Email Configuration in CI360 Part 2. Changes to Email Testing
Introduction
This post is the second in a two part series that covers some recent changes to email configuration in CI360. In this post, we will discuss some updates to the email testing options. Historically, it was difficult to differentiate between emails sent out through testing, and those sent when the email task executes. A common workaround was to manually add “Test” to the body or subject line of the email. But this was far from ideal, as it had to be manually removed again. Starting in the June 2024 CI360 release, we now have a way to easily label test emails.
Response Previews – How it Works
When creating either a bulk or triggered email task, it is possible to run various tests on the email. We can see three options when we go to the review tab:
- Spam Test – Checks whether the email will be inadvertently flagged as spam.
- Email Client Preview – Checks how the email content is displayed on multiple devices, browsers, email clients, and platforms.
- Responsive Preview – Checks how the content is displayed by actually sending emails. As up to 50 emails can be sent, it can be used to test merge tags and display conditions. This is where the changes have been implemented.
When the Response Preview option is selected, we see the interface below. On the left hand side, we see the preview of what will be sent. We can also preview the email on desktop, tablet, or mobile devices. On the right hand side we can enter email addresses, either manually, or through an upload. We can also add any merge tags or display conditions.
Once complete, we can click the send icon on the far right to actually send the email. When we click this, we get a notification window to advise of the number of emails being sent and any merge tags being tested. Starting in the June 2024 CI360 release, we also have the option to add the words “TEST EMAIL” as a prefix to the email subject line:
This is selected by default. Note that this does not affect the subject line used in the email task. This will still be sent with the subject line created. This avoids the need to manually add then remove a “test” tag.
When the email is received, we can see that the “TEST EMAIL” prefix has been automatically added.
Further information
There is more information on this feature, and email testing in general, in the Email Development and Delivery lesson, which is part of the SAS Customer Intelligence 360 learning subscription.
See Part 1 in this series: Email Configuration in CI360 Part 1. Email Opt-Outs
Find more articles from SAS Global Enablement and Learning here.
