Email activity table

[aldipalo]

I tried posting this on the bottom of an old post and didn't get any response. So, I'm adding as a new post in hopes that someone will help.

I want to track email history and display the data in a portal. So, when I send an email it relates to the contact record and tells me when and what email was sent. So, the portal should have the Date, Subject, and a link to the message. I set up an "Email Activities" table with fields:

Message_ID {Number}

eMail_ID {Number}

Contact_ID {Number} - Related to Contacts

eMail_Address {Text}

Subject {Text}

Message {Container} Calculated to populate the field based on a lookup from subject.

I've got a script that will open a new record and paste the Contact_ID and eMail_Address into the proper fields. The problem is how do I get the subject and message both into the "Send eMail" script and into the eMail Activities record? Has anyone done anything similar to this?

[T-Square]

If you create the record first, you should be able to set the script up to use the content of the fields for the subject and content. Or am I missing something?

Format of the send mail script step:

Send Mail [No dialog; To: eMail_Address; CC: ""; BCC: ""; Subject: Subject; Message: Message; ""]

[aldipalo]

Yes, that's done. Now I want to save that data for reference. So I can see a history of what emails have been sent to whom and when. Ideally, date, subject and message. But, at least date and subject. This would then be displayed in a portal, under a tab, on the contacts layout screen.

[T-Square]

There's some sort of disconnect. I thought you were creating a mail message record that had all the elements of your mail. Your first message describes doing this.

In other words, from my understanding, you're creating a record in Email Activities that contains all the information you're asking to store--or at least the subject and content. So there's a record with each email in it. That's the history; just send out the message based on this history record. Getting a date into this record should be as simple as adding the field and setting it to autoenter today's date.

As you trigger the script, you should end up with new email records in the Activities table, which you can view later.

Mind you, if you're deriving the message content from a set of stored messages, there may not be a lot of reason to keep the content in each historical, and keeping it there will increase the rate at which the file grows.

[aldipalo]

I guess we do have a disconnect. If there is it is totally on my part.

Let me see if I understand what you are suggesting. I set up the portal for eMail activities, then enter the data and then send eMail. I should enter message in the message field and set "Send eMail" as you described. The email form will be filled with the proper data and I will have created the history record?

[raingirl]

I just did something similar using SMPTPit. The best way that I have found to create an email log is to use a Set Field and then use the relationship I have attached to capture the rest of the information...The key to capturing all email addresses no matter when they are sent is the unstored Timestamp field.

Set Field [zemail_Log::Status_Field, (email steps)]

[aldipalo]

Hi Raingirl:

Thanks for the reply. Are you saying with this plugin and separate tables you are able to capture all emails sent, with the message?

I had basically given up on that approach. What I did was set up a portal with the fields "eMailaddress", "eDate", "eSubject" and eMessage". I then create the record and enter my message in the portal, click "Send eMail" icon and voila' I have a record of what is sent. Not very elegant and not what I originally wanted to do, but it works.

I attached a pdf file showing what I've done. As I said it works, but I'd sure like to be able to just send an email and have FM track it.

Your comments/suggestions ARE appreciated.

BTW, I have to give credit to T-Square for the script help and this solution. I didn't figure it out on my own.

Al

eMail_Activity_Portal.pdf

Edited December 4, 2005 by Guest

[raingirl]

Are you saying with this plugin and separate tables you are able to capture all emails sent, with the message?

YES!!!

I have attached the script I wrote - I am lazy so I wrote one Email Batch Script. I pass different parameters from the buttons.

Create an Email Setup Table with global fields for the email parts and an Unstored Calc for the TimeStamp. Create an Email Log Table with Text Fields for the email body parts. Use the relationship above with as many match criteria as you want.

In the script, it loops through the student records table. The act of the set field [status field] creates the related record in the email log. Since you are using a Timestamp as one of the match criteria, it will create a new email log for each person regardless of any other criteria.

Please feel free to email me with questions. Not sure if I have made the process clear.

-marcelle

Edited December 5, 2005 by Guest

[raingirl]

For some reason, I cannot get the script to attach. Please email me if you would like that part of the solution.

-Marcelle