Mail Merge

How it works

Per Integrated Marketing Communications' policies, "YAMM can be used as a communication method for small groups that require one-to-one communications with internal staff. YAMM is not intended for newsletters, promoting webinars, solicitations/mass-stewardship, or other types of email marketing communications."

1. Create a Google Sheet with a list of all your recipients, using separate columns for first names, last names, and email addresses.
2. Draft your email message in Gmail.
3. Back in the Google Sheet, run your mail merge using the YAMM Add-on.

Install the YAMM add-on

1. Start up Google Sheets
2. Go to the Add-Ons menu and select Get Add-Ons
3. Search for Yet Another Mail Merge (YAMM)
4. Install YAMM, Allow access to G Suite.


Create your spreadsheet

1. Open a new Google Sheet.
2. Enter the field names (column names) that you want to use in the mail merge. For example:
   1. Email Address
   2. First Name
   3. Last Name
3. Enter the data for each column. You should have a sheet with both field names (column headings) and rows of data for your mail merge.  (Also, we recommend that you include yourself in the Google spreadsheet as recipient for the mail merge document to verify the submission.)
4. TIP: We have found that breaking your Google Sheet lists into smaller groups (max 300 rows) works best.

Draft your email message

1. Open Gmail.
2. Compose a new message. Leave the recipient email empty, and customize the email text.
3. To insert field names from the Google Sheet, use curly brackets to enclose the field name. Example:
   1. {{Email Address}}
   2. {{First Name}}
   3. {{Last Name}}
4. TIP: "Star" your draft message in Gmail so that it is easier to find within YAMM in the next step.

Send a test

1. Back in the Google Sheet, go to Add-ons, Yet Another Mail Merge, and select Start Mail Merge.
2. The Start Mail Merge pop up window will appear.
3. From the Email Template drop down, select the draft you created in Gmail.  (You can also browse for templates online using the Browse More Email Templates link below.)
4. Select Receive a test email to preview your mail merge.

Start your merge

1. If you are happy with your test merge, click the Send Emails button.  The Start Mail Merge pop up window will display a confirmation message. Click Okay to close the window.
2. A "Merge Status" column in your Google Sheet will show EMAIL_SENT.
3. When the email is opened by a recipient, the Google Sheet will update to show a shaded column entry as EMAIL_OPENED.

Track your campaign

1. Use the Tracking Report panel to view how many of your recipients have opened, clicked, or responded to your mail merge.  It will also display if any emails were bounced, or if recipients requested to unsubscribe.
2. Click the Plus Sign if you want to send a follow up email to a group of recipients.  You can choose to email a subset of your recipients (for example, those who opened or those who replied) or all of them.
3. You can also choose to track the follow up campaign in the same Google Sheet, or in a new one.
4. Select the Follow Up button to restart the YAMM.  You can select a new draft message and/or test your merge from here as well.
5. Please note that if you choose to follow up with a subset of your recipients, your Google Sheet will automatically create a filter for that group.  Click the Filter icon to view your original list of recipients.

Send as Another Email Address

To request "Send As" access to a Pepperdine email account, complete the following steps:

1. Click on the Gear Icon in the top right corner of your screen.
2. Select "Settings" from the drop down menu.
3. Click on the "Accounts" tab from the row of tabs across the top of the settings window.
4. In the second section, "Send mail as:," select "Add another email address you own."
5. In the pop-up window, add the name and email address of the account you are trying to access.
6. A confirmation will be sent to the requested email address that, once confirmed, will allow you to "Send As" that email address.

1. IMC "Policies, Brand Standards, and Best Practices"
2. IMC Marketing Cloud information
3. Full YAMM documentation