Drop Folders

Drop Folders allow clients to import recipient lists into Email Manager using FTP. This is an alternative to importing lists through the List Manager module, and is useful in, but not limited to the following scenarios:

• If you have an existing list that needs updating periodically
• If you want to run a triggered Creative, where email list are sent as the list is dropped
• If you would like to control the list fields used for new lists

Additional features include, but are not limited to:

• The ability to compress lists before importing them to improve transfer speeds
• The ability to encrypt or password protect lists before importing them, to help increase data security
• The ability to import lists using Secure FTP, to help increase data security

Setting Up a Drop Folder

1. From the Administration menu, select Drop Folders.
2. To create a Drop Folder category, select the button under Select Drop Folder Category, enter a category name and click the Create button.
3. To add a drop folder to the newly created category, select it and then click the button under Select Drop Folder.

A separate drop folder is typically created for each type of recipient list that will be imported into Email Manager. Each drop folder is associated with a list import source.

4. Add a name in the Drop Folder Name field.

5. Under Import Setup click the Select Import Setup button.

Import Setup

List import source defines the format and data mapping to be automatically performed when a list is uploaded into the FTP drop folder. For example, list import source has information about the format, compression, encoding, delimiter, text qualifier and field mapping of the recipient list(s) which can be uploaded to the folder. The metadata of the inbound source file must match the import source associated with the drop folder to which is it being uploaded.

There are two options:

1. Select a configuration from a previously defined source.

From the list of previously configured import sources select one and click Select. To make changes to the setup, for example changing the primary key or changing a field mapping, click the Edit icon. The edit screen is also where File Encryption settings are managed.

2. Define a new source configuration by importing and mapping the file format.

Instead of selecting an existing source list, click the  icon to browse to a file with the desired format select it and click Open. The File Settings screen opens where you can amend settings such as File Format, Field Delimiter and Text Qualifier. This page also has a First row is column headings check box.

The Sources for Import screen will now open with your newly created list format. A primary key of the file will need to be indicated by clicking in the PK column next to the field that will be your primary key. A yellow key icon is now displayed. Click Save to take you back to the Sources for Import screen, then click Select with the required Import Source selected.

The following file types can be imported into Drop Folders:

Destinations

Destinations define where and how the inbound file is stored in Email Manager.

There are three options available to define the import destination:

1. Create a new list, where the user defines a category and name. A new list will be created for each dropped file. Specifying a naming convention using %filename and %importdate as placeholders.

2. Replace an existing list, where the user selects the list to overwrite. Recipients from the dropped file will be added to the specified list. If ‘Clear List’ is selected the specified list will be cleared before the import begins.

3. Use the imported list directly in an existing deployment. Recipients from the dropped file will be added to the specified deployments. This will cause them to receive messages immediately. To create a new deployment with new IDs, select the Copy Deployments check box. This ensures that the new deployments use the latest lists from the drop folders, but use the properties of the original deployment (from which the copy is derived). The deployment date will be the date that the lists are imported from the Drop Folders and consumed by the new deployments. Please note that if more than one deployment is linked to a drop folder and any of the deployments are aborted all deployments will be stopped in case the drop folder is the faulty part of the campaign setup.

Once Drop Folders have been configured, you can transfer list files via the Email Manager FTP service using a standard FTP client, such as FileZilla. Use the appropriate FTP URL for your account (see table below) and your existing EM account username and password.

Drop Folder File Encryption

To fully secure the transfer of data file it is possible to use drop folders to transfer files that have been encrypted using one of several industry standard formats.

This system uses a system of public and private keys to enable the encryption and decryption process. These keys can be generated by the third party encryption utility and imported into EM, or EM can generate its own set of keys.

This functionality is accessed via the Select Import Setup button on the Drop Folder configuration screen.

1. Select an Import Source and click on the edit icon. This will display the screen shown below. Under the File Info section scroll down to Encryption Type and select from one of the supported types.

2. Click into the field next to Encryption Details and click the edit button. This will display the following screen where you can generate a new key pair, or enter a private key that you have generated from a third party source.

To let EM generate its own set of keys, select the Auto generate new key pair check box and click Done. Save the Import Source.

When you open the Encryption Details screen again you will see that the required keys have been generated.

Alternatively you can paste a third party private key and passphrase into the relevant fields. Click Done and save the import source. You can paste a new passphrase at any stage, or select the Auto generate new key pair check box to overwrite with an EM generated key pair.

The Drop Folder has now been configured for use with encrypted files, and can be used as normal with Email Manager decrypting the files automatically.

Editing Drop Folders

1. From the Administration menu, select Drop Folders
2. Select the Drop Folder Category, then the  drop folder and click the  button under Select Drop Folder.
3. To edit your Import Setup, click the Select Import Setup button, or amend the information in the Destination(s) section.

• Administration Overview
• Training Video - IP Warming
• User Manager
• Groups
• Users
• Drop Folders
• Using a secure FTP to access Drop Folders