“…Can I Link GroupMail to my External Contact Database?..”
You certainly can!
With the GroupMail Business Edition, you can create a link to any OLE/ODBC compliant database.
What Databases are supported ?
Typical databases that are accessible through GroupMail include:
- Microsoft Access®
- Microsoft FoxPro®
- Microsoft SQL Server®
- MySQL®
- Oracle®
- ACT®
In addition to databases it is also possible to connect to other file formats and contact management systems, however it might not be possible to update the data. Examples of some of the formats that can be used include
- Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheets
- FileMaker®
- GoldMine®
The main objective of database linking is to use your existing corporate database to manage your mailing list instead of having to import the data into GroupMail and repeatedly synchronize the list when updates occur. Depending on the database being used and its configuration, it may also be possible to amend recipient data directly from GroupMail.
The advantages of linking GroupMail to your external database are :
- There is no need to import your mailing list/customer database into GroupMail prior to sending your campaign
- SQL statements can be used to filter the exact recipients required for the current mailing
- Recipients stored in web based databases can be accessed directly
- Opt-In and Opt-Out requests only need to be reflected in one data source
Some items to consider when using Groups that use Data Connections
- Is the data connection configured appropriately for the GroupMail user? If configured, data can be updated / deleted in the underlying database directly from the GroupMail user interface.
- If the underlying database does not provide update privileges to GroupMail, how will opt-in, opt-out and bounced emails be handled in your mailing list?
In summary, to use contacts stored in a database from GroupMail you need to create a database connection that defines the type of database. Then, create a group that uses this connection and specify the data to return.
** It is important to remember, this functionality is only available in GroupMail Business Edition.
For more information, read Creating a Database Connection to an MS Access Database.
If you have any questions or need some help along the way, don’t hesitate to contact our technical support team
Interested? You can upgrade to the GroupMail Business Edition at any time and just pay the difference in price.