Western - Simplelists E-list for E-newsletters - Creating and Managing

Review Options and Create a New E-list

Adapted from CIT page: Create an E-list: 2. Configuration Options | IT@Cornell

How-to video reviewing the options below: https://app.screencast.com/rN46KKdPaSCoj

Fields on the e-list request form:

• E-list name:  Begin with "cce-" and include the association name if the list is association-specific.
  • ex. cce-chautauquagardening-l
• Purpose: Cornell Cooperative Extension
• Unit: CCE [Association Name] County Extension 
  • ex. CCE Chautauqua County Extension
• Primary owner: This field will be auto-filled with the person submitting the request form.
• E-mail address of secondary: Add at least one additional staff member as a backup administrator. This can be another association staff member and/or an IT staff member.
  •  For multiple secondary administrators, enter each email address separated by a space. 
    • Ex. jar97@cornell.edu cns64@cornell.edu
  • Note: Group email accounts (EGAs) cannot log in to the Simplelists web portal, but they can be added as administrators after the e-list is set up. This is useful if the EGA will be used as the sending address.
    • Example:  An e-newsletter can be sent from “chautauquamg@cornell.edu” to the e-list “cce-chautauquagardening-l@lists.cornell.edu.”
• Who may subscribe:  Two recommended options for this type of e-list are:
  • CLOSED - Only admins will be able to manually add new recipients. 
  • PRIVATE – Allows people to request to be added. Join requests are sent to the list’s administrators for approval or rejection.
• Who may post: 
  • Announcements - Only admins can send out e-mails to list.
• Moderation:
  • NO – Allows administrators to send an email without a review process.
  • YES - Each email must be reviewed and approved before it is sent.
• Where replies go: Sender
• Resource requirements: Standard E-list (less than 10,000 recipients)

For more information:  Overview of E-list Configuration Options (Lyris) | IT@Cornell

Log in to Simplelists

Once the e-list is approved, each administrator listed on the request form will receive an e-mail notification.

Go to lists.cornell.edu/app/login to access Cornell's Simplelists e-list service. 

• Helpful Tip: Save the Simplelists management site to your browser favorites for quick access.
• Reminder: Group e-mail accounts (EGAs) cannot be used to log into the Simplelists e-list service website.

Each administrator logs in to Simplelists using their own credentials. There is no shared password for the list.

• Once added as an e-list administrator, CCE staff can log in with their Cornell credentials.
• Non-Cornell email addresses can be added as list administrators, but those users must create their own password and use a two-step authentication app.  More information: Log in to Simplelists | IT@Cornell

Do not share your NetID password with anyone for any reason. Manage Passwords Safely | IT@Cornell

More information for administrators: 

• Manage Admins | IT@Cornell
• If you manage more than one e-list:  Understanding and Navigating Accounts and E-lists | IT@Cornell

Manually Add A Few Trusted Members

Skip this step if you are already familiar with using Simplelists.

Before importing all members into the e-list, add only a few email addresses so you can send a test message and become more comfortable with the process. Let these members know in advance that you plan to send a test message using your new e-list. Ask them to confirm receipt by replying to the message.

• Add or Remove E-list Members: it.cornell.edu/simplelists/add-remove-e-list-members
  See "Membership Management" section below if the CIT page above does not have step by step instructions yet.

NOTE: Administrators are not automatically added as e-list members. If they need to receive copies of list messages, they must also be added to the member list.

Send A Test E-mail

1. Within Outlook, open a new e-mail and verify the sender e-mail address.
   • If you plan to send your e-news from a group e-mail account, click the From button and select the correct address from the drop-down menu.
2. Add a Subject line
3. Add Content to the body of the message
   See E-news Tips section below
4. Review all content carefully
   Treat this test message as if it were being sent to your full recipient list.
5. Enter the e-list address in the To field.
   • Be sure to include the hyphen and the letter L at the end of the list name.
     ex.  cce-chautauquagardening-l@lists.cornell.edu
   • A good habit is to add the e-list email address last. This helps prevent accidental sends before the message is ready.

See the E-News Tips section below for more information.

Managing membership - E-List settings

One of your responsibilities as a list administrator is to keep your membership roster accurate and up-to-date. Simplelists will help you by keeping track of the addresses that have problems (like not accepting mail delivery).

Document how your members can join, use, or leave your e-list.  

• Review the Cornell Simplelists documentation at Service KBAs | IT@Cornell
• If you would like to provide potential members with a website link to automatically join your e-list:
  • The url format would be: https://lists.cornell.edu/[ELIST-NAME-L]/subscribe/
    • Example: https://lists.cornell.edu/test-JAR97-01-L/subscribe/
    • Word of Caution:  Be mindful of where you share this link, avoid posting it on a public web or social media page.  Nefarious actors with bad intentions may join your e-list.

Monitor E-mail Delivery Reports

1. Log in to Simplelists.
2. From the menu on the left, select email delivery.  
   1. Email delivery information - Use this section to view information about delivery of all list messages to list members. 
      • Bad e-mail addresses will show up as "bounced" under the Status column
      • Successful sends will show up as "sent"
        
         
   2. Email failures - Use this section to view only email delivery failures, otherwise known as bounces.
      Note: A high level of bounces will cause an email address to be automatically removed from your account.
      • Click on the "personal settings" link on this page to review your admin e-mail notification settings.

Note: Listing of the actual past e-mails sent out isn't available within SimpleLists, only a log to show one was sent out, not its content/message.

Simplelists e-mail size limitation and options

Note:  The maximum e-mail size is much larger than the old Lyris system.  See information above on how to update this setting for your e-list(s).

How to check size of an e-mail message in Outlook before sending:
https://app.screencast.com/XOpLsf2Vl3yoM (no sound in this video)
 

Suggested Options for reducing size of e-mail:

1. Add content directly into body of the e-mail and only add a couple lower resolution photos. 
   • Options to resize photos:
     • Windows built-in photo app
       • How to video: https://app.screencast.com/pib801X5JV2Pv
         (no sound in this video)
     • Free Image Resizer: Resize Photos Online | Adobe Express
   • Please note: For press releases that may go to print, upload higher resolution photos to a departmental group Box folder and link to them in the e-mail.  (see option 2 below)
      
2. Upload the attachments to a departmental group Box folder and create a shareable link (anyone with link can access) and link to the attachment within e-mail.
   • How to video: https://www.screencast.com/t/K4pChIkq
   • 
   • 
      
3. Upload the attachments to webpage and link to the page and/or attachment within the e-mail message.
   • Examples:  
     • Cornell Cooperative Extension | 4-H NEWS
     • Cornell Cooperative Extension | Gardening
     • Password protected PDFs (for membership only news):  
       Cornell Cooperative Extension | FARM & HOMESTEAD NEWS
       
        

CCE Web Accessibility Resources:

• Article - Digital Accessibility at CCE (cornell.edu)
• https://staff.cce.cornell.edu/digital-accessibility

CCE E-mail Signatures

You can download the official CCE e-mail signature template from the CCE Staff Site: 

• Templates and Brand Resources | Cornell Cooperative Extension | Staff Site

Example:

Create an e-mail template in Outlook

To assist with consistency of each e-news message, create a template in Outlook using Outlook’s “Quick Parts” feature.  

Email Templates with Outlook Quick Parts - YouTube (2 minutes)

Delay or schedule sending e-mail messages

The Simplelists platform does not have a way to schedule an e-mail.  Log into Outlook online (OWA) at https://outlook.cornell.edu to schedule a message to your e-list.

Note: You can schedule a message within the Outlook desktop software but it will NOT send out unless the computer is on and Outlook is open at that scheduled time.

How to:  Delay or schedule sending email messages in Outlook - Microsoft Support

Cornell’s Annual E-list Renewal Process

Each year, the owner of an e-list will receive an automated e-mail message from Cornell List Manager <listmgr@cornell.edu>. 

Do NOT ignore this e-mail.  The owner MUST confirm renewal of the e-list.  Otherwise, the e-list will be shut down.

How to video:  Renewal Process

Transfer Ownership of an E-list

For more information and the helpdesk form to request change of ownership:
Transfer Ownership of an E-list (Lyris) | IT@Cornell

Review and Update How People Can Join the E-List

During the creation of your e-list, you choose how someone could become a member of your e-list (Open, Private or Closed). 

See Create an E-list: 2. Configuration Options | IT@Cornell for descriptions of each.

If you would like to review and/or change this setting:

1. Click on Utilities
2. Hover over List Settings and click New Subscriber Policy
3. Under the Security tab, review current setting under Security field.
4. To change, select a new option in the drop-down menu.
5. Click Save, if making changes.