How to Use Message Tagging

Message Tagging is only available in PoliteMail version 4.91+.  Scroll to the bottom of this article for a video tutorial.

Messaging Tagging

Message Tagging is primarily used to sort and organize message results.  You can then get metrics for messages sorted by Message Tagging.  You can search and filter by a tag, and users are automatically reminded to tag messages before sending.  Multiple tags can be assigned to one message. 

Campaigns and Message Tagging are similar, but with some key differences.  With Message Tagging, you can assign multiple tags to a single message.  If you make your message tag "Required", the user will not be able to send the message without a tag attached.  For Campaigns, the onus is on the user to remember to assign the message to a campaign, unless you choose "Assign to a Default Campaign" in the PoliteMail Preferences.  Campaigns are used primarily to view the average metric results of all messages in that particular Campaign.  Message Tagging gives users a bit more flexibility by allowing Admins to assign several tag options to a particular message.

Only PoliteMail Admins will have the ability to create Tag Groups and assign tags to them. 

Creating Tags and Tag Groups

Go to PoliteMail > Settings > Tag Groups

 Click  Add Group to name a new group. 

From here you’ll be directed to the Tag Group dialogue box where you can enter a name for your Tag Group.  Next, you can set this Group to Required or Predefined.  Setting a Group to Required will force all outgoing PoliteMail tracked messages to have a value set for that group. The user will receive a prompt before the message is sent to assign Tags to the email.  Setting a Group to Predefined will prevent user input while forcing users to select a tag from a list you have created.  You can also choose Tags to be both Required and Predefined.  This will be discussed in later detail in this document. Entering a Caption will determine what text will appear in the dialogue window when prompted to set a tag for that message.  Click Create Tag Group when finished.

Once your Group is created, click on it to select it.  You’ll now be presented with a window where you can add your tags.  Click on Add New Record to add tags associated with this group.  Once you’ve added the tag, click Update.

Editing Tags

To delete any tags, hit the Delete key next to the tag you wish to delete.  To delete an entire Group, click the Tag icon with the red X.  To edit a Group, choose the white pencil icon.  From here, you can edit the Required and Predefined boxes, edit the caption, or change the name of the Group.  Click Update Tag Group when you are finished.

Adding Tags to Emails

Tags can only be added to tracked messages and you must have a Tag Group created.  You can choose tags either before or after composing your message. Click on the Tag Message icon.  From here you can select which tags you want associated with the message.  If you have set the Group to Predefined, the user will only be able to choose the tags you have set.  From the Tags pull-down menu, choose which Tag you want associated, and then click the Add Tag button.  Otherwise, the user may add their own tags.  In this example, the Admin has set the Sales Group to be Predefined.  The user can only choose from the tags the Admin has set. 

You can have a single message be assigned to multiple Tag Groups, however, only one tag can be applied to each Tag Group.  For example, the Admin has set up a Business Tag Group where he has the managers listed.  A user can tag a specific name in the Business Tag Group, while also tagging the Southwest Sales Region in the Sales Group.

Predefined and Required Tags Settings

The following is a breakdown of how the screen looks for the user depending on how you define the Tag.  You can set up different parameters for each Group. Tracking must be turned on.

Both Required and Predefined Checked  

The user will be prompted to add tags before the message is sent.  The pull-down menu will contain all the predefined tags assigned to the group.  Notice the dialogue box is the same name as the caption you wrote.  This is the most common use case for Message Tagging.

Required Checked    

The user will be prompted to enter a tag for the message.  Because Predefined is not checked, the user can enter any tag they wish.  These tags will be added to the Group’s tags.

Notice how “Pacific Region” has now been added to the Group’s tags.

This setting is useful if you want to organize messages that may have many variable tags.  For example, let's say you want to send a message regarding items of clothing.  As the Admin user, you want to organize the message results based on SKU number, which there are hundreds of and change throughout the selling season.  Instead of setting up hundreds of tags, the Admin user makes a Tag Group called "SKU Number" and make it Required, but not Predefined.  The user would then write an email regarding the sales of a certain item of clothing, and then be prompted to enter in the SKU number.  The user would then add the unique SKU number, which would be added to the Tag Group.  The Admin user would then be able to search by tags in the results and get all messages tagged with that particular SKU number.  

Predefined Checked  

If Predefined is checked, but not Required, the user will be able to send the message without being prompted for tags.  Otherwise, they will need to click the Tag message icon and choose the tag they want associated with the message.  They will only be able to choose from the Predefined tags.

Neither Required or Predefined Checked 

The user will be able to send the message without any prompting.  If the user wishes to manually add Tags, they can click the Tag Message icon type in any tags they choose.  These will be added to the Group’s Tags. 

Searching Tags

Go to PoliteMail > Results > Messages

From the Actions menu choose Search by Tag.

Type in your search parameter and all messages with that associated tag will be listed.  The Admin user could then view the metrics for these tagged messages, or export the tagged messages.

Admin users can also edit tags on messages already sent.  Highlight the message you want to edit. From the Actions pull-down menu choose Edit Tag.  You can now choose which tag you want to change. In this example, the Admin is changing the tag from Pacific Region to Southeast Sales Region.