Download Questions
I've downloaded the file but cannot open
it to install the software. What could be wrong?
Make sure you have the WinZip
utility available on the machine to which you
are installing.
I registered my email address but never received
the activation code. Now what do I do?
Double check the email address you entered
in the form, it needs to be a valid email address.
If you still do not receive it, contact our
support department.
When will I get the Serial Number for my
Campaign License?
Immediately upon completing your online purchase
you will get an online receipt confirming your
purchase and providing your Serial Number.
I've purchased the software, where is the
CD box and the documentation?
Campaign software is completely distributed
online. Once you purchase you will be provided
with a Serial Number. Simply input the Serial
Number into the evaluation copy of Campaign.
All documentation is located online.
I tried to install the software but got an
error saying that I was not allowed to? What does
that mean?
To install Campaign Enterprise you need to
have administrative privileges on your Windows
user account. Some of the files are installed
in the registry folder which require administrative
access, so Campaign Enterprise can run as a
service. Contact your network administrator
to install or obtain administrator privileges.
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on Downloading and Installing Campaign
Database Questions
Will Campaign read my Excel database?
Excel is not a true database but a spreadsheet
and is not ODBC compliment. You will need to
save your Excel file as a .csv (comma separated
values) file. You would then select Text File
from the drop down menu and select the DSN you
created for .csv files.
Will Campaign read my ACT (or Goldmine) Database?
ACT and Goldmine are PIM's, Personal Information
Managers, and are not ODBC compliant. You would
need to export those records to one of the supported
file types.
Why can't I see my fields in my text file?
You need to make sure you are using the proper
format. See the text
file knowledgebase article.
Why can't I find my local SQL database file
when I click Browse?
You can only browse for MS Access files (.mdb)
other database types require you to connect
using a DSN.
Can I connect to a query or view?
You can connect to certain types of queries
and views. Be sure the query or view works in
the given database before having Campaign attempt
to use it. If you plan on updating fields in
a query or view you must pay careful attention
to query construction. If the query or view
cannot be updated in the native database environment
(using Group By, Outer joins, etc), then Campaign
will not be able to either.
Can Campaign call stored procedures?
Yes, you can call a pre- and post-processing
stored procedures in the Miscellaneous tab and
selecting the advanced feature set.
Can Campaign write back to a different table
than the one to which it is connected?
Yes, you can use a SQL Select statement to
pull data from multiple tables, and write back
unsubscribes, opened emails, bounces etc. to
a separate table.
I am using Campaign Desktop and I cannot
see my database file when I browse for it. Why?
Make sure you select the file type in the
lower right section of the browse window. You
can only view MS Access files using the browse
feature. Other databases require an ODBC or
OLE DB connection.
Why don't I see any table/query names in
the Table/Query box when I connect to my database?
Some databases like dBase and Paradox files
do not have tables, the database is equal to
one table. The table selection drop down field
will remain empty when one of these database
types is selected. Move on to selecting the
email address field.
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on Databases
Mail
Server Questions
How do I find the name or IP address of the
SMTP server to which I need to connect?
Contact your network administrator.
Can I send messages through my ISP's mail
server?
Yes, this is possible. But your ISP may have
restrictions on the number of emails you are
allowed to send. Please contact your ISP for
additional information. Eventually you may need
to look into getting your own SMTP server.
Where can I get SMTP server software?
There a many options available when deciding
on SMTP software (too many to list them all
here), do a search online for "SMTP software".
If you are using MS Windows 2000 or XP Pro you
have SMTP software that comes standard with
the operating system.
On what machine should I install the SMTP
server?
SMTP software can run on any machine, of course
the more robust the CPU and the amount of memory
the better performance you will get. A "Server"
machine usually refers to a machine with dual
power supplies, dual processors, large amount
of memory and backup systems that will keep
the machine running in the event of hardware
failure. Depending on your needs you can put
SMTP software on a machine as described above
or on a standard desktop or workstation.
Can Campaign, my database and my SMTP mailing
system reside on the same server?
Yes, although this configuration could result
in reduced performance. The load placed on one
server to run campaign, access the database,
merge the data and send out the messages is
enormous. We recommend, at the very least, a
separate server to be used as your SMTP server.
Why does my SMTP server keep disconnecting
Campaign?
Contact your SMTP server administrator to
see if there are any restrictions on the number
of emails you can send through it.
I can send mail to other accounts on my LAN
but not outside, what's wrong?
The SMTP server you are connecting to is not
allowing you to relay email through it. Your
network administrator should enable relaying
for the machine that is running Campaign. For
more information contact your SMTP server support.
What sort of incoming email processing does
Campaign have?
Campaign will query your existing POP accounts
that you specify for bounces or unsubscribes.
Campaign has no POP server capabilities.
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on Mail Servers
Message
Questions
Does Campaign software support multipart
MIME?
Yes. This is a standard feature in the software.
How does Campaign software determine whether
the recipient views the message in plain text
or html?
Campaign does not determine the format that
the recipient views. The format reviewed by
the recipient is determined by their client
email software. If the client software can read
html, the message will be received in html format.
If the receiving client software can view only
text, then the recipient will see the text version
of the message. It is recommended that you draft
and send your messages in both plain text and
html.
Will Campaign allow me to insert hyper links
to web addresses and emails that can be clicked
by the email recipient?
In a Plain Text message simply type the fully
qualified domain name (FQDN), http://www.yourdomain.com
or support@yourdomain.com. Most email clients
will convert those into a hyperlink. For an
HTML message you would use a standard anchor
tag <a href="http://yourdomain.com">YourDomain.com</a>,
or <a href="mailto:support@yourdomain.com">Support
at YourDomain.com</a>.
Why do I always see the little box with the
x instead of my images?
Your images must reside on a webserver and
the html code you created must point to that
image. Example:
<img src ="http://www.yourdomain.com/images/yourimage.jpg">.
How do I merge my database into my emails?
When composing a message, you will be able
to enter field names from your database rather
than the actual name. Example: "Dear {First_Name}"
instead of "Dear Customer". You can
do this in one of two ways:
- Enter the field names manually, surrounded
by brackets, by typing out the field name
in the location you would like it to appear.
Be sure the field name matches your text exactly
to ensure accuracy. Example: {First_Name}
- In Campaign Desktop, use the Merge Field
Insertion box. You can insert fields from
your database by double-clicking the field
names. This is not mandatory, however. Many
users find it easier to simply type the field
names directly into the message. When the
program is prompted to run the project, Campaign
will merge the database with your text and
allow you to view a sample of the outgoing
message before the project is distributed.
You can also copy and paste the merge field
from the View Merge Field list in Campaign Enterprise.
Why aren't my database fields merging with
the message?
The main cause of this problem is inaccurate
field names written in the text of the message.
For example, if your database field name is
"First_Name and in the text of the message
you enter "First_name", Campaign will
not recognize the field name because of the
un-capitalized N. To be sure that the field
names match the message text, use the Merge
Field Insertion box, or copy them from the View
Merge Field list. Always send yourself test
messages before you send your project to your
clients.
Why does my HTML message show random odd
characters?
When working with html you should always produce
clean code. Inputting code by hand is the most
accurate but if you must use an html editor
use a good one. Using the "save as html"
function in Microsoft Word is not recommended
as it tends to create excessive code which can
cause problems. There are many formatting quirks
that don't translate well to clean HTML code.
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on Messages
Sending
Questions
Why isn't my email project being sent out?
You must Run your project. Go to the Project
screen and select your project then click Run.
Click the confirmation button to begin the merging
and mailing of your complete project.
Can I configure the campaign to send messages
under one second apart?
In most cases campaign will send out several
messages per second. If you want to slow down
the sending you can specify the number of emails
to go out in the Sending Tab. This field only
accepts whole numbers.
How can I send an email late at night to
minimize the load on our servers?
You can use the scheduler found in the Sending
Tab of Campaign Enterprise, or at the top of
the project detail screen in Campaign Desktop.
Make sure that you have Campaign either open,
or running as a service in order for the emails
to go out.
How does the scheduler work?
Check the enable schedule box and enter the
time and date to send the project. Make sure
you specify the increment if you want it to
go out at a certain time interval. For a one
time scheduled email campaign, make sure the
interval is set to repeat "0" zero
times. Click close, the date and time the campaign
will run will be displayed in the main project
window.
Why does Campaign send out my emails everyday?
You may have specified that option in the
scheduler in the Sending tab. Make sure the
interval in your schedule is set to "0"
zero when scheduling a one time campaign.
Can I preview the message prior to sending
the campaign?
With Campaign Desktop you can see a copy of
how the message will appear in the email prior
to sending. In Campaign Enterprise you can click
preview HTML in the message tab to see how the
message will appear. With both products it is
highly recommended that you send yourself an
actual test message. That is the only way you
can be sure that your message is going out as
you intend.
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on Sending
Bounce/Unsubscribe/Subscribe
Questions
Is Campaign Enterprise IMAP compatible?
Campaign Enterprise can use IMAP email protocol
for bounced message processing and unsubscribes.
It also has SSL capabilities to check both IMAP
and POP email accounts.
So how do I identify bounced emails?
A bounced email (also known as an undeliverable)
will be sent back to you along the Return-Path
address you specify in Campaign. If that is
your regular email address, you will receive
all of those bounces in your inbox. If you use
Campaign's bounce handling feature, you can
set up a separate bounce POP account and have
Campaign monitor that account for you. Any emails
entering that account will be identified and
marked in your database.
Will Campaign catch all undeliverables?
Campaign will catch most, but not all, undeliverable
emails. Some mail servers do not verify user
accounts during the SMTP session. Campaign can
only catch undeliverables that cause a rejection
during the SMTP handshake. Fortunately, most
mail servers will reject emails for which there
are no user accounts, and Campaign will catch
all of those.
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on Bounce Handling
Performance
Questions
I was expecting more performance from Campaign
software. How can I optimize?
There are many reasons you may be suffering
from less than optimal performance.
-
Poor performance could be a result of
your system hardware configuration and/or
bandwidth availability.
-
Keep your database local to your Campaign
machine.
-
Keep the database clean. Make sure you
remove any undeliverable or inactive accounts
that Campaign is wasting time trying to
deliver.
-
Do not attach large files to the outgoing
emails. If you have a single document that
is to be viewed by all recipients, put that
document on a webserver and have a link
to it from within the email.
How many projects can I define on Campaign?
You are able to define an unlimited number
of projects with Campaign.
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Marketing/Miscellaneous
Does Campaign have a command line?
No
Does Campaign have a list server?
No
Do you have a reseller channel or an affiliate
program?
Please refer to our partner
program page.
Can I purchase a list of emails from Arial
Software?
Arial Software does not keep or sell such
lists.
How can I make my email campaigns more effective?
The best characteristic of an effective message
is to make sure its read, rather than deleted.
Personalizing your emails by using first names,
personal information, and "friendly" messages
rather than a sales and business tone are excellent
ways to effectively send your email.
Is your software a bulk-mailing application?
Campaign specializes in enterprise-level customer
communications. Our customers use Campaign only
with their existing in-house customer or prospect
lists. The Campaign software feature set is
only useful to end-users who have detailed information
about their customers or prospects (names, dates,
numbers, etc.). Although Campaign can handle
large volumes of email, its primary focus is
to send targeted email to the right recipients
on the right day. That's why companies like
Intuit, Dell, and AMD use Campaign software.
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Software
Support & Guarantee
Do you guarantee your software?
Yes, we do. If you are not completely satisfied
with your Campaign purchase, simply return it
for a full refund within 30 days.
If I need to call for technical support,
can I reach a human being?
Absolutely. We are a small, niche company
staffed with real people, who really answer
the phone. Although we have phone-tree support
information available, if you need to speak
with a technical person who can diagnose a problem
or answer a detailed question, you can reach
a person like that at Arial Software. Just ask
for Campaign support.
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Purchase
Questions
I've tried to make a purchase and the transaction
won't go through.
-
Have you entered your previous serial number
if you are a current customer?
-
Does the name on the card exactly match
what you've input?
-
Does the address for the card exactly match
the address where billing statements are sent?
-
Have you made a selection for a state? If
you are an international customer please select
Non-US Location.
-
Have you entered only four numbers into
each card number box? If you are using an
American Express please input only four numbers
into each box.
If you continue to
experience problems please contact
our support department or call 1-307-587-1338.
Can I purchase Campaign with a PO or check?
Yes, we will accept checks for payment. Upon
receipt of your check you will be emailed with
the appropriate information to complete your
Campaign purchase. If you need an invoice for
your PO process send a request to our
sales department with what version you want
to purchase and how you would like the invoice
forwarded.
When will I get the serial number for my
Campaign license?
Immediately upon completing your online purchase
you will get an online receipt confirming your
purchase and identifying your serial number.
I've purchased the software, where is the
CD box and documentation?
Campaign software is completely distributed
online. Once you purchase you will be given
a serial number (this will be in the browser
window), simply input that code into the registration
box of your demo version.
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