IT@Sam - Technology Tutorials

Mass E-Mail Creation

Technology Tutorials | Mass E-Mail Workorder Creation

BEFORE YOU REQUEST A MASS E-MAIL:

• First check with the Division of Student services to see if your information could be included in the Division of Student Services Weekly E-Mail.
• Any e-mail sent to an encompassing population (ALL students, ALL Faculty, All Staff, etc) MUST have the approval of a VP before the Workorder is created.
• Please place the Workorder AT LEAST 3 DAYS in advance, or else Information Technology cannot guarantee that it will go out on time.

To begin a request for a mass e-mail (to 250 or more recipients), first please have ready the following materials:

• A copy of the mailing list, if you have it. If not, request it to be generated in the Work Order.
• A copy of the text to be included in the e-mail, in a .txt or .doc or .docx file.
  
• IF the e-mail is in HTML format, include the .html file.

About mass e-mail text

• Certain words, characters and capitalizations risk your e-mail as being flagged SPAM. Heavy use of ALL CAPITALS, exclamation points (!!!), and words such as "free" will trip filters into marking e-mail from shsu as SPAM. Avoid heavy use of these.
• Any links in the e-mail text MUST have the complete address (starting with http://) or it will not link correctly.

About HTML format e-mails

• The file MUST be in HTML format (a file with the extension .html for example, "october-newsletter.html"). If it was created in Word, Office Button > Save As > Other Formats. Choose "Web Page." (note: DO NOT choose "Single File Web Page" as that is an incorrect format.)
• All links MUST be absolute. For example, http://www.shsu.edu as opposed to shsu.edu. Links will not work in a mass e-mail without it.
• All images MUST be uploaded to webspace already (must already be on the internet). Additionally, when inserting the image into the HTML page, the address MUST be absolute (starting with http://).
• Image maps will NOT work in a mass e-mail.
• Attachments CANNOT be sent with a mass e-mail. If you would like to reference a PDF or other file, upload that file to webspace and place a link to it in the e-mail.
• A "text-only" version of the HTML e-mail MUST be included for those who use e-mail clients that do not read HTML. Attach that to the Workorder as well.

Sign in to SamWeb (http://ww2.shsu.edu)

Choose "Information Technology" from the menu on the left.

Select "Workorder System," "User Menu" then "New Workorder."

From the following screen, choose Helpdesk

On the next screen, select Mass Mails from the drop down menu.

On the next screen your Contact Information will be automatically filled in based on  the username with which you signed in to SamWeb. Click Next - > to continue.

This will open the Workorder to be filled in. Start by attaching the necessary documents discussed above. Attach one at a time by Browsing to the file's location, selecting it, and choosing "Add File." The same option will appear again and allow you to attach another file, and so on.

Next, fill out all of the questions in the Question & Answer section. For the target audience, you may request a list to be generated (students, faculty, etc.)
For anti-spam purposes for recipient list other than SHSU Faculty & Staff, an opt-out option must be available.

Then fill out the Workorder description - any information that needs to be added. This field is required.

Submit Form when you are finished.


Verify all of the information is correct, and choose Confirm.



Once the Workorder is submitted, it will be sent to be approved for mailing and mailing list generation (if requested). Once it is approved and ready to send, you will receive a test e-mail. If it is correct, you will be required to update the Workorder giving word for it to be sent as-is, or make any changes.