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 step 6 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.

Add or Import all members (recipients)

Members can be added manually in Simplelists or imported from an existing Excel or CSV file.

NOTE:

• Members will receive the welcome message when manually added or imported, IF the welcome message is set up.  See Step 4 above.
• If an email address already exists, the existing record will be updated. Simplelists does not warn about duplicates and will automatically overwrite the existing record, including any associated notes.  
• When importing from a CSV file, the field names in your file do not need to match the Simplelists field names. Simplelists will prompt you to map the fields during the import process.

1. Log into Manage lists | Simplelists
2. In left menu, click on Manage Lists
3. Click on Members button
4. Click Add button in upper-left corner
   1. Add New Member - Use this option to add one member at a time by entering the first name, last name, and email address.
      • If you click the green Add button next to Email addresses, you can enter multiple email addresses for the same contact.
      • If you choose to send a confirmation email, the recipient will receive a message with a link to confirm their addition to the list. If they ignore the message, they will not be added.
   2. Add many members - Use this option to add multiple members by copying and pasting information from another source.
      • Click on this option within Simplelists for examples.
         
   3. Upload file - Use this option to import a CSV file containing member information.
      • At a minimum, your file must include one column for email addresses. It may also include columns for surname and first name.
      • How to video:  https://app.screencast.com/VrYVrbKv7EnBA 
      • Note: If someone was previously removed from the e-list, they will not be re-added during the import, unless the update option is selected. In that case, the log may show that the email already exists even if it does not currently appear in the Members list.
        
        

Cornell IT article: Add or Remove E-list Members | IT@Cornell

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.