Project approach

eMill has been designed to be completely adapted to project management. It lets you organize and save your work according to project milestones. A typical project is started at the design stage where you can create the message contents, scripts and distribution lists. After these tasks are completed, the project is published and in standby for review.

Project approach
eMill tools and components
  • Content editor

    eMill features a built-in editor that lets you create the message body in the two formats supported by Internet mail clients: HTML and Text. The editor generates all the common html tags required to easily achieve appealing layouts. The content editor also provides you with powerful server-side scripting functions, easily included and edited from the source display mode. Similar to Active Server Page (ASP) scripting language, these embedded scripts let you customize your contents without any limit.

  • Script editor

    eMill uses global scripts to customize any events that occurs in the software. Global scripts are generated through the project wizards and may be modified using the integrated script editor. Users familiar with VBScript can directly edit the mailing project global script to further customize the mailing project. Samples of global scripts are provided and available to users not familiar with VBScript.

  • Data editor

    eMill supports SQL queries to let you quickly create distribution lists from outside database records (data source). You can also import most database formats found on corporate, office or personal systems. The editor lets you touch up imported records and / or allows you to start and edit new lists.

  • Publisher

    This component merges together all the files used for building the project, and saves an image that will be used to process the email files. Once a project is published, it is in a delivery pending status and cannot be edited. Modifications need to be made from the pre-published files, and the project published again.

  • Render

    This component performs the mail merge and produces ready to send emails in the Outbox folders.

  • Mailer

    This component performs the email delivery. Emails may be delivered directly or relayed to multiple SMTP relay servers for large scale distribution.

Features
  1. Integrated environment
    • Includes a professional HTML editor similar to popular web editors, with WYSIWYG, source and preview modes.
    • Includes a database records viewer and editor.
    • Includes text and script editors with colorize, indent, bookmarks, breakpoints and debugging features for your scripts.
    • Lets you use your preferred applications to generate content files (e.g. Dreamweaver, Expression, etc.).
    • Manages your mailing project queues with ease (drag & drop, create sub folders, etc.).
  2. Contents and Attachments
    • Send specific content for each receiver in Text, HTML or PDF format.
    • Send any kind of attachment, including images, binary files, HTML documents and dynamically rendered documents or images.
    • Send contents based on your subscriber language (or any other conditions).
    • Import any HTML, Text and MIME files.
    • Link to static of dynamic (php, etc.) contents located on an external web server.
    • Convert local links (gif, jpeg, etc.) to MIME embedded attachments. The message content is self-contained, no external http:// url required.
    • Compress as ZIP to save space (including HTML embedded images).
    • eMill supports the S/MIME protocol offering the possiblity to send secured messages. Emails are digitally signed and their contents encrypted. It guarantees your messages origin, integrity and confidentiality.
    • Strong multi language support (Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Latin, etc.).
  3. Databases
    • Integrates with all ADO and ODBC compliant databases.
    • Connects to any database on the network, automatically generating necessary SQL queries.
    • Directly links to your Outlook Contacts and Windows Address Book.
    • Links to existing corporate databases such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Databases, MySQL and more.
    • Shared Lists can be defined by the eMill administrator on the eMill server.
    • Directly links to your ACT! records (Contacts, Groups, Activities, ...).
    • Connects to any other data source through scripting (XML, LDAP, etc.).
    • Includes an XML Connector for eCommerce solutions like Magento, OXID, PrestaShop, osCommerce.
    • Eliminate duplicate records with same email address.
    • Eliminate records with invalid or outdated email addresses.
    • Append records to your database from any other database.
    • Import email addresses from unstructured documents (html, text, etc.)
    • Add and Remove database columns and records directly from eMill.
    • Predefine SQL queries (segments) for quick and easy user access.
  4. Scripting
    • Features a specialized server-side scripting language: AMS. Similar to Active Server Pages or PHP, but exposes classes in an email rather than web context.
    • AMS can be inserted inside any email content file and is used to dynamically generate the content. Script commands can include any VBScript function.
    • AMS Events lets you execute code at several project stages: creating, rendering, sending and receiving messages.
    • Provides script events that allow database update (remove records with invalid emails, store last date sent, etc).
    • Includes a JSON object for easy inclusion or export of JSON data.
    • Includes a SOAP object to enables calling SOAP functions to retrieve contents.
  5. eMill Server
    • Includes a built-in SMTP mailer for direct delivery or uses an SMTP server pool.
    • Full support for Amazon SES (Mail sending) and Amazon SNS (Mail delivery notification).
    • Wizard based incoming message processor (auto replies, database update, etc.)
    • Connects to multiple SMTP mail relays for large scale mailings.
    • Supports most SMTP authentication methods (NTLM, POP3, Clear Text).
    • Supports secure SMTP and POP3 connections through SSL/TLS.
    • Complete DKIM support: Sign outgoing messages and signature checking on incoming messages.
    • Multi user architecture with support for per user security and quotas.
    • Lets you choose the interface that best fits your needs. You can either use the Windows or the web interface (request a web client trial) according to the circumstances.
    • Resumes sending from the point it left off. No duplicate mails are sent.
    • Process incoming mails (POP3, Secure POP3 and direct server folder access).
    • Manage bounces (database update, auto cleanup, auto dispatch).
    • Includes a powerfull message tracking system (click here for a live demo)
    • Very fast and compressed message store to handle very large mailings.
    • Ability to assign specific SMTP servers to a specific mailing project (this is useful when sending newsletters on behalf of your customers).
    • All server features are accessible through a scripting and COM interface.