August 2024 Release Notes

Do a Little 2-Step

No, we’re not talking about country dancing. (Or breakdancing, for that matter. Or…whatever this is.)

We are talking about email!

Well, to be more specific, about unsubscribing from email.

What is two-step unsubscribe? Well, if you’re ever clicked to unsubscribe from an email list and been taken to a page to confirm your selection, congratulations! You’ve used two-step unsubscribe.

And in this release, by VERY popular demand, we’re introducing a new two-step unsubscribe flow for all marketing emails! Now, it will be AWFULLY hard for your supporters to accidentally unsubscribe from your communications, and even easier for them to opt back in! (In business lingo, that’s what we call a “win-win.”)

The new unsubscribe flow will apply to all unsubscribe options. SO, you’ll still be able to choose whether you’d like to offer a Global Unsubscribe option, a Group Unsubscribe option for opting out of a specific list, or the Subscription Preferences option. When a user clicks to unsubscribe, they will see an all-new page with options.

Once someone has made their selections and clicked “Save Preferences,” it’s still not too late! (Is it EVER “too late?” We’re just talking about email communication here, sheesh.) On the following confirmation page, it’s easy to go back and correct any mistakes.

Informercial voice

BUT WAIT….THERE’S MORE!

Once someone has updated their preferences, we’ll send an email confirmation (if they have unsubscribed, this is just a pleasant send-off) with a link to go back an re-subscribe, if needed.

Now, you may be asking yourself: “Where is that large automobile?”

Wait…no, sorry, you’re not David Byrne.

You may be asking, “But I have email that I’ve already created and scheduled to send. What will happen to all of those unsubscribe links?”

Well, we’ve got some good news for you, not-David Byrne:

All of the unsubscribe links in your emails will already be updated with the new two-step unsubscribe links! Nothing you have to do! Wahoo!

Curious to learn more about email? Of course you are! Well, we’ve got you covered with a bevy or articles here.

Looks Like Google’s Back on the Menu, Boys!

Yes! Google Workspace user, rejoice! (And if you’re not using Google Workspace, hey, at least be happy for those who are!)

After some lengthy back-and-forth with The Largest Company On The Internet, we are thrilled to be able to offer email sync for Gmail users again! If you’ve been waiting for the chance to sync emails to supporters to their Contact records, then wait no more!

Don’t have email sync included with your account? Not sure? Reach out to your Customer Success Manager today!

Curious to learn more? (Of course you are, you are this far into reading software release notes for crying out loud!) Then you can check out this support article.

...And the Rest

As with every release, this latest update also includes a number of other fixes, tweaks, minor modifications, and assorted nudges. Among the various fixes released over the last month:

• We’ve made a few improvements that eagle-eyed users may notice, specifically related to how the Last Modified Date and Last Modified User values are set on records. Now, bulk updates processed via queries will update these fields, and the Last Modified Date and User will be updated when a Custom Field value is updated on an object (for example, when a Contact custom field is updated on a Contact). Users who leverage our API for integration, or who have been working in Virtuous BI, will see better behavior with these changes. And well-behaved data is the best data.
• We’ve tightened up the plumbing on our email activity and statistics to make sure all email reporting is ship-shape. It might seem like a stretch to go from a plumbing metaphor to a nautical reference but hey…they both involve water?

And that's the list! Phew! As always, if you have any questions about these or other features, feel free to contact our support team.