Unsubscribe Option for Email Notifications-Opt-Out

The Email Notification Opt Out feature allows users to easily unsubscribe from non-essential email communications. Its primary purpose is to improve the overall user experience, ensure compliance with strict data privacy regulations, and significantly reduce the volume of manual unsubscribe requests. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing system communications and user settings.

Setup and Configuration

This feature requires administrators to enable a global setting and assign appropriate categories to their email templates.

Admin Side: A master setting controls whether users are able to access email preferences. This setting is deployed as off by default. Once enabled, administrators can assign pre-defined categories to the email templates on their system. The pre-defined email categories cannot be altered and include:

• Important (Essential)

• Promotional Emails (Non-essential)

• Newsletter (Non-essential)

• Product Updates (Non-essential)

User Side: When the feature is enabled, end-users can manage their email preferences through an Email Preferences page within their account settings. Users can access this page by navigating directly to their account settings on the public portal or by clicking the Unsubscribe link located in the body or footer of any non-essential email they receive.

System-related emails, such as payment receipts, password resets, and new account creation confirmations, are strictly exempt from the unsubscribe functionality. These essential transactional emails cannot be disabled by administrators or opted out of by end-users.

Using this Feature

Administrators and users will interact with the categorization and opt-out functionalities through the following workflows.

Assigning Email Categories

Administrators must assign a specific email category when setting up system communications. Category selection options are available on both the standard compose email page and the email template page for automated system messages.

1. Select the desired classification from the category drop-down menu when composing a new email or editing an existing template.

2. Review the system warning prompt. If a non-essential category is selected, a message will clearly display to the admin indicating that the user has the ability to opt out of receiving it.

3. Save your template or dispatch the email. Emails marked with a category flagged as essential are always sent, while emails marked with a category a user has explicitly unsubscribed from will automatically be withheld from that specific user.

Managing User Email Preferences

Users will interact with the following elements on the Email Preferences page to control their inbox:

• Checkboxes: Users can select or deselect the checkboxes next to each email category to manage their active subscriptions.

• Popover icon (?): Clicking this icon next to a specific checkbox will display a detailed description of that category.

• Select/Deselect All: Users can click this action to quickly manage all checkboxes at once.

• Essential Categories: Users can view a static list of essential email categories that cannot be unsubscribed from at the very bottom of the page.

• Save Changes: Users must click the Save Changes button to apply their updates. A confirmation message will immediately display to verify the action.

Best Practices and Considerations

• Develop a clear business rule: Organizations should develop a firm business rule defining what is considered an essential versus a non-essential email. Essential emails are critical communications that all users must receive, such as major operational announcements, emergency road closures, or advisories for lot closures due to heavy snow.

• Use non-essential categories appropriately: Classify promotional or optional content strictly as non-essential. Non-essential emails are those that a user can safely decide they do not need, such as event notices for an upcoming open house or a sale at the campus store.

• Understand the impact of disabling the feature: If the unsubscribe functionality is turned off globally after users have already unsubscribed, their personalized subscription settings will be ignored. Users will immediately begin receiving all system emails again, which can result in spam complaints or user confusion.