longer edit the message in the CMS editor. However, you can still edit it in the manual editor.

1. Assign a Group​

The first step when you prepare message sendout is to assign a sendout group. You must select a group even if you want to save the message as a prepared message.

In Mapp Engage, you send every message to a group. The group contains all the recipients you want to receive the message. This is true for all channels: email, SMS or mobile push.

For more information, see Groups​.

2. Narrow your Audience​

The primary way to limit your audience in Mapp Engage is with a selection.

A selection is a filter that selects contacts based on conditions that you define. Creating precise selections lets you target specific audience groups with your marketing messages. For example, you can create selections that identify contacts who live in a certain area, who speak the same language or who have a birthday today.

For more information, see Segmentation Builder.

There are two other ways to limit the total number of recipients:

  • Restrict sendout to a certain percentage of recipients.

  • If you use related data to store information in your Mapp Engage system, you can use EL (expression language) to select recipients. This selection can be based on related data or attribute data. This setting is only for advanced users.

3. Apply Sendout Settings​

In Mapp Engage, many sendout settings are controlled in the group. For more information, see Sendout Options (tab)​.

When you prepare sendout, you can create the following additional settings:

  • Specify a message category.

  • Select the sendout format.

4. Schedule Sendout ​

You can begin message sendout right away.

You can also schedule message sendout for a future date and time. This can also be done in the group settings. If the sendout starting point entered in the sendout options conflicts with the sendout time defined for the group, the sendout will be delayed until the time that was entered in the group settings is reached.

Finally, you can save the message as a prepared message. A prepared message is a saved message that you've assigned to a group. A prepared message is used for system messages, API sendout and automated sendout. For more information, see Prepared Messages​.

Sendout with the Transport Accelerator Feature

Mapp offers an extra feature called Transport Accelerator for customers who want to speed up their email sendouts. With the Transport Accelerator feature, Mapp Engage prepares your emails for sendout up to several hours before sendout. Mapp Engage creates complex personalizations and runs selection criteria before sendout. Because these time-consuming processes are completed in advance, the actual sendout process is much faster. For more information, see ​Message Processing vs. Message Transport​.

If you have this feature, you can decide whether you want to separate message processing and message transport. Message processing can be scheduled up to a maximum of 72 hours before message transport. These options are not visible to you if you do not have this feature on your system.

5. Confirm and Start Sendout​

To avoid accidental sendout, Mapp Engage asks you to check your message and confirm that it is ready for sendout. For more information, see Summary of Sendout​.

After you confirm that you want sendout to begin, Mapp Engage goes to work to prepare and send your message.

This includes the following steps:

  • Based on the selection you apply, Mapp Engage identifies the contacts currently in your target audience.

  • Mapp Engage checks whether your message contains personalisations and customized content. The system then creates a separate message for each recipient.

  • The system checks whether there are any messages limitations, blacklists or a Robinson list that prevent sendout to certain recipients.

For a closer look at the sendout process, see Email Sendout Process​.

This is the standard sendout process in Mapp Engage. However, your message creation process may contain different steps.

  • You may create your messages in the content management system (CMS). A message that you create in the CMS has the same sendout process as a message created any other way. Once you start the sendout process, you can no longer edit the message in the CMS editor. However, you can still edit it in the manual editor.

  • When you save a message as a prepared message, you can send copies of the message with a time-based or event-based automation. For example, birthday messages and transactional messages are sent with automations. For more information, see ​Automation​.

  • You can automate message sendout with the Mapp Engage API.

  • Your message sendout process may also include moderation by a manager. Your manager must approve the message before sendout. For more information, see Message Moderation​.