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Groups

1. What Is A Group
2. Why Use Groups
3. Scenario
4. How To Create a Group
1. 1. 4.1.1. How To Create a Rule-Based Group
  2. 4.1.2. How To Create a Random Group
  3. 4.1.3. How To Create a Constant-Interval Group
  4. 4.1.4. How To Create a Group Based on Data Filters
5. How To Access Created Groups
6. How To Rename, Relocate, or View Statistics for a Group
7. How To Modify a Rule-Based Group
8. How To Refresh a Rule-Based Group's Membership
9. How To Delete a Group

This topic provides conceptual, scenario, and procedural information about groups.

What Is A Group

A group is a subset of subscribers taken from a list.

You can can create a group using several methods:

In the course of creating a group, you can choose to create a new group subfolder in which to store the group.

Groups are derived from lists or other groups. Learn how to create a list. Only 12 random groups can be created from a list or another group.

You can rename groups, move a group from one folder to another, refresh a rule-based group's membership to reflect subscriber changes, redefine a rule-based group, and delete groups.

You can also use the group refresh activity. A group refresh is an activity to reapply the rules in a group definition to create a subset of subscribers in a list.

Why Use Groups

Use a group to create a targeted list of subscribers. For example, if you want to send an email to all the males in a list, you can create a group of just the males.

Or use a group to create a random sample of subscribers. For example, if you want to see how subscribers react to a new email template, you can generate a random sample of subscribers to send to and track the results.

You can also use a group based on a Data Filter.

Scenario

Northern Trail Outfitters created several lists of subscribers, and would now like create a group to send an email to all the males in the list. They open the Create Subscriber Group wizard and navigate to the Target Group page.

File:Groups/targetGroup.png

They choose Build a rule based on profiles and preferences because they want to target a specific gender. After clicking Next, the Build Rule page appears. Northern Trail Outfitters populates the fields with the correct information.

File:Groups/buildRule.png

The next page of the wizard prompts them to name their group. They choose a name and description that reminds them of the group's purpose.

File:Groups/IdentifyGroup.png

Northern Trail Outfitters clicks create, and the group appears in the my groups folder. They can now use that group to send emails.

How To Create a Group

You can create a group from the group workspace, as described in the following steps, or from a list workspace, by means of the Create Group button that you'll see in the list workspace toolbar. The Create Subscriber Group wizard is the same regardless of how you access it.

Follow these steps to create a group:

In the navigation pane, click Subscribers.
Click the My Groups folder.

If you've created a group subfolder under My Groups in which you want to create this new group, click that subfolder.

Another option is to go to the list workspace for the list from which this group is pulled. The list workspace toolbar also includes the Create Group button.

In the My Groups (or whichever group folder you selected) toolbar, click the Create Group button, which opens the Create Subscriber Group wizard.
Click Next in the wizard's introductory dialog box.
In the Target Group dialog box that appears next, choose the method you want to use to create this group:

Note: You can create as many as 12 groups at a time and only 12 groups can be made from one list or another group.

How To Create a Rule-Based Group

If you chose the build a rule based on profiles and preferences option in the initial steps, the next dialog box you see is Build Rule. You can choose to build a simple rule, whereby the group is based on a single attribute, or a complex rule, which is a set of rules based on as many attributes as you like.

Step	Description
Choose the subscriber list.	Click the Browse button beside the In field and choose the list from which this group is created.
If you're creating a simple rule, go to Step 2. If you're creating a complex rule, skip to Step 5.
(Simple rule) Choose the profile or preference attribute.	Click the Field button, which opens a menu allowing you to choose from the profile attributes or preference attributes defined in your account. Click the desired attribute.
Choose the appropriate operator.	Click the drop-down list box beside the that field. From the drop-down list, choose the operator that best describes the relationship between the attribute and the value in this rule. For profile attributes, you have the following options: is equal to: Subscribers with an attribute definition that exactly matches the value are included in the group Segment. A subset of a list that has been separated based on either profile information or via various sampling techniques. (You can choose one value only.) is not equal to: Subscribers with an attribute definition that does not match the value are included in the group. (You can choose one value only.) is greater than or greater than or equal to: Use this operator when the attribute is a numeric value. Subscribers with an attribute definition greater than (or less than or equal to) the value is included in the group. is less than or less than or equal to: Use this operator when the attribute is a numeric value. Subscribers with an attribute definition less than (or less than or equal to) the value is included in the group. begins with: The application looks for attribute values that begin with the exact sequence of characters that you enter as the comparison value. Commas are treated as characters and not as deliminaters. contains or does not contain: The application looks for attribute values that include or exclude the exact sequence of characters that you enter as the comparison value. Commas are treated as characters and not as delimiters. ends with: The application looks for attribute values that end with the exact sequence of characters that you enter as the comparison value. Commas are treated as characters and not as delimiters. exists in: Subscribers with an attribute definition that matches one of the values you define in a comma delimited string of values are included in the group. Like partial text searches (such as begins with and ends with), the exists in operator looks for a partial match of the entire value. For example, if your match criteria is north, the exists in operator returns subscribers with north, northwest, and northeast attribute values, but not subscribers with south, southwest, and southeast attribute values. Please note that this operator is not applicable when choosing an attribute with restricted values, as you can select only one of the restricted values as the comparison value. does not exist in: Subscribers with an attribute definition that do not match any of the values you define in a comma delimited string of values are included in the group. Like partial text searches (such as begins with and ends with), the does not exists in operator looks for a partial match of the entire value. For example, if your match criteria is north, the does not exists in operator returns subscribers with south, southwest, and southeast attribute values, but not subscribers with north, northwest, and northeast attribute values. Please note that this operator is not applicable when choosing an attribute with restricted values, as you can select only one of the restricted values as the comparison value. Note: Be sure to choose an operator that makes sense with the type of attribute you chose. For example, don't use the less than operator with a text attribute. Note: For attributes with type equal to date, only the following operators are supported: is equal to, is not equal to, is greater than and is less than. Note: For preference attributes, you do not select an operator. (The operator can only be is.)
Choose the comparison value.	Click the drop-down list associated with the field labeled the word(s). Your options in this field depend on the attribute and operator you selected. For preference attributes, your only options are Yes and No. If the attribute has specifically defined values, the dialog box features a drop-down list consisting of those defined values. You can only select one value from the drop-down. For date attributes, the comparison value can be a specific date or a relative date. To look for a specific date, select Date from the drop down and enter the desired date in the text field to the right of the drop down. To look for a relative date, select Today, Today Plus or Today Minus. For Today Plus and Today Minus, designate how many Days, Weeks, Months or Years you want to look in the past or to the future. Note: The baseline date for evaluation is in CST. Note: Choose whether or not to include the year in the evaluation by selecting or deselecting the Include Year check box. If the attribute is a free-form field (with no specifically defined values) or a preference attribute, you see a text box in which you type the value. You'll need to type it exactly as it's been entered in subscriber records. If you chose exists in or not exists in as the operator, enter all the possible values in the text box separated by commas (no spaces between values). The maximum number of characters that you can enter in the text box is 2,000.
If you're creating a simple rule, skip to Step 12. If you're creating a complex rule, go to Step 5.
(Complex rule) Click the Advanced button.	When you click Advanced you're able to build multiple rules into a single set. The white box in the middle of the dialog box displays the complex rule as you add more rules to it.
Choose the profile or preference attribute.	Click the Field button, which opens a menu allowing you to choose from the profile attributes or preference attributes defined in your account. Click the desired attribute.
Choose the appropriate condition (operator).	Click the Condition field and choose the operator that best describes the relationship between the attribute and the value that you'll define in this rule. The operators are described earlier in this table, in Step 3. For preference attributes, you do not select an operator. (The operator can only be is.)
Choose the comparison value.	Click the Word(s) drop-down list. Your options in this field depend on the attribute and operator you selected. For preference attributes, your only options are Yes and No. See the details earlier in this table, in Step 4.
Click the Add to List button.	When you click Add to List, the rule you just created is entered into the rule-building box in the middle of the dialog box. Before you add the next rule, you need to choose whether the two rules are connected by AND or OR.
Before adding the next rule, choose the operator that will connect the rules: AND or OR. If done adding rules, go on to Step 12.	If you choose AND from the Operator drop-down list in the middle of the dialog box, the subscriber must meet both the preceding requirement (rule) and the next requirement that you're about to add in order for that subscriber to belong to this group. If you choose OR, the subscriber must meet one of the requirements, not necessarily both, in order to belong to the group.
Add another rule by repeating Steps 5 through 10.	You can add as many rules as needed. Note: For the most predictable results, you should use only AND or OR (not a mixture of both) to connect all of your rules. Remember that you cannot group rules into parentheses, which is usually necessary when mixing AND and OR statements.

(Simple or complex rule) When done building the rule or rules, click the Next button at the bottom of the dialog box.	The Identify Group dialog box appears next.
In the Identify Group dialog box, enter the name and description of the group and specify the location where it will be stored.	In the Group Name field, enter a name for the group. This name identifies the group in the Email Send wizard. In the Group Description field, enter a brief description of the group. This description appears in the group workspace. Choose the group folder in which to store the group. If you want to create a new group folder, click the New button, which opens a dialog box in which you can select the parent folder for the new folder and then type in the name of the new folder.
Create the group.	Click the Create button in the Identify Group dialog box. The application reads through your subscriber data to build the new group. When done, it presents the final dialog box in the wizard.
Exit the wizard.	If you want to see the group that was created, select the View your newly created group check box before you click Finish. Click Finish to exit the wizard. Your group is now accessible from the groups area of the navigation pane and is ready for selection when sending emails.

How To Create a Random Group

If you chose the pick a random group from a subscriber list option in the initial steps, the next dialog box you see is Define Random Group.

Complete this dialog box as follows:

Step	Details
Choose the subscriber list.	Click the Browse button beside the In field and choose the list from which the groups are created.
Add the first group.	Click the Add button, which opens the Define Group dialog box. In the Group Name field, enter a name for the group. This name identifies the group in the Email Send wizard. In the Group Size field, enter either a percentage or a number that represents how many of the subscribers in the selected list are randomly added to this group. If you enter a percentage, make sure that percent is selected in the associated drop-down list; if you enter a number of subscribers, make sure that count is selected in the associated drop-down list. Note: Whichever format (percent or count) that you choose for your first group is the format for the rest of the groups that you create in this random sampling. The box at the bottom of the dialog box shows your group folder structure. Click the group folder in which to store the group. If you want to create a new group folder, click the New button, which opens a dialog box in which you can select the parent folder for the new folder and then type in the name of the new folder. Click OK in the Define Group dialog box. You return to the Define Random Group dialog box, which shows your first group and how much of the list you have left for creating more groups. (For example, if you defined your first group as 25% of the list, the Define Random Group dialog box displays 75% remaining.)
Create as many more groups as desired.	Repeat the steps you followed to create the first group. Note: Your random groups do not need to add up to 100% of the subscriber list; you can create a set of random groups whose sum is less than that of the list.
Create the groups.	Click the Create button in the Define Random Group dialog box. The application reads through your subscriber data to build the new groups. When done, it presents the final dialog box in the wizard.
Exit the wizard.	If you want to see the last random group that was created, select the View your newly created group check box before you click Finish. Click Finish to exit the wizard. Your groups are now accessible from the groups area of the navigation pane and are ready for selection when sending emails.

How To Create a Constant-Interval Group

If you chose the choose subscribers at a constant interval from a subscriber list option in the initial steps, the next dialog box you see is Define Interval Group.

Complete this dialog box as follows:

Step	Details
Choose the subscriber list.	Click the Browse button beside the In field and choose the list from which this group is created. You can choose All Subscribers if you do not want to limit the group to a single list.
Enter the group name and description.	In the Group Name field, enter a name for the group. This name identifies the group in the Email Send wizard. In the Group Description field, enter a brief description of the group. This description appears in the group workspace.
Specify the group size and interval.	In the Group Size field, enter the maximum number of subscribers that you want in the group. In the Interval Size field, enter the interval to use. Beginning with the first subscriber in the selected list, the application pulls every nth subscriber (where n is equal to the interval size) until it reaches the group size you specified. For example, if you specify a group size of 5 and an interval of 3, the application pulls the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, and 13th subscribers from the list. If your list does not contain enough subscribers to create a group of this size using the interval you specify, you are prompted to adjust your numbers.
Choose the location for the new group.	The box at the bottom of the dialog box shows you group folder structure. Click the group folder in which to store the group. If you want to create a new group folder, click the New button, which opens a dialog box in which you can select the parent folder for the new folder and then type in the name of the new folder.
Create the group.	Click the Create button. Note: If the list you selected is not large enough to produce the desired group size using the specified interval, you are prompted to adjust the group size and/or interval (or choose a larger list). The application reads through your subscriber data to build the new group. When done, it presents the final dialog box in the wizard.
Exit the wizard.	If you want to see the group that was created, select the View your newly created group check box before you click Finish. Click Finish to exit the wizard. Your group is now accessible from the groups area of the navigation pane and is ready for selection when sending emails.

How To Create a Group Based on Data Filters

To create a group based on a Data Filter, select Build a group based on a Data Filter in the Creat Subscriber Group wizard. To get to this point, refer to the initial steps.

Before you can create a group based on a Data Filter, you must create a Data Filter.

Complete the dialog box as follows:

Step	Details
Choose the subscriber list.	Click the Browse button beside the In field and choose the list from which this group is created. You can choose All Subscribers if you do not want to limit the group to a single list.
Choose the Data Filter.	In the Using Data Filter field, click the drop down menu and select the Data Filter you want to use.
Name the Group	In the Group Name field, enter the name of your group.
Choose the location for the new group.	The box at the bottom of the dialog box shows you group folder structure. Click the group folder in which to store the group. If you want to create a new group folder, click the New button, which opens a dialog box in which you can select the parent folder for the new folder and then type in the name of the new folder.
Create the group.	Click the Create button. Note: If the list you selected is not large enough to produce the desired group size using the specified interval, you are prompted to adjust the group size and/or interval (or choose a larger list). The application reads through your subscriber data to build the new group. When done, it presents the final dialog box in the wizard.
Exit the wizard.	If you want to see the group that was created, select the View your newly created group check box before you click Finish. Click Finish to exit the wizard. Your group is now accessible from the groups area of the navigation pane and is ready for selection when sending emails.

How To Access Created Groups

Groups are managed from the group workspace, which you access as follows:

Click Subscribers in your navigation pane.
Click My Groups in the navigation pane.
If the group you want is located in a group subfolder, click the subfolder in either the navigation pane or in the My Groups workspace on the right.

The groups in the selected group folder (and any subfolders under that folder) are shown in the workspace on the right.

How To Rename, Relocate, or View Statistics for a Group

The Group Properties dialog box is where you can view statistics about the group and change the basic properties - name and folder location - of the group.

You can even redefine the attribute settings with which a rule-based group was defined.

To access this dialog box, follow these steps:

Select a group in the group workspace. See How To Access Created Groups.)
Click View Properties in the group workspace toolbar.

The Group Properties dialog box contains the following fields:

Field	Description	Options
Group name	Name of the group as it's displayed in the group workspace and in the Email Send wizard.	To change the name of the group, make your modifications to the text box at the top of the Group Properties dialog box. When you click OK in the dialog box, your name change takes effect.
Location	Group folder in which this group is located.	To relocate the group, click the Move button, which opens the Move Group dialog box showing your group folder structure. Click the desired folder. If you want to create a new folder for this group, click the New button in the Move Group dialog box to open the Create New Folder dialog box. When you return to the Move Group dialog box, the group folder structure displayed refreshes to show your new folder. After selecting the desired folder, click OK.
Size	Number of subscribers who currently belong to this group.	To view more details about the group membership, click the More Info button. The More Info dialog box that appears shows how many emails sent to this group have bounced or were undeliverable and how many subscribers that belong to the list from which this group was pulled have unsubscribed from the list.
Created and Last Refresh	Date on which this group was created and the date when it was last refreshed to update its membership.	These dates are recorded.
Last Sent To	Date when this group was last selected for an email delivery.	This date is recorded.

How To Modify a Rule-Based Group

You can adjust the attribute settings on which a group is based by following these steps:

Select the rule-based group in the group workspace. (See How To Access Created Groups.)
Click View Properties in the group workspace toolbar.
In the Group Properties dialog box, click the Rules tab.
Modify the attribute settings as desired.
Click OK in the dialog box.

The application refreshes the group membership to account for the change in rules.

How To Refresh a Rule-Based Group's Membership

Newly added or modified subscribers are not automatically added to groups. If the subscriber's profile or preference attributes would make the subscriber eligible for a rule-based group, you'll need to refresh the group so that the subscriber can be added to the group.

You can also use the group refresh activity. A group refresh is an activity to reapply the rules in a group definition to create a subset of subscribers in a list.

Groups based on random sampling or constant intervals cannot be refreshed.

Follow these steps to update membership in a rule-based group:

Select a rule-based group in the group workspace. (See How To Access Created Groups.)
Click Refresh this group in the group workspace toolbar.
Click OK in the confirmation dialog box that appears.z
The application scans all subscriber data and rebuilds the group. View the subscriber count displayed in the group workspace to see how many subscribers now belong to the group.

Note: Group refreshes will fail if the group is based on a data type attribute that has a date earlier than January 1, 1900 or greater than December 21, 2079.