Virtual Mailer Documentation

How Campaigns Work

Campaigns Are Reusable Working Assets

In Virtual Mailer, a campaign is designed to be reused over time rather than treated as a one-time send record. You can return to the same campaign, change the selected mailing lists, update the message content, adjust sender settings, modify attachments, and send it again as often as needed.

Each time a campaign is executed, Virtual Mailer stores a separate execution history record for that run. This means one campaign can support repeated sends while still preserving a detailed audit trail for every execution.

Reusable setup: keep a campaign as an ongoing working asset for newsletters, announcements, promotions, reminders, or other repeat sends.
Editable between runs: mailing targets, message content, and related settings can be changed before each new execution.
Per-run history: every campaign execution is stored separately, so past runs are not overwritten when the campaign is updated later.
Message-level detail: history can be drilled down from the campaign level to each run, and then down again to the individual message sent to each recipient for that run.

A practical way to think about this is: the campaign is the reusable master definition, while each execution is its own recorded send event with its own recipient and message history.

Purpose

What a Campaign Does

A Campaign is the reusable send definition used by Virtual Mailer at execution time. It stores the selected mailing lists, sender identity, mail account, subject, HTML or plain-text body, attachments, tracking flags, unsubscribe behavior, optional recurrence settings, and advanced message options such as CC, BCC, Reply-To, and receipts.

Audience

Campaigns pull recipients from one or more mailing lists. Virtual Mailer removes duplicate addresses and excludes disabled or unsubscribed contacts before sending.

Content

Campaigns support rich HTML design, direct HTML source editing, preview mode, text-version editing, and a plain-text-only format when HTML is not needed.

Execution

When a campaign runs, Virtual Mailer personalizes the content per recipient, injects tracking and unsubscribe elements when enabled, sends through the selected account, and records a full execution history with per-message results.

Recommended workflow: finalize the Mail Account first, then build the campaign, validate the HTML, save, preview, run a small live test, and only then send to a production list.

Main Screen

Working in the Campaigns Module

Create: use New to create a fresh campaign and open the Campaign Editor.
Edit: double-click an existing campaign row to reopen the editor.
Filter Row: narrow the campaign grid when you manage multiple brands, clients, or recurring sends.
Delete: remove unused campaigns only after confirming their history is no longer needed. Campaign-related run history and linked send records are treated as part of that campaign's operational footprint.
History access: campaign execution history can be reviewed from inside the editor after the campaign has been saved at least once, including drill-down to individual run and message detail.

Do not use campaign deletion as a cleanup shortcut for active or recently executed work. Campaign history is part of your operational audit trail.

Quick Start

Recommended Campaign Creation Workflow

Create the campaign and give it a clear internal name in the properties dialog.
Select the target mailing lists with To:.
Choose the Mail Account that will deliver the campaign.
Set the sender identity with From: and enter the subject line.
Choose HTML or Plain Text format.
Write or import the message content, then review the Text Version or Plain Text body.
Enable tracking or unsubscribe only if the selected account is configured for those features.
Add attachments, CC, BCC, Reply-To, recurrence, or advanced settings as required.
Save the campaign, preview it, and run Check HTML for HTML campaigns.
Execute a small test send before using a live list at volume.

Editor Layout

How the Campaign Editor Is Organized

Top Form Fields

To: opens the mailing list selector used to choose one or more recipient lists.
Mail Account: selects the delivery profile the campaign will use when executed.
From: opens the sender identity editor for the display name and From address.
Subject: sets the message subject stored with the campaign.
Attachments: shows the files currently attached to the campaign.

Bottom Workspace

Content area: the HTML editor or the plain-text editor, depending on message format.
Edit mode tiles: Design, Source, Preview, and Text Version for HTML campaigns.
Auto-generate Text Version: controls whether a text alternative should be generated from HTML.
Save and Execute: the main action buttons on the right side of the editor footer.
Status bar: shows progress, execution status, and a Cancel option during send operations.

Focus Mode can hide the header and command controls temporarily so the editor can concentrate on content work.

Audience Selection

Using the To Field and Mailing List Selection

The To: button opens the campaign list selection dialog. When you confirm the selection, Virtual Mailer replaces the campaign's current selected lists with the new set and updates the summary label immediately.

Multiple lists are supported: one campaign can target several mailing lists.
Duplicates are removed: the recipient summary is based on distinct addresses across the selected lists.
Disabled and unsubscribed contacts are excluded: the summary label shows how many addresses are sendable after exclusions.
Summary behavior: the editor reports how many unique addresses will receive the campaign, plus how many were excluded because they are disabled or unsubscribed.

Use the recipient summary as a pre-send sanity check. If the number looks unexpectedly high or low, review the selected lists before saving or executing.

Mail Account and Sender

Choosing the Delivery Account and From Identity

The selected Mail Account controls the transport used during execution. The campaign's From identity is stored separately, which allows a campaign to reuse an account while still using a different sender name or address when that is valid for the provider.

Mail Account: determines the send method, authentication, pacing, tracking URL availability, and account-level delivery settings.
New Mail Account: opens the Mail Account editor directly from the campaign so you can create and select a new account without leaving the workflow.
From: opens an email properties dialog for the campaign's sender display name and email address.
SendGrid safeguard: if the selected account uses SendGrid SMTP, Virtual Mailer checks whether the campaign's From address matches the account's required verified sender address. You can accept the correction, continue with the mismatch, or cancel the save.

A campaign can save with a SendGrid From-address mismatch if you explicitly allow it, but SendGrid may reject or suppress the messages. Match the account's verified sender whenever possible.

Command Bar

What Each Campaign Editor Command Does

Command	Purpose	Operational Notes
Properties	Edit high-level campaign properties such as campaign name and related metadata.	Use this first so the campaign is clearly identified in grids and history.
Priority	Set message importance to Low, Normal, or High.	This affects the message priority headers generated during send.
Sync Tracking	Download open-tracking and unsubscribe logs for the campaign's selected account.	Open tracking sync depends on license capabilities, a valid Tracking URL, and configured FTP, FTPS, or SFTP transfer settings. Unsubscribe sync runs separately as part of the same action.
Advanced Settings	Open the advanced campaign settings dialog.	Used for unsubscribe footer text, tagline behavior, and read or delivery receipt options.
CC / BCC / Reply-To	Toggle and configure additional message headers.	Each toggle opens an email properties dialog when enabled. If you cancel the dialog, the toggle is automatically turned back off.
Recurrence	Schedule the campaign for recurring execution.	Turning the option on opens the recurrence editor. Turning it off clears recurrence without reopening the dialog.
Attach	Add one or more physical files to the campaign.	Attachments are stored with the campaign and are included on send.
Import Template	Load an existing template into the current campaign.	Best used before final campaign-specific editing.
Save Template	Save the current campaign content as a reusable template.	HTML campaigns can capture a preview thumbnail when saved as a template.
Check HTML	Run HTML validation against the current HTML content.	Validation results are written to the log. The dialog can open the log file directly when issues are found.
History	Open execution history for the current campaign.	The campaign must be saved first because history is keyed to the campaign record.

Format and Modes

HTML, Plain Text, and the Editor Modes

Mode	Use It For	What Virtual Mailer Does
HTML Format	Rich email design with layout, inline images, links, and preview.	Enables the Campaign Email Editor, template features, HTML validation, Preview mode, and Text Version editing.
Plain Text Format	Simple text-only campaigns.	Hides the HTML editor and disables template import, template save, HTML validation, Preview, and Text Version mode.
Design	Visual editing of HTML content.	Restores the editable HTML view.
Source	Direct HTML source editing.	Shows the underlying markup for precise control.
Preview	Check how the message will render when campaign-specific decorations are applied.	Builds a display-only preview that includes the unsubscribe block and the created-by tagline when those features are enabled.
Text Version	Review or edit the HTML alternative text body.	Uses the editor's alternative text channel rather than the plain-text-only format.

Preview mode is intentionally closer to the final rendered output than Design mode because it injects footer elements that are not shown while you are editing normal content.

Editing Practicalities

Working Efficiently in Design and Source Mode

Design Mode

Best for visual content editing, basic formatting, image placement, and table-based layout adjustments.
Use it when you want to work like a traditional visual email editor instead of writing raw HTML.
Images and layout changes are easier to review here before moving to Preview.

Source Mode

Best for precise HTML cleanup, direct token placement, and structural adjustments.
Switching between Source and Design is supported, so you can make code-level changes and then immediately review the visual result.
Use Source when fine control matters more than drag-and-drop convenience.

Shortcuts

Helpful Editor Shortcuts

Ctrl + S: save the campaign.
Ctrl + F: search within the HTML source editor.
Ctrl + H: replace within the HTML source editor.
Shift + Ctrl + F: format the current HTML in Source mode.

Content Handling

How Campaign Content Is Stored and Prepared

HTML sanitization: when the campaign is bound back to the entity, Virtual Mailer removes outer html, head, and body wrappers so only the useful body content is stored.
Temporary image paths: editor-local file:/// image paths are converted back to relative values before saving.
Font normalization: pasted pt font sizes are normalized to px for more consistent rendering.
Text version: the campaign stores a separate HTML text alternative. If auto-generation is enabled, the text version can be regenerated from the HTML on save.
Plain text body: plain-text campaigns use the dedicated plain text editor instead of the HTML body.

This means the content stored in the database is intentionally cleaner than whatever raw wrappers or local editor paths may have existed while the message was being designed.

Attachments and Templates

Including Files and Reusing Designs

Attachments

Use Attach or the attachment controls to add one or more files.
Regular file attachments are sent as visible paperclip attachments.
Inline images used by the HTML editor are stored separately from normal file attachments.
Attachments become part of the campaign and are included in every sent message.
Files can also be added by drag-and-drop when supported by the editor workflow.

Templates

Import Template loads an existing reusable design into the campaign.
Save Template stores the current campaign as a reusable template if licensing allows additional custom templates.
Saving a template can capture a preview thumbnail of the current HTML design.
Template functions are disabled for plain-text-only campaigns.

Tracking and Unsubscribe

Campaign-Level Tracking Controls

The campaign editor includes checkboxes for Enable Open Tracking and Include Unsubscribe Option. These are campaign-level decisions, but they still depend on the selected Mail Account having the correct tracking deployment and URL configuration.

Open tracking: when enabled and the account has a tracking URL, Virtual Mailer injects a 1x1 tracking image into the HTML body during execution.
Unsubscribe: when enabled and the account has a tracking URL, Virtual Mailer builds a message-specific unsubscribe URL and appends the unsubscribe footer block during rendering.
Preview support: Preview mode shows the unsubscribe block using a placeholder preview URL so the operator can review the layout before sending.
No tracking URL: if the account does not provide a valid tracking URL, the preview still shows a harmless placeholder link, but the live send will not have a valid tracking or unsubscribe destination.

Do not enable tracking or unsubscribe casually. Confirm the tracking scripts are deployed, the account's tracking URL is correct, and sync has been tested before production use.

Sync Readiness

When the Sync Tracking Command Is Available

The Sync Tracking command is available only when the selected Mail Account is operationally ready for synchronization.

Required for unsubscribe sync: a valid Tracking URL plus transfer configuration.
Required transfer settings: transfer host, transfer user, and a valid FTP, FTPS, or SFTP protocol.
Open tracking license rule: Basic edition still skips open-log sync even when transfer settings are complete.
Preflight behavior: if the account is incomplete and sync is forced from stale UI state, the editor now shows a clear readiness warning instead of a vague sync failure.

This change aligns the campaign editor with the real sync requirements. A public Tracking URL alone no longer implies that synchronization is ready.

Advanced Settings

What the Advanced Settings Dialog Controls

The Advanced Settings dialog is where you adjust per-campaign behaviors that are important but not always changed on every send.

Setting	Purpose	Notes
Unsubscribe Prefix Text	Text shown before the unsubscribe link.	Defaults are supplied automatically if the campaign has no custom values.
Unsubscribe Linked Text	The clickable unsubscribe text.	Must be non-empty when unsubscribe is enabled for the campaign.
Created By Tagline	Controls whether the Virtual Mailer branding footer is added.	Some licenses require the tagline and lock this option on.
Delivery Receipt	Requests a delivery receipt header where supported by recipients or servers.	Not all recipient systems honor receipt requests.
Read Receipt	Requests a read confirmation header where supported.	This is not the same as open tracking and is often ignored by clients.

Scheduling

Recurrence and Scheduled Execution

The recurrence toggle controls whether the campaign is configured for scheduled or repeated execution. When you turn recurrence on, Virtual Mailer opens the recurrence editor. When you turn it off, the campaign's recurrence value is cleared immediately.

License-aware: recurrence is subject to licensing. If the current license does not allow the feature, the product notifies the user and limits the configuration accordingly.
Stored with the campaign: recurrence parameters are part of the campaign record, not a separate scheduler object.
Operational guidance: recurrence should only be used after the campaign content and recipient scope are stable.

Dirty State

When Save and Execute Become Available

The Campaign Editor continuously synchronizes UI changes back into the campaign entity and uses the campaign's dirty-state logic to determine whether the form has unsaved changes.

Save enabled: the Save button is enabled when the campaign is dirty.
Execute enabled: the Execute Campaign button is enabled only when there are no unsaved changes.
Revert-aware behavior: if you make a change and then revert it back to the original value, the campaign can return to a clean state.
Close prompt: if the form is closed while changes are unsaved, Virtual Mailer prompts you to save, discard, or cancel the close operation.

If Execute is disabled, the first thing to check is whether the campaign has unsaved edits. Save the campaign and the Execute button should become available again if required fields are also present.

Save Validation

What Happens When You Save

The editor content and toggle state are synchronized back into the campaign record.
HTML content is sanitized and normalized for storage.
If HTML format is in use and auto-generation is enabled, the text alternative can be regenerated from the HTML.
Provider-specific validation runs, including the SendGrid verified-sender check.
The campaign is written to the database and the dirty-state snapshot is reset.

Execution

What Happens When You Click Execute Campaign

Virtual Mailer verifies that the campaign has a From address, at least one selected mailing list, a subject, and a Mail Account.
The form enters execution mode, disables editing controls, and shows the progress bar and Cancel option.
The selected Mail Account is reloaded fresh from the database so account changes made while the campaign was open are respected.
If Pickup Directory is the send method, Virtual Mailer checks the folder and warns if existing .eml files are already present.
The recipient set is built from the selected mailing lists, then distinct addresses are materialized so duplicate recipients are sent only once.
Disabled and unsubscribed contacts are excluded before sending.
Licensing limits are applied. If the license allows only part of the send, the campaign can be truncated to the permitted number of recipients.
A Campaign Pass record is created to represent the execution run.
For each recipient, the content is personalized, unsubscribe options are rendered if enabled, the branding tagline is applied if enabled, and the tracking pixel is injected when tracking is active.
The message is sent through SMTP, DirectSend MX, Pickup Directory, SendGrid SMTP, or Outlook Interop according to the Mail Account.
Progress is updated during the run and per-message outcomes are recorded.
When execution completes or fails, the status bar is updated and editing controls are restored.

Execution Details

Recipient Filtering, Personalization, and Message Assembly

Distinct recipient logic: if the same address exists in multiple selected lists, the address is sent once.
Suppression logic: any address marked unsubscribed or disabled in the selected memberships is excluded.
Per-recipient message ID: each outbound message receives a unique GUID-based identifier.
Unsubscribe URL: the unsubscribe link includes the message GUID so future unsubscribe processing can tie the request back to the sent message.
Tracking pixel: the tracking image includes both the message GUID and campaign ID.
Attachments: regular file attachments and embedded campaign images are included automatically.
Receipts: read and delivery receipt headers are applied only when enabled in Advanced Settings.

Operational Controls

Execution Status, Cancel, and History

Status bar: shows progress activity while the campaign is running and completion or failure text afterward.
Cancel: sets a cancellation flag so the current execution loop can stop safely.
Form closing protection: the editor cannot be closed while execution is actively in progress unless the run finishes or is canceled first.
History: use the History command to review past passes for the saved campaign.

Validation and Troubleshooting

Common Pre-Send Checks

Confirm the correct mailing lists are selected and that the summary count looks reasonable.
Verify the campaign is saved before attempting execution.
Check that the Mail Account supports the selected send method and has valid credentials.
For SendGrid, ensure the campaign From address matches the account's verified sender requirement.
For HTML campaigns, run Check HTML and review the log if warnings or errors are reported.
Preview the campaign with tracking and unsubscribe enabled so footer layout can be reviewed before a live send.
If using tracking, run Sync Tracking only after the tracking scripts, Tracking URL, and transfer settings have been configured on the account.

Related Guides

Read These Next

Mail Accounts for delivery setup, tracking deployment credentials, and provider-specific configuration.
Tracking and Unsubscribe for deployment, sync, and hosted unsubscribe behavior.
Deliverability and Compliance before production sends at scale.
SendGrid Setup when the selected Mail Account uses SendGrid SMTP.