Hosted LISTSERV lists contain data from the dataset. They can also have their own data fields that are not shared among lists in the dataset, but belong exclusively to the list. Lists that have their own fields will also have their own Web subscription forms generated when the list is created. All the fields that appear in the dataset and in a particular list can be used as merged fields for messages sent to that list.
To create a new hosted LISTSERV recipient list, select the dataset the list will be added to from the Recipient Datasets and Lookup Tables screen. The Recipient Dataset Details screen opens. This screen is split into two frames. The left frame will display all the lists (if any) that belong to the open dataset. Datasets with many lists can use folders called “categories” to organize lists so that they are easier to find. See Section 8 Organizing Datasets for more information.
Figure 23 Create Hosted LISTSERV List
When LISTSERV Maestro creates a LISTSERV list, it is assembling a “list header” that is made up of “keywords.” These keywords define the settings in the list, such as who may send mail to the list, who administers the list, how are bounces handled, and many other settings. Once the keywords are defined and written to the list header, the LISTSERV list can collect subscriptions.
LISTSERV Maestro provides a wizard that can create three different types of LISTSERV list, providing unique ways for subscribers to manage their settings and communicate. The three types of LISTSERV lists available are:
· Announcement List – This type of list is used for announcements and newsletters. Communication with subscribers is one-way, stemming from the LISTSERV Maestro sender and going to the subscribers. Subscribers are not allowed to post back to the list.
· Unmoderated Discussion List – This type of list is used for open discussion among list subscribers and any LISTSERV Maestro senders. Communication is two-way, originating from both subscribers and LISTSERV Maestro senders. Postings go directly to the list without being reviewed or edited.
· Moderated discussions – This type of list is used for a controlled discussion among subscribers and any LISTSERV Maestro senders. Postings sent to the list from subscribers are reviewed by a moderator who can approve the message for distribution to the rest of the list or reject the posting so it is not sent on to the rest of the list subscribers. Messages originating from LISTSERV Maestro are not subject to moderation.
Note: Once the list is created in the Hosted Recipient List wizard, it can be edited outside of LISTSERV Maestro using LISTSERV. This is an advanced skill for those administrators familiar with LISTSERV, but it must be exercised with caution as it has the potential to break the functioning of the list if certain keywords are modified in a way that is incompatible with LISTSERV Maestro. In particular, you must never change the DBMS= or Topics= keywords outside of Maestro or change the Maestro list ID, and certain keywords have restrictions that must be observed, especially Subscription=, Owner=, Validate=, and Misc-Options=. If any changes to the list header are made outside of LISTSERV Maestro, the wizard cannot be used again on the same list without losing all of the changes.
Similar to creating a dataset and creating a hosted recipient list, creating a hosted LISTSERV list is accomplished by using a wizard that guides you through all of the steps for designing the list and the accompanying web subscription form. The Hosted LISTSERV List Definition wizard is comprised of eight main screens – General, Profile Fields, Profile Field Details, List Type, List Options, Posting Restrictions, LISTSERV List Topic, and Summary. The settings available in the wizard vary depending on the type of LISTSERV list that is created.
A LISTSERV announcement list permits communication to run in one direction, from the sender of the message to the subscribers. Subscribers are not allowed to post back to the list, although they can send mail back to the sender of the message. Subscribers are, however, allowed to manage their own subscription settings based on the features of the list itself.
The General screen defines the general information pertaining to the list.
· Name – The name of the mailing list. Subscribers will see this name of the list on the web form when they subscribe. Data administrators will see the list name in the dataset tree and if they create a target group from a classic LISTSERV list (see Section 14 Classic LISTSERV List Target Groups for details). LISTSERV Maestro users will see the list name if they are allowed to define recipients for a job by sending to an existing LISTSERV list.
· Internal Description – The internal description is seen by users working within the Maestro User Interface.
· Public Description – The public description of the list appears on the subscription web form. If subscribers are permitted to select the lists they want to join and can view and change their subscription settings, having accurate descriptions will help them accomplish those tasks.
Figure 24 The Hosted LISTSERV List Wizard – General Screen
Once you’re finished specifying the name and description of the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
The Profile Fields screen lists all of the fields in the dataset. Other fields can be added to the list. Any added list fields will not be shared among the other lists in the dataset. To add a new field, click the Add Field link.
For each new field, enter the following information:
· Name – The name of the field as it will be used internally by the system for mail merging and querying. Field names can only use upper and lower case letters A-Z and a-z, the numbers 0 – 9 and the underscore “_”. Spaces and other special characters are not allowed.
· Display Name – The label that identifies the blank field on the web form. The display name will be seen by anyone accessing the list’s public subscription page on the Web. All alphanumeric characters are permitted, as well as spaces and special characters allowed by the encoding scheme of the dataset.
· Data Type – Choose the type of data to be entered in the field from the drop-down menu. Three different classifications of data are available (selection lists are not available for hosted LISTSERV lists):
o Text – Text fields can accept any type of text, including dates in specific formats such as dd/mm/yyy or mm.dd.yyyy.
o Number – Number fields accept any whole integers.
o Boolean – Boolean fields are based on two states – true or false.
· Mandatory – Decide whether the data is mandatory for subscribers to enter into the web form or optional. Optional fields can be designated as hidden or read-only if the subscribers are not allowed to enter or change the data in those fields. Boolean fields cannot be optional due to the nature of the data type – the selection equates to either true or false. Boolean fields may be visible or hidden.
After list fields are created, they can be edited, removed, moved up, or moved down by using the corresponding links. Fields that are part of the dataset cannot be moved or edited from this screen.
Figure 25 The Hosted LISTSERV List Wizard - Profile Fields Screen
Once you’re finished adding fields to the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
The Profile Field Details screen lets you specify which LISTSERV fields are used to assemble the “Full Name” of the list subscriber. Hosted LISTSERV lists require a Name Field to be defined. If a single name field exists for each subscriber, move that field from the Profile Fields box to the Name Fields box. If two (or more) fields are to be used to make up a full name, move each of the fields from the Profile Fields box to the Name Fields box. The second field is added after the first field, leaving a space in between. This makes it easy to combine a first name field with a last name field to produce a Full Name field, for example. Use the Move Up and Move Down links to change the order of the name fields. The fields are not required to be mandatory; although, the existence of at least one name field is required, but it does not have to be filled in by every subscriber.
Figure 26 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Profile Fields Details Screen
Once you’re finished specifying which fields are used, click [Next ->] to continue.
The List Type screen lets you select the type of list you want to create. Use the option buttons to select Announcement List.
Figure 27 The LISTSERV List Wizard - List Type Screen
An Announcement List is used for announcements and newsletters. Communication with subscribers is one-way, stemming from the LISTSERV Maestro sender and going to the subscribers. Subscribers are not allowed to post back to the list.
Once you’ve selected the type of list you want to create, click [Next ->] to continue.
The List Options screen is divided into several tabs: General Options, Reply Behavior, Bounce Handling, and List Archive. The List Archive tab is optional and will not appear unless archives have been set up in the HUB. For more information on archives, see the LISTSERV Maestro Administrator’s Manual.
All list types require that a list administrator called a “list owner” be set on the General Options tab. Enter at least one email address that will become the administrator (owner) of the LISTSERV list. Click the Edit link to add a new address or edit the existing ones in the pop-up dialog box. Entries must be valid Internet email addresses.
Figure 28 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Set the List Administrator
Click [OK] to accept the administrator address and return to the General Options tab.
There are two General List Options for announcement lists that can be enabled by checking the adjacent check box. They are:
· DIGEST Mode – Check Allow subscribers to enable DIGEST mode to give subscribers the opportunity to receive a digest of the list’s postings. A digest bundles all postings sent over the course of the day into one email. If a list receives many postings each day, then enabling a digest lets the subscribers choose to cut down on the number of emails they get while still receiving all the postings.
· Mail Merging – Mail merging uses recipient data to insert subscriber specific content into the message. Subscribers will each receive a customized copy of the message with their own email address and name on the To: line. Other data fields can be merged into the message as well to further personalize the email.
The Reply Behavior tab determines where any replies from subscribers are sent. There are three options available:
· Sender – Replies are directed to the sender of the email message. The sender address is the address based on the “From:” field of the posting.
· List Administrator – Replies can be directed to the list administrator address. This is the address that was entered in the General Options tab under List Administrator Email Addresses. If there is more than one list administrator, each address will receive all replies.
· Separate address – Replies are directed to an address that is entered in this field.
Figure 29 The List Wizard for LISTSERV List - Reply Behavior Tab
The Bounce Handling tab determines what happens to the subscriber addresses when messages sent to them bounce (are rejected by the email server and returned to the sender as undeliverable). LISTSERV lists can handle bounces by removing the subscriber addresses of bounced messages automatically or by collecting bounces for manual action. Unlike Hosted Recipient Lists, automatic removal of bounced addresses on Hosted LISTSERV Lists will remove the address from the list only, not from the dataset. Manually processed bounces are sent to the list administrator's mailbox. Select one of the bounce processing options:
· Remove immediately after first bounce – The address that bounced the mail will be removed from the list after the first bounce. Subscribers will have to be re-added to the list to receive any additional mail.
· Remove subscribers after X bounces within X days – Enter the number of bounces that are permitted in the first text box, and the number of days they can occur over in the second box. This setting is more flexible than the first setting. For example, if the reason for the bounce is temporary, such as a full mailbox, then new messages can still be sent. Subscribers will not be removed from the list unless the messages continue to bounce over the given time period, or bounce the number of times specified. Care must be taken to choose realistic numbers, in accordance with the list traffic. For example, if list messages are only sent once a month, then setting this to 2 bounces over 5 days will result in no addresses ever being removed. The only chance such a list would have of collecting 2 bounces would be over a period of (slightly over) one month – a valid bounce setting for a list with one posting per month would be 2 bounces within 35 days.
· Collect bounces for manual processing – Bounce addresses will be sent to the list administrator address where they can be reviewed and action can be taken manually. Subscriber addresses that generate bounces will not be removed from the list automatically, regardless of the number of bounces.
Figure 30 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Bounce Handling Tab
The List Archives tab will only appear if archives have been enabled in the HUB. List archives are a searchable history of all the messages posted to the list.
Figure 31 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Archives Tab
· Disabled/Enabled – Click the corresponding option button to enable or disable archives for the list. Although the ability to have archives is granted in the HUB, archives for individual lists will not be collected unless specifically enabled here.
· Create new archive files – Set the time frame for the creation of new archive files. Archives can be created on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.
· Archive viewable by – Sets the access level for list archives. Archives can be open to anyone, whether or not they are subscribed, open only to subscribers, or open only to administrators.
Once you’re finished defining the archive behavior, click [Next ->] to continue.
Posting restrictions set limitations on message attachments, message size, and the number of messages that can be sent to the list. These restrictions affect messages sent to the LISTSERV list when they are submitted as standard list postings. A standard list posting is a normal email message sent to the list. Standard list messages can be received in a digest form, and can be viewed in the list archives if archives have been created for the list. Standard list postings can be sent (without tracking) to the list address using a normal email client, or they can be sent using LISTSERV Maestro (with or without tracking) by selecting Send to an Existing LISTSERV List, while defining the recipients of a mailing, and by specifying Send job as standard list message (or by using a target group based on these selections).
There are two tabs that set posting restrictions for an announcement list:
· Attachment Handling – Sets the action the list will take when standard messages are receive with attachments. There are three options:
o Accept postings even if they contain attachments – the message will be sent with attachments intact.
o Accept postings but remove attachments – the message itself will be delivered to the list, but attachments will be stripped off.
o Reject postings if they contain attachments – any message submitted to the list with attachments will be automatically rejected.
Figure 32 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Attachments Handling Tab
· Size / Message Limits – Sets a size limit for each message posted to the list. The size can be limited by the number of lines, the number of kilobytes (KB), or the number of megabytes (MB) of the message. The total number of messages allowed to be posted to the list for the day can be set as well as the total number of postings per sender per day. Fields left blank will have no limitations imposed.
Figure 33 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Size/Message Limits Tab
Large active LISTSERV lists often use "sub-groups" within the list to give subscribers the opportunity to receive only the posts to the list they are most interested in reading. Sub-groups are created in LISTSERV by defining the topics. Lists can have up to 23 topics defined. List subscribers can elect to receive only those messages that fit into the topic(s) they are interested in reading. Similarly, messages can be posted only to specific topics. For example, a large list could have the general subject of XYZ Software. Topics could be defined by the types of users of the software, the type software purchased, the tips and tricks for using the software. For more information on Topics, see the LISTSERV List Owner's Manual.
To define a new topic, simply click the New Topic link and fill out the empty topic row that appears. In the list, topics are displayed either in the display mode or in the editable mode. In the display mode, each topic has an associated Edit link to set it into the editable mode. In the editable mode, the topic name can be changed and the following actions are available: Reset (forget changes and reset the topic to the state it had when the editable mode was last entered for it), Up (move the topic up one step in the topics list), Down (move the topic down one step in the topics list), and Remove (remove the topic).
Figure 34 The LISTSERV List Wizard – List Topics Screen
When you change the topics settings of a list that already has subscribers, all of the current subscribers' topics selections need to be adjusted. This will occur when the LISTSERV list wizard is completed. The adjustment may take some time and a progress bar will be displayed as the system works.
Tip: Changing topics on a list where subscribers are currently very active needs to be carefully considered so a major disruption does not occur. A better strategy would be to temporarily close the hosted LISTSERV list for maintenance (see the Summary page), adjust the topics, and then re-open the list.
When adding new topics to a list that already has subscribers, an additional option, Existing subscribers will have the new topics selected automatically, will appear. Select this option to add the new topics automatically to all the existing subscriptions. If this option is not selected, then the existing subscribers will not be subscribed to the new topics. Subscribers will be able to change their settings to add or drop the new topics if the dataset and list subscriber pages are enabled. This option applies to all topics that are added on this page during the same List wizard session. To add several topics, some of which the current subscribers are automatically subscribed to and some not, the List wizard has to be engaged twice, once with the option selected (for those topics to be added to all subscriptions) and once with the option not selected (for those topics that will not be added to all subscriptions).
The Summary screen displays all the selections made for the LISTSERV list during its creation. Use the [<- Back] button or any of the links on the top bar to revisit any page in the wizard to make changes.
Before the list can be used, its access level needs to be set. The list can be set to be accessible to anyone with access to the dataset wishing to subscribe, to be accessible to only list subscribers, or to have no public access. If a list is accessible to everyone, it will appear on the membership area Web page to anyone visiting that page. If the list is accessible only to members, the list will not appear in the membership area to everyone, it will only appear only to those who are subscribed to the list. This allows existing subscribers to manage their own settings, but new subscribers must be added by the Data Administrator or designated LISTSERV Maestro team members. Lists with no public access do not appear in the membership area to anyone.
Figure 35 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Summary Screen
Click [Finish] to accept the list as it is summarized and return to the Recipient Dataset Details screen.
Unmoderated discussion lists allow for two-way interaction between group members. These open forums facilitate ongoing discussions among members. They are most commonly used for internal communication within an organization or group of people. For instance, many universities use secure "class lists" for interaction between students and teachers or to conduct remote teaching.
Unlike a one-way list, a discussion list not only allows, but encourages interaction between members who are part of the group. Every member can write to the list, and in doing so, all members will receive a copy of the message. In this way, discussions can take place and views can be exchanged among a large number of people.
Unmoderated discussion lists can provide a dynamic platform for disseminating information, sharing opinions, collaborative learning, and much more. However, unmoderated discussion lists have the potential to generate a large amount of mail and take up server resources if archives are kept. Some thought needs to be given to the number and type of subscribers permitted to join this type of LISTSERV list and some monitoring may need to take place in order to keep the level and topics of discussion pertinent to list.
The General screen defines the general information pertaining to the list.
· Name – The name of the mailing list. Subscribers will see this name on the web form when they subscribe. Data administrators will see this name in the dataset tree if they create a target group from a classic LISTSERV list (see Section 14 Classic LISTSERV List Target Groups). Users will see the list name if they are allowed to define recipients for a job by sending to an existing LISTSERV list.
· Internal Description – The internal description is only seen by users working within the Maestro User Interface.
· Public Description – The public description of the list appears on the subscription web form. If subscribers are permitted to select the lists they want to join and can view and change their subscription settings, having accurate descriptions will help them accomplish those tasks.
Figure 36 The LISTSERV List Wizard - General Screen
Once you are finished specifying the name and description of the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
The Profile Fields screen lists all of the fields in the dataset. Other fields can be added to the list. Any added list fields will not be shared among the other lists in the dataset. To add a new field, click the Add Field link. For each new field, enter the following information:
· Name – The name of the field as it will be used internally by the system for mail merging and querying. Field names can only use upper and lower case letters A-Z and a-z, the numbers 0 – 9 and the underscore “_”. Spaces and other special characters are not allowed.
· Display Name – The label that identifies the blank field on the web form. The display name will be seen by anyone accessing the list’s public subscription page on the Web. All alphanumeric characters are permitted, as well as spaces and special characters allowed by the encoding scheme of the dataset.
· Data Type – Choose the type of data to be entered in the field from the drop-down menu. Three different classifications of data are available (selection lists are not available for hosted LISTSERV lists):
o Text – Text fields can accept any type of text, including dates in specific formats such as dd/mm/yyy or mm.dd.yyyy.
o Number – Number fields accept any whole integers.
o Boolean – Boolean fields are based on two states – true or false.
· Input Type – Decide whether the data is mandatory for subscribers to enter into the web form or optional. Optional fields can be designated as hidden or read-only if the subscribers are not allowed to enter or change the data in those fields. Boolean fields cannot be optional due to the nature of the data type. Boolean fields can be visible or hidden.
After list fields are created, they can be edited, removed, moved up, or moved down by using the corresponding links. Dataset fields cannot be moved or edited from this screen.
Figure 37 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Profile Fields Screen
Once you’re finished adding fields to the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
The Profile Field Details screen lets you specify which LISTSERV fields are used to assemble the “Full Name” of the list subscriber. Hosted LISTSERV lists require a Name Field to be defined. If a single name field exists for each subscriber, move that field from the Profile Fields box to the Name Fields box. If two (or more) fields are to be used to make up a full name, move each of the fields from the Profile Fields box to the Name Fields box. The second field is added after the first field, leaving a space in between. This makes it easy to combine a first name field with a last name field to produce a Full Name field, for example. Use the Move Up and Move Down links to change the order of the name fields. The fields are not required to be mandatory; although, the existence of at least one name field is required, but it does not have to be filled in by every subscriber.
Figure 38 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Profile Field Details Screen
Once you’ve finished specifying which fields are to be used for the name, click [Next ->] to continue.
The List Type screen lets you select the type of list you want to create. Select the Unmoderated Discussion List option. This type of list is used for two-way communication. Subscribers are allowed to post to the list directly. List postings are not reviewed by a moderator or editor.
Figure 39 The LISTSERV List Wizard - List Type Screen
Once you’re finished selecting the type of list you want to create, click [Next ->] to continue.
The List Options screen is divided into several tabs: General Options, Reply Behavior, Bounce Handling, and List Archive. The last tab, List Archive, is optional and will not appear unless archives have been set up in the HUB. For more information on archives, see the LISTSERV Maestro Administrator’s Manual.
All list types require that a list administrator called a “list owner” be set on the General Options tab. Enter at least one email address that will become the administrator (owner) of the LISTSERV list. Click the Edit link to add a new address or edit the existing ones in the pop-up dialog box. Entries must be valid Internet email addresses.
Figure 40 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Set the List Administrator
Click [OK] to accept the administrator address and return to the General Options tab.
There are three General List Options for announcement lists that can be enabled by checking the adjacent check box. They are:
· DIGEST Mode – Select the Allow subscribers to enable DIGEST mode option to give subscribers the opportunity to receive a digest of the list’s postings. A digest bundles all postings sent over the course of the day into one email. If a list receives many postings each day, enabling a digest lets the subscribers choose to cut down on the number of emails they get while still receiving all the postings.
· Mail Merging – Select the Use mail merging option to allow the system to insert subscriber specific content into the message based on the data associated with each subscriber. Subscribers will each receive a customized copy of the message with their own email address and name on the To: line. Other data fields can be merged into the message as well to further personalize the email.
· Acknowledgements – Select the Send acknowledgement message to posting subscriber option to have email messages sent to posters telling them that their mail has been received by the list and distributed to the list subscribers. If this setting is changed while there are existing subscribers on the list, their settings will not be affected. Only those subscribers who join the list after the setting change will have the new setting.
The Reply Behavior tab determines where any replies from subscribers are sent. There are three options available:
· Sender – Replies are directed to the sender of the email message. The sender address is the address based on the “From:” field of the posting.
· List – Replies are directed back to the list. If subscribers are not well informed that, when they hit the “reply” key in their mail client, their message goes to everyone, then they might post private or off topic messages back to the list by mistake.
· Both Sender & List – Replies are directed to both the original sender and the list.
· Separate address – Replies are directed to the address entered in this text box.
Figure 41 The List Wizard for LISTSERV List - Reply Behavior Tab
The Bounce Handling tab determines what happens to the subscriber addresses when messages sent to them bounce (are rejected from the email server and returned to the sender undeliverable). LISTSERV lists can handle bounces by removing the bouncing addresses automatically or by collecting bounces for manual action. Manually processed bounces are sent to the list administrator’s address. Select one of the three available the bounce processing options:
· Remove immediately after first bounce – The address that bounced the mail will be removed from the list after the first bounce. Subscribers will have to be re-added to the list to receive any additional mail.
· Remove subscribers after X bounces within X days – Enter the number of bounces that are permitted in the first text box, and the number of days they can occur over in the second box. This setting is more flexible than the first setting. For example, if the reason for the bounce is temporary, such as a full mailbox, then new messages can still be sent. Subscribers will not be removed from the list unless the messages continue to bounce over the given time period, or bounce the number of times specified. Care must be taken to choose realistic numbers, in accordance with the expected list traffic
· Collect bounces for manual processing – Bounce addresses will be sent to a specific address where they can be reviewed and action can be taken manually. Subscriber addresses that generate bounces will not be removed from the list automatically, regardless of the number of bounces.
Figure 42 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Bounce Handling Tab
The List Archive tab will only appear if archives have been enabled in the HUB. List archives are a searchable history of all the messages posted to the list.
Figure 43 The LISTSERV List Wizard – List Archive Tab
· Disabled/Enabled – Click the appropriate option button to enable or disable archives for the list. Although the ability to have archives is granted in the HUB, archives for individual lists are not collected unless specifically enabled here.
· Create new archive files – Set the time frame for the creation of new archive files using the drop-down menu. Archives can be created on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.
· Archive viewable by – Sets the access level for list archives. Archives can be open to anyone, subscriber or non-subscriber of a list, open to only subscribers, or open to administrators only.
Once finished specifying any additional options, click [Next ->] to continue.
Posting restrictions for unmoderated discussion lists set limitations on who can post to the list, message attachments, message size, and the number of messages that can be sent to the list. The posting restrictions screen has three tabs: Distribution Handling, Attachment Handling, and Size / Message Limits. Click each tab to enter its specific settings.
· Distribution Handling – Sets additional email addresses that have permission to post to the list without being subscribed to it. Additional addresses are optional. Addresses defined as the administrator addresses (on the General Settings screen) are allowed to post without being subscribed. Editor addresses are also not subject to the individual posting limits on the Size/Message Limits tab.
Figure 44 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Distribution Handling Tab
· Attachment Handling – Sets the action the list will take when standard messages are receive with attachments. There are three options:
o Accept postings even if they contain attachments – the message will be sent with attachments intact.
o Accept postings but remove attachments – the message itself will be delivered to the list, but attachments will be stripped off.
o Reject postings if they contain attachments – any message submitted to the list with attachments will be automatically rejected.
Figure 45 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Attachment Handling Tab
· Size / Message Limits – Sets a size limit for each message posted to the list. The size can be limited by the number of lines, the number of kilobytes (KB), or the number of megabytes (MB) of the message. The total number of messages allowed to be posted to the list for the day can be set as well as the total number of postings per day for each user. Fields left blank will have no limitations imposed.
Figure 46 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Size/Message Limits Tab
Once you’re finished specifying any restrictions, click [Next ->] to continue.
Note: These restrictions affect messages sent to the LISTSERV list when they are submitted as standard list postings. A standard list posting is a normal email message sent to the list. Standard list messages can be received in a digest form, and can be viewed in the list archives if archives have been enabled for the list. Standard list postings can be sent (without tracking) to the list address using a normal email client, or they can be sent using LISTSERV Maestro (with or without tracking) by selecting Send to an Existing LISTSERV List, while defining the recipients of a mailing, and by specifying Send job as standard list message (or by using a target group based on these selections).
Large active LISTSERV lists often use "sub-groups" within the list to give subscribers the opportunity to receive only the posts to the list they are most interested in reading. Sub-groups are created by defining topics. Lists can have up to 23 topics defined. List subscribers can elect to receive only those messages that fit into the topic(s) they are interested in reading. Similarly, messages can be posted only to specific topics. For example, a large list could have the general subject of XYZ Software. Topics could be defined by the types of users of the software, the type software purchased, or tips and tricks for using the software. For more information on Topics, see the LISTSERV List Owner's Manual.
To define a new topic, simply click the New Topic link and fill out the empty topic row that appears. In the list, topics are displayed either in the display mode or in the editable mode. In the display mode, each topic has an associated Edit link to set it into the editable mode. In the editable mode, the topic name can be changed and the following actions are available: Reset (forget changes and reset the topic to the state it had when the editable mode was last entered for it), Up (move the topic up one step in the topics list), Down (move the topic down one step in the topics list), and Remove (remove the topic).
When the topic settings of a populated list change, then all current subscribers' topic selections will need to be adjusted. This will occur when the LISTSERV list wizard is completed. The adjustment may take some time and a progress bar will be displayed as the system works.
Tip: Changing topics on a list where subscribers are currently very active needs to be carefully considered so a disruption does not occur. A better strategy would be to temporarily close the hosted LISTSERV list for maintenance (see the Summary page), adjust the topics, and then re-open the list.
When adding new topics to a list that already has subscribers, an additional option, Existing subscribers will have the new topics selected automatically, will appear. Select this option to automatically add the new topics to all the existing subscriptions. If this option is not selected, then the existing subscribers will not be subscribed to the new topics. Subscribers will be able to change their settings to add or drop the new topics if the dataset and list subscriber pages are enabled. This option applies to all topics that are added on this page during the same List wizard session. To add several topics, some of which the current subscribers are automatically subscribed to and some not, the List wizard has to be engaged twice, once with the option selected (for those topics to be added to all subscriptions) and once with the option not selected (for those topics that will not be added to all subscriptions).
Figure 47 The LISTSERV List Wizard – List Topics Screen
Once you’re finished selecting your topics for the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
The Summary screen displays all the selections made for the LISTSERV list during its creation. Use the [<- Back] button or any of the links in the top bar to revisit any page in the wizard to make changes.
Before the list can be used, its access level needs to be set. The list can be set to be accessible to anyone with access to the dataset wishing to subscribe, to be accessible to only list subscribers, or to have no public access. If a list is accessible to everyone, it will appear on the membership area Web page to anyone visiting that page. If the list is accessible only to members, the list will not appear in the membership area to everyone, it will only appear only to those who are subscribed to the list. This allows existing subscribers to manage their own settings, but new subscribers must be added by the Data Administrator or designated LISTSERV Maestro team members. Lists with no public access do not appear in the membership area to anyone.
Click [Finish] to accept the list as it is summarized and return to the Recipient Dataset Details screen.
Similar to the unmoderated discussion list, a moderated list allows for the exchange of postings between subscribers, but a moderator receives all incoming messages. The moderator then decides to accept the message, and post it to the list, or reject the message, and not post it to the list. Lists can be set up with more than one moderator.
Spamming and flaming are much less likely to happen on this type of list because all the postings are subject to approval by a person before they can be posted to the list.
Moderators receive and review postings sent to the list. They then decide to approve the messages, sending them through to the list, or reject them, preventing them from being sent to the list. If there are multiple moderators, the list postings are sent to all moderators. The first moderator to take action, approving or rejecting the message will determine how the message is handled in regards to the list.
The editors are those addresses that are allowed to send messages to the list without requiring moderation. If no moderator addresses are defined, then the first listed editor becomes the sole editor. The list administrator address is always allowed to send mail to the list without moderation, and if no moderator or editor addresses are added, then the first list administrator automatically becomes the moderator so that all messages sent to the list will go to that address for approval or rejection.
The General screen defines the general information pertaining to the list.
· Name – The name of the mailing list. Subscribers will see this name of the list on the web form when they subscribe. Data administrators will see the list name in the dataset tree and if they create a target group from a classic LISTSERV list (see Section 14 Classic LISTSERV List Target Groups for details). LISTSERV Maestro users will see the list name if they are allowed to define recipients for a job using by sending to an existing LISTSERV list.
· Internal Description – The internal description is only seen by users working within the Maestro User Interface.
· Public Description – The public description of the list appears on the subscription web form. If subscribers are permitted to select the lists they want to join and can view and change their subscription settings, then having accurate descriptions will help them accomplish those tasks.
Figure 48 The LISTSERV List Wizard – General Screen
Once you’ve finished specifying the name and description of the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
The Profile Fields screen lists all of the fields in the dataset. Other fields can be added to the list. Any added list fields will not be shared with the other lists in the dataset. To add a new field, click the Add Field link.
For each new field, enter the following information:
· Name – The name of the field as it will be used internally by the system for mail merging and querying. Field names can only use upper and lower case letters “A-Z” and “a-z”, the numbers “0 – 9” and the underscore “_”. Spaces and other special characters are not allowed.
· Display Name – The label that identifies the field on the web form. The display name will be seen by anyone accessing the list’s public subscription page on the Web. All alphanumeric characters are permitted, as well as spaces and special characters allowed by the dataset encoding scheme.
· Data Type – Choose the type of data to be entered in the field from the drop-down menu. Three different classifications of data are available (selection lists are not available for hosted LISTSERV lists):
o Text – Text fields can accept any type of text, including dates in specific formats such as dd/mm/yyy or mm.dd.yyyy.
o Number – Number fields accept any whole integers.
o Boolean – Boolean fields are based on two states – true or false.
· Input Type – Decide whether the data is mandatory for subscribers to enter into the web form or optional. Optional fields can be designated as hidden or read-only if the subscribers are not allowed to enter or change the data in those fields. Boolean fields cannot be optional due to the nature of the data type. Boolean fields can be visible or hidden.
After list fields are created, they can be edited, removed, moved up, or moved down by using the corresponding links on the right side of the table. Fields belonging to the dataset cannot be moved or edited from this screen.
Figure 49 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Profile Fields Screen
Once you’re finished adding fields to the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
The Profile Field Details screen lets you specify which LISTSERV fields are used to assemble the “Full Name” of the list subscriber.
Figure 50 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Profile Field Details Screen
Hosted LISTSERV lists require a Name Field to be defined. If a single name field exists for each subscriber, move that field from the Profile Fields box to the Name Fields box. If two (or more) fields are to be used to make up a full name, move each of the fields from the Profile Fields box to the Name Fields box. The second field is added after the first field, leaving a space in between. This makes it easy to combine a first name field with a last name field to produce a Full Name field, for example. Use the Move Up and Move Down links to change the order of the name fields. The fields are not required to be mandatory; although, the existence of at least one name field is required, but it does not have to be filled in by every subscriber.
Once you’re finished specifying the fields to use for the name, click [Next ->] to continue.
The List Type screen lets you select the type of list you want to create. Select the Moderated Discussion List option. This type of list is used for two-way communication. Subscribers’ posts are sent to a list moderator who can approve the message and have it distributed to the list members, or reject the message so it is not sent on to the list members.
Figure 51 The LISTSERV List Wizard - List Type Screen
Once you’ve selected the type of list you want to create, click [Next ->] to continue.
The List Options screen is divided into several tabs: General Options, Reply Behavior, Bounce Handling, and List Archive. The last tab, List Archive is optional and will not appear unless archives have been set up in the HUB. For more information on archives, see the LISTSERV Maestro Administrator’s Manual.
All LISTSERV list types require that a list administrator called a “list owner” be set on the General Options tab. Enter at least one email address that will become the administrator (owner) of the LISTSERV list. Click the Edit link to add a new address or edit the existing ones in the pop-up dialog box. Entries must be valid Internet email addresses.
Figure 52 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Set the List Administrator
Click [OK] to accept the administrator address and return to the General Options tab.
There are three General List Options for announcement lists. They are:
· DIGEST Mode – Select the Allow subscribers to enable DIGEST mode option to give subscribers the opportunity to receive a digest of the list’s postings. A digest bundles all postings sent over the course of the day into one email. If a list receives many postings each day, enabling a digest lets the subscribers choose to cut down on the number of emails they get while still receiving all the postings.
· Mail Merging – Select the Use mail merging option to allow the system to insert subscriber specific content into the message based on the data associated with each subscriber. Subscribers will each receive a customized copy of the message with their own email address and name on the To: line. Other data fields can be merged into the message as well to further personalize the email.
· Acknowledgements – Select the Send acknowledgement message to posting subscriber option to have email messages sent to posters telling them that their mail has been received by the list and distributed to the list subscribers. If this setting is changed while there are existing subscribers on the list, then their settings will not be affected. Only those subscribers who join the list after the setting change will have the new setting.
The Reply Behavior tab determines where any replies from subscribers are sent. There are three options available:
· Sender – Replies are directed to the sender of the email message. The sender address is the address based on the “From:” field of the posting.
· List – Replies are directed back to the list. If subscribers are not well informed that, when they hit the “reply” key in their mail client, their message goes to everyone, then they can post private or off topic messages back to the list by mistake.
· Both Sender & List – Replies are directed to both the original sender and the list..
· Separate address – Replies are directed to the address that is entered here.
Figure 53 The List Wizard for LISTSERV List - Reply Behavior Tab
The Bounce Handling tab determines what happens to the subscriber addresses when messages sent to them bounce (are rejected from the email server and returned to the sender undeliverable). LISTSERV lists can handle bounces by removing the bouncing addresses automatically or by collecting bounces for manual action. Manually processed bounces are sent to the list administrator. Select one of the three available the bounce processing options:
· Remove immediately after first bounce – The address that bounced the mail will be removed from the list after the first bounce. Subscribers will have to be re-added to the list to receive any additional mail.
· Remove subscribers after X bounces within X days – Enter the number of bounces that are permitted in the first text box, and the number of days they can occur over in the second box. This setting is more flexible than the first setting. For example, if the reason for the bounce is temporary, such as a full mailbox, then new messages can still be sent. Subscribers will not be removed from the list unless the messages continue to bounce over the given time period, or bounce the number of times specified. Care must be taken to choose realistic numbers, in accordance to the expected list traffic.
· Collect bounces for manual processing – Bounce addresses will be sent to a specific address where they can be reviewed and action can be taken manually. Subscriber addresses that generate bounces will not be removed from the list automatically, regardless of the number of bounces.
Figure 54 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Bounce Handling Tab
The List Archive tab will only appear if archives have been enabled in the HUB. List archives are a searchable history of all the messages posted to the list.
· Disabled/Enabled – Click the appropriate option button to enable or disable archives for the list. Although the ability to have archives is granted in the HUB, archives for individual lists are not collected unless specifically enabled here.
· Create new archive files – Set the time frame for the creation of new archive files using the drop-down menu. Archives can be created on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis.
· Archive viewable by – Sets the access level for list archives. Archives can be open to anyone, subscriber or non-subscriber of a list, open to only subscribers, or open to administrators only.
Figure 55 The LISTSERV List Wizard – List Archive Tab
Once you’re finished setting any additional options for the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
Posting restrictions for moderated discussion lists set limitations on who can post to the list, message attachments, message size and the number of messages that can be sent to the list. The posting restrictions screen has three tabs: Distribution Handling, Attachment Handling, and Size / Message Limits. Click each tab to enter its specific settings.
· Distribution Handling – Sets the moderator and editor addresses.
o Moderator Addresses – This address or addresses will receive postings from subscribers. Each address will receive all incoming messages, and the first address to approve or reject the message will determine the whether the message is sent to the list for distribution.
o Editor Addresses – These additional email addresses have permission to post to the list without being subscribed to it and without going through moderation. Additional addresses are optional. Addresses defined as the administrator addresses (on the General Settings screen) are allowed to post without being subscribed.
Figure 56 The LISTSERV List Wizard - Distribution Handling Tab
· Attachment Handling – Sets the action the list will take when standard messages are receive with attachments. There are three options:
o Accept postings even if they contain attachments – the message will be sent with attachments intact.
o Accept postings but remove attachments – the message itself will be delivered to the list, but attachments will be stripped off.
o Reject postings if they contain attachments – any message submitted to the list with attachments will be automatically rejected.
Figure 57 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Attachment Handling Tab
· Size / Message Limits – Sets a size limit for each message posted to the list. The size can be limited by the number of lines in the message, the number of kilobits (KB) or the number of megabits (MB) of the message. The total number of messages allowed to be posted to the list for the day can be set as well as the total number of postings per day for each user. Moderator, Editor, and Administrator addresses are exempt from the per poster user posting limits. Fields left blank will have no limitations imposed.
Figure 58 The LISTSERV List Wizard – Size/Message Limits Tab
Once you’re finished specifying any restrictions, click [Next ->] to continue.
Note: These restrictions affect messages sent to the LISTSERV list when they are submitted as standard list postings. A standard list posting is a normal email message sent to the list. Standard list messages can be received in a digest form, and can be viewed in the list archives if archives have been enabled for the list. Standard list postings can be sent (without tracking) to the list address using a normal email client, or they can be sent using LISTSERV Maestro (with or without tracking) by selecting Send to an Existing LISTSERV List, while defining the recipients of a mailing, and by specifying Send job as standard list message (or by using a target group based on these selections).
Large active LISTSERV lists often use "sub-groups" within the list to give subscribers the opportunity to receive only the posts to the list they are most interested in. Sub-groups are created in LISTSERV by defining the keyword Topics in the list header. Lists can have up to 23 topics defined in the header. List subscribers can elect to receive only those messages that fit into the topic(s) they are interested in reading. Similarly, messages can be posted only to specific topics. For example, a large list could have the general subject of XYZ Software. Topics could be defined by the types of users of the software, the type software purchased, or tips and tricks for using the software. For more information on Topics, see the LISTSERV List Owner's Manual.
To define a new topic, simply click the New Topic link and fill out the empty topic row that appears. In the list, topics are displayed either in the display mode or in the editable mode. In the display mode, each topic has an associated Edit link to set it into the editable mode. In the editable mode, the topic name can be changed and the following actions are available: Reset (forget changes and reset the topic to the state it had when the editable mode was last entered for it), Up (move the topic up one step in the topics list), Down (move the topic down ones step in the topics list), and Remove (remove the topic).
When the topic settings of a populated list change, all current subscribers' topic selections will need to be adjusted. This will occur when the LISTSERV list wizard is completed. The adjustment may take some time and a progress bar will be displayed as the system works.
Tip: Changing topics on a list where subscribers are currently very active needs to be carefully considered so a disruption does not occur. A better strategy would be to temporarily close the hosted LISTSERV list for maintenance (see Summary page), adjust the topics, and then re-open the list.
When adding new topics to a list that already has subscribers, an additional option, Existing subscribers will have the new topics selected automatically, will appear. Select this option to automatically add the new topics to all existing subscriptions. If this option is not selected, then the existing subscribers will not be subscribed to the new topics. Subscribers will be able to change their settings to add or drop the new topics if the dataset and list subscriber pages are enabled. This option applies to all topics that are added on this page during the same List wizard session. To add several topics, some of which the current subscribers are automatically subscribed to and some not, the List wizard has to be engaged twice, once with the option selected (for those topics to be added to all subscriptions) and once with the option not selected (for those topics that will not be added to all subscriptions).
Figure 59 The LISTSERV List Wizard – List Topics Screen
Once you’re finished specifying the topics available for the list, click [Next ->] to continue.
The Summary screen displays all the selections made for the LISTSERV list during its creation. Use the [<- Back] button or any of the links in the top bar to revisit any page in the wizard to make changes.
Before the list can be used, its access level needs to be set. The list can be set to be accessible to anyone with access to the dataset wishing to subscribe, to be accessible to only list subscribers, or to have no public access. If a list is accessible to everyone, it will appear on the membership area Web page to anyone visiting that page. If the list is accessible only to members, the list will not appear in the membership area to everyone, it will only appear only to those who are subscribed to the list. This allows existing subscribers to manage their own settings, but new subscribers must be added by the Data Administrator or designated LISTSERV Maestro team members. Lists with no public access do not appear in the membership area to anyone.
Click [Finish] to accept the list as it is summarized and return to the Recipient Dataset Details screen.
Figure 60 LISTSERV List Wizard - Summary
