> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.treem.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.treem.io/treem-dao/email-system/bulk-email-sending.md).

# Bulk Email Sending

## Bulk Email Sending

Send emails to multiple recipients simultaneously using pre-configured templates and user groups.

### Overview

The bulk email sender allows administrators to:

* **Send to User Groups**: Target specific user segments
* **Use Email Templates**: Leverage pre-configured templates with variables
* **Custom Recipients**: Add individual email addresses
* **Progress Tracking**: Monitor sending progress in real-time
* **Batch Processing**: Automatic rate limiting to prevent spam issues

### Getting Started

#### Step 1: Access Bulk Sender

1. Navigate to **Admin Dashboard → Settings → Email System**
2. Click on the **Bulk Send** tab
3. The interface shows configuration options and preview panels

#### Step 2: Select Email Template

1. Choose from available active templates in the dropdown
2. Only active templates appear in the selection
3. Template preview will update automatically

#### Step 3: Configure Template Variables

If your selected template includes variables:

1. Fill in each variable field that appears
2. All recipients will receive the same variable values
3. Leave blank for variables that should remain as placeholders

#### Step 4: Choose Recipients

Select recipient groups and/or add custom emails:

**User Groups**: Predefined segments of your user base**Custom Emails**: Individual email addresses (one per line)

#### Step 5: Review and Send

1. Check the estimated recipient count
2. Preview the email content
3. Click **"Send to X Recipients"** to begin sending

### Recipient Groups

#### Available User Groups

**All Users**: Every registered user in the system

* Includes all user roles and statuses
* Use with caution for sensitive communications

**Staked Users**: Users who have tokens staked

* Excludes users with no active stakes
* Good for governance-related communications

**Administrators**: Users with admin privileges

* System administrators and moderators
* Use for internal communications

**Regular Members**: Non-admin users

* Excludes administrators from the list
* Good for member-focused announcements

#### Group Statistics

Each group shows:

* **Name**: Descriptive group identifier
* **Count**: Number of users in the group
* **Filter**: Criteria used to define the group

### Custom Email Lists

#### Adding Individual Emails

1. Use the **"Custom Email Addresses"** text area
2. Enter one email address per line
3. System validates email format automatically
4. Invalid emails are filtered out before sending

#### Format Requirements

```
user1@example.com
user2@company.org
admin@dao.com
```

**Valid Formats**:

* Standard email format: `name@domain.com`
* Plus addressing: `user+tag@domain.com`
* Subdomains: `user@sub.domain.com`

**Invalid Formats** (will be filtered):

* Missing @ symbol: `userexample.com`
* Multiple @ symbols: `user@@domain.com`
* Empty lines or whitespace-only lines

### Template Variables

#### Setting Global Variables

When sending bulk emails, all recipients receive:

* **Same variable values**: Set once, applied to all emails
* **Personalization limitations**: Cannot customize per recipient
* **Static content**: Variables become fixed text

#### Common Bulk Email Variables

| Variable        | Description          | Example Value                   |
| --------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| `dao_name`      | Organization name    | Treem DAO                       |
| `announcement`  | Main message content | New proposal voting is open     |
| `deadline`      | Important dates      | March 15, 2024                  |
| `action_url`    | Call-to-action link  | <https://app.treemdao.com/vote> |
| `contact_email` | Support contact      | <support@treemdao.com>          |

#### Best Practices for Variables

1. **Use generic values**: Avoid user-specific information
2. **Test with previews**: Verify variable replacement works correctly
3. **Provide meaningful content**: Don't leave variables empty
4. **Document purposes**: Keep track of what each variable represents

### Sending Process

#### Batch Processing

The system sends emails in batches to prevent:

* **Rate limiting**: Avoiding SMTP provider limits
* **Spam classification**: Preventing bulk email penalties
* **System overload**: Managing server resources efficiently

**Default Settings**:

* Batch size: 10 emails per batch
* Delay between batches: 1 second
* Progress tracking: Real-time updates

#### Progress Monitoring

During sending:

1. **Progress bar**: Shows completion percentage
2. **Status updates**: Real-time sending status
3. **Batch tracking**: Number of batches completed
4. **Error handling**: Failed sends are logged

#### Error Handling

If errors occur during sending:

* **Partial success**: Some emails may be sent successfully
* **Error logging**: Failed attempts are recorded
* **Retry logic**: System may attempt to resend failed emails
* **Admin notification**: Significant errors trigger alerts

### Recipient Management

#### Duplicate Handling

The system automatically:

1. **Removes duplicates**: Same email address from multiple sources
2. **Preserves groups**: Maintains group membership information
3. **Combines lists**: Merges user groups and custom emails
4. **Final count**: Shows accurate recipient count

#### Email Validation

Before sending, the system:

1. **Format validation**: Checks email address syntax
2. **Domain validation**: Basic domain format checking
3. **Blacklist checking**: Removes known invalid domains
4. **User preferences**: Respects user email preferences

### Security and Compliance

#### User Consent

**Email Preferences**: The system respects user email preferences:

* Users who disabled marketing emails are excluded from promotional bulk sends
* Security notifications cannot be disabled
* Users can opt out of newsletters and governance notifications

**Unsubscribe Handling**:

* All bulk emails should include unsubscribe options
* Users can manage preferences in their profile
* System honors opt-out requests automatically

#### Spam Prevention

**Rate Limiting**:

* Automatic delays between batches
* Configurable sending speeds
* SMTP provider compliance

**Content Guidelines**:

* Avoid spam trigger words
* Include proper sender identification
* Provide clear unsubscribe options
* Use authenticated sending domains

### Analytics and Tracking

#### Bulk Send Metrics

After sending, track:

* **Total sent**: Number of emails successfully delivered
* **Delivery rate**: Percentage of successful deliveries
* **Bounce rate**: Failed delivery percentage
* **Error details**: Specific failure reasons

#### Integration with Email Analytics

Bulk sends appear in the main email analytics:

* **Recent Activity**: Shows bulk send campaigns
* **Template Usage**: Tracks which templates are used most
* **Performance Metrics**: Overall system health

### Use Cases

#### Governance Communications

**New Proposal Announcements**:

* Template: `new_proposal_notification`
* Recipients: Staked Users (voting eligible)
* Variables: `proposal_title`, `voting_deadline`, `proposal_url`

**Voting Reminders**:

* Template: `voting_reminder`
* Recipients: Staked Users who haven't voted
* Variables: `proposal_title`, `time_remaining`, `vote_url`

#### System Announcements

**Platform Updates**:

* Template: `system_update`
* Recipients: All Users
* Variables: `update_summary`, `changelog_url`, `maintenance_window`

**Security Notifications**:

* Template: `security_alert`
* Recipients: All Users
* Variables: `issue_description`, `action_required`, `support_url`

#### Marketing Communications

**Newsletter Distribution**:

* Template: `monthly_newsletter`
* Recipients: Users with newsletter enabled
* Variables: `month_name`, `highlights`, `newsletter_url`

**Event Announcements**:

* Template: `event_invitation`
* Recipients: Regular Members
* Variables: `event_name`, `event_date`, `registration_url`

### Best Practices

#### Planning Bulk Sends

1. **Define purpose**: Clear communication objectives
2. **Target audience**: Choose appropriate recipient groups
3. **Content review**: Proofread templates and variables
4. **Timing consideration**: Send at optimal times for your audience

#### Testing Strategy

1. **Template testing**: Preview templates before bulk sending
2. **Small test groups**: Send to administrators first
3. **Variable verification**: Ensure all variables are properly set
4. **Delivery testing**: Verify emails reach different email providers

#### Monitoring and Follow-up

1. **Track metrics**: Monitor delivery and engagement rates
2. **Handle bounces**: Address failed deliveries promptly
3. **User feedback**: Respond to user inquiries about bulk emails
4. **Adjust strategy**: Improve future campaigns based on results

### Troubleshooting

#### Common Issues

**No Recipients Selected**:

* Verify user groups are selected or custom emails are entered
* Check that selected groups contain users
* Ensure email addresses are properly formatted

**Template Variables Empty**:

* Fill in all required template variables
* Preview template to verify variable replacement
* Check template configuration for required variables

**Sending Failures**:

* Verify SMTP configuration is working
* Check email provider sending limits
* Review error messages in recent activity logs

**Low Delivery Rates**:

* Check sender reputation with email providers
* Verify domain authentication (SPF, DKIM)
* Review email content for spam indicators

This bulk email system provides powerful capabilities for reaching your DAO community while maintaining security, compliance, and deliverability best practices.