Emails complying withe Data Protection not totally clear. How do I know I have done correctly. Test?
I am a car show organiser and have over 400 email addresses to communicate with in accordance with GDPR (Data protection). I use Thunderbird as the method of sending emails, and is dedicated to the car show so that there is no confusion. I made a mistake re BCC. I created an email and using Ctrl+A ,I put the address book into the recipient space. Went to the left hand side and changed it to BCC on the buttons displayed. Now know it was wrong but an easy mistake to make, and nothing to say does not comply with Data Protection. An opportunity exists because there are lots of people doing the same as me trying to keep an organisation going not realising how to comply with GDPR. The address book would benefit a notice like 'you cannot comply with GDPR using the address book'. I then found out about Listing. I have created the Listing. I have found out how to show the Listing using the View menu. The Listing can be used with Ctrl+A and installed into the email using the BCC button under the listing. When sent like this the only person who can see all recipients is the sender, with no way of any recipient discovering all the email BCC addresses and names on the email? I think it would be great if there was some way of testing emails that are expected to comply with GDPR. A format where a test button is used that stops the email from actually being sent but will create a file recording what would have been received, plus the settings used, and a statement that the settings used comply with GDPR. This will provide the user with confidence, and a copy of the test results which can be filed as proof that the method is approved, in case of an audit, or whatever, by the GDPR people Then things are a bit vague or I am not 100% sure. I have to turn the listing off, click on X, before updating Address book. Update Address book with new email addresses. If I open Listing will that be up to date. The Names and addresses can be sorted still? When sorted do they appear sorted in the listing and will the new addresses be included? Also adopted the reply email address, which breaks the link. This also avoids any reply/forward process. Creating the Listing is reasonably straight forward. Could we have a way of seeing the instructions straight from the document being viewed, with a way of knowing things have changed. Thunderbird could benefit from instructions for Listing as used day to day. I actually thought for a while that the listing had to be regenerated every time the Address book was updated. I am getting to know Thunderbird with time and think it is very good. I think you have got everything covered, but is not easy for the user to see at times. With GDPR we need to be on the ball. I know others are struggling with this, and a lot of people think they have it all under control. Wouldn't it be nice to say on facebook that joining '**********' they comply with GDPR using Mozilla Thunderbird Email system. By the way I have been criticised already by others, but now realise they don't know it all. I am user of computers but in know way am I trained user re emails and many other things, but when the going gets tough I get down to it.
All Replies (2)
re :A format where a test button is used that stops the email from actually being sent but will create a file recording what would have been received
You could use 'File' > 'Send Later'. It puts all emails primed ready for sending in the 'Outbox' located under 'Local Folders'. Emails can be read or deleted from Outbox to stop the sending.
To send all emails held in Outbox: Right click on Outbox and select 'Send unsent messages'
re :and a statement that the settings used comply with GDPR. Thunderbird is never going to auto apply such a setting. Thunderbird is just a program on someones computer so cannot guarrantee what any user does when creating and sending emails. It has no control over servers etc.
You however can append your own statement to your own emails.
re : I have to turn the listing off, click on X, before updating Address book. Update Address book with new email addresses. If I open Listing will that be up to date. The Names and addresses can be sorted still?
To be honest, you do not need to open the Mailing List (by double clicking on the Mailing List name) to edit it. That is the long way of doing it.
- Add contact to the appropraite 'address book'.
- Contact must have an email address in order to be added to a 'Mailing list'.
- Drag and drop contact into Mailing List which is a sub group to that address book.
- All names in any address book or Mailing List can be sorted by any column header.
Adding a contact to a specific address book does not add it to a specific Mailing List. It makes it available to be easily put into any of that address books mailing lists.
The 'Edit Mailing List name' window is a means of adding contacts one at a time manually. But this is a slow method and if name is in address book then you can drag and drop it into the Mailing List as listed in the left pane - not drag and drop into the 'Edit window'. The 'Edit' window is not sortable. It will always have names appended to the list in the order they were added, so it is not something you can sort without doing a load of deleting and re-entering. This is a futile performance. It does not matter how this Editing window appears. Benefit: You can easilly locate what was last appended as it would be at the bottom.
Sorting eg: names by surname etc is done in the main address book/mailinglist view. 'View' > 'Show name as' > 'Last/First' will sort by surname. 'View' > Sort by' Or clicking on the column headers.
Info: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-create-and-use-mailing-lists-thunderbird
Additional:
You could also look at the 'Mail Merge' addon.
This can use an address book, so you would create a specific address book (not Mailing List) which contains the names and email addresses of those who would be a recipient of an email.
Mail Merge uses the 'TO' field, but it only sends one email to each person; it is not one bulk email containing several Bcc.
This may be something to consider if you are concerned about email addresses going to the wrong people.
Mail Merge uses a Template. You create the template email and store in the 'templates' folder. You use that template when sending emails and it can be edited prior to sending.
When creating the template, mail merge offers the options of personalising each email based on what you put into the address book.
Mail Merge can use 'Send Later' option and put all emails in the 'Outbox' where you can access them. 'Send Later' means you can view emails prior to sending and/or delete them or delay sending.
Note: when using 'Mail Merge' addon, it only sends one email 'TO' the email address. This means 'Replies' will not expose other recipients of a similar email.