Recency and frequency rules allow you to define limits on the number of messages sent to contacts.

• Recency rules limit the number of times a message can be sent by setting the minimum number of days that must pass between messages.
• Frequency rules limit the number of messages by setting a maximum number of times a message can be sent in a given month.

Use these rules in your message to ensure two important things:

1. Your contacts are not overwhelmed with messages.
2. You’ll help protect your ability to deliver messages by making sure that you send at the appropriate volume (i.e., that you don’t oversend).

NOTE: These rules are applied to individual messages (Quick Mail or Mailing Designer 1). This feature is not supported in Mailing Designer 2.

Create recency rules

1. Access the Admin interface.
2. Navigate to Messages > Options > Recency & Frequency Rules > Recency Rules tab.
3. Click CREATE RECENCY.

4. In the resulting dialog:

1. Select the minimum number of days that must pass between messages.
2. Click Save in the dialog to add the rule to the list. It can now be applied to a mailing in Mailing Designer 1 or QuickMail.

Create frequency rules

1. Access the Admin interface.
2. Navigate to Messages > Options > Recency & Frequency Rules > Frequency Rules tab.
3. Click CREATE FREQ.

4. In the resulting dialog:

1. Select the maximum number of times a message can be sent in a given month.
2. Click Save in the dialog to add the rule to the list. It can now be applied to a mailing in Mailing Designer 1 or QuickMail.

Notes

• Recency rules are based on the calendar day, not a 24-hour period. For example, if you set your recency to a one-day minimum, you can send a message on 11:00 pm on Monday and another at 9:00 am on Tuesday.
• Frequency rules are based on the calendar month, not a 30-day period. For example, if you set your frequency for a calendar month to a maximum of 10, you can send 10 messages in the last week of November and another 10 the first week of December (so long as your recency rules allow this).

Insert a rule in a message

While editing a message in Mailing Designer 1:

1. Click the Set-Up tab.
2. Click to expand the Advanced options.
2. Click to edit the Do not send to field.

3. In the dialog, check the frequency and/or recency box(es) to display a menu where you can select the rule to apply to the message.

4. Click Update to apply the rule and close the dialog.
5. Save the message.

NOTE: While editing a QuickMail, you can apply a rule in a similar manner using the associated menus, as shown below.

Management actions

For both recency and frequency rules, you can perform several management actions using the buttons above the list:

• Click Search to display a dialog where you can search for a rule. Click [+] to add a search criterion, and configure it with the available filters. You can click [+] to add multiple criterion, if needed. Click the Find button to initiate the search.
• If you've performed a search, click Reset to set the list back to the original view.
• Click Export to export the current list to an Excel file. This is a great way to share data with others in your organization. Keep in mind that exporting respects any search filters you have set, so if you want to only export specific rules, be sure to perform a search first.
• Click Show Deleted to display any rules that have been deleted (they're shown in red). If you want to restore a deleted rule, mouse over its menu and select Undelete.
• Select one or more items by checking the boxes to their left, and then click Delete, followed by OK in the confirmation pop-up, to remove it.

Manage a specific rule

To the left of each recency and frequency rule is a menu; mouse over this menu to access several options:

• Click Edit to change its details.
• Click Delete, followed by OK in the confirmation pop-up, to remove the rule.

NOTE: Click the Show Deleted button above the list to display any rules that have been deleted (they're shown in red). If you want to restore a deleted item, mouse over its menu and select Undelete.