How is newsletter data processed?

In this article, you will read what happens behind the scenes when you are sending a newsletter with JungleMail.

Creating the campaign

1. When you create a new campaign in the JungleMail user interface, JungleMail will create a list item in the JungleMail Jobs list on your SharePoint environment
2. Once the new campaign is created and sent (or sending is set for a later moment) the list item will show the appropriate status and the timer process is engaged

JungleMail starts processing the campaign

1. The JungleMail Timer constantly queries the JungleMail Jobs list for unprocessed jobs. When it finds an unprocessed job, it will process it
2. The processing begins with the resolving of recipients. Once this step is completed, the template is loaded for Mail Merge and the processing of dynamic content
3. During the process stated above, JungleMail will substitute all placeholders with recipient data and it will process dynamic sections and blocks, in this way populating the email body with content from the linked SharePoint lists

Tracking is added to the campaign

1. Once mail merge and content population are completed - and if tracking is turned on - JungleMail will continue to scan the email body for links. When JungleMail finds links it will change them into trackable links by using the URL address of the tracker page specified in JungleMail's settings
2. The unique links created for the campaign are stored in the JungleMail Tracker list (organized in a folder) or an SQL table (if SQL mode is enabled)
3. JungleMail stores the original URL and the new trackable URL (parameters)
4. JungleMail will also add a (1px) transparent image to email body's footer to track email opens. Again, the URL of the tracker page is used

JungleMail sends the campaign

1. After the above processes are completed and the email is prepared, JungleMail will pass the job onto the SMTP server for one by one delivery. Emails will be sent separately for each recipient
2. During the sending JungleMail writes analytical data to the JungleMail History list or History table in the database (if SQL mode is enabled)
3. SMTP delivers the emails

Recipients open emails

1. When a recipient opens the received email and downloads the images, the  browser/mail  client of the recipient will request the 1px image to be downloaded. This request is sent to the JugleMail Tracking Web Part and so on all opens is tracked. If you are sending newsletters internally, you can configure email settings in such a way that images are always downloaded automatically (improving the overall trackability of your campaigns)
2. If a recipient clicks on a link in the email, requests are sent through to the JugleMail Tracking Web Part; the Web Part will then read the requested parameters and record them and it will query the main site collection's database (where JungleMail's core features are activated) and will redirect the recipient to the original URL.