# Unsubscribe Option for Email Notifications-Opt-Out

<p class="callout info">This article describes the feature that allows users to unsubscribe from non-essential email communications. This feature aims to improve user experience, ensure compliance with data privacy regulations, and reduce the volume of manual unsubscribe requests.</p>

### Setup &amp; Configuration

#### Admin Side

To enable and configure the unsubscribe option, an administrator needs to follow these steps:

- A new setting will control if users are able to access email preferences. This setting will be deployed as **off** by default.
- Email categories are pre-defined and cannot be changed. The available categories are:
    
    
    - **Important** (Essential)
    - **Promotional Emails** (Non-essential)
    - **Newsletter** (Non-essential)
    - **Product Updates** (Non-essential)
- Admins can assign any category to the email templates on their system.
- Category selection options will be added to the following email setup pages:
    
    
    - The **compose email** page.
    - The **email template** page for automat<span class="citation-417 citation-end-417">ed system messages.<sup class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="1"></sup></span>
        
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<div _ngcontent-ng-c1513125114="" class="source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted" id="bkmrk-"></div><p class="callout warning">**System-related emails** (e.g., receipts, password resets, new account creation) are exempt from the unsubscribe functionality and cannot be disabled by administrators.</p>

#### User Side: Managing Email Preferences

When the feature is enabled, users can manage their email preferences through an **Email Preferences** page within their account settings.

Users can access the **Email Preferences** page in two ways:

- By navigating to their account settings.
- By clicking the **Unsubscribe** link in the body or footer of any non-essential email.

On the **Email Preferences** page, users will find the following:

- **Checkboxes for each email category**: Users can select or deselect categories to manage their subscriptions.
- **Popover icon (?)**: Clicking this icon next to a checkbox will display the category description.
- **Select/Deselect All**: An option to manage all checkboxes at once.
- **Essential Categories**: A list of essential email categories that cannot be unsubscribed from will be shown at the bottom of the page.

After making changes, the user must click the **Save Changes** button. A confirmation message will be displayed.

<p class="callout success">You can view the user-facing wiki article [here](https://opscom.wiki/books/OPSCOM-user-portal/page/user-side-managing-email-preferences).</p>

### Assigning Email Categories

When composing an email or editing an email template, administrators can assign an email category.

- If a **non-essential** category is selected, a message will clearly display to the admin that the user can opt out of receiving it.
- If an email is marked with a category that a user has unsubscribed from, the email will not be sent to that user.
- Emails marked with a category flagged as **essential** are always sent.

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### <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">Best Practices &amp; Considerations</span>

- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Develop a business rule** for what is considered an "essential" vs. a "non-essential" email.</span>
    
    
    - <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Essential emails** are communications that all users should be made aware of, such as major announcements, road closures, or advisories for lot closures due to heavy snow.</span>
    - <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">**Non-essential emails** are those that a user can decide they don’t need, such as event notices for an upcoming open house or a sale at the school store.</span>
- <span style="color: rgb(22, 145, 121);">If the unsubscribe functionality is turned off after users have already unsubscribed, **their subscription settings will be ignored**, and they will receive all emails again.</span>