What Happens When You Click Send

What Happens When You Click Send

When you hit send on an email, a series of steps occurs before it lands in your subscriber's inbox. This process, known as Outbound Mail Management (OMM), typically happens in seconds but can take longer for larger sends.

Step-by-Step Breakdown:

1. Clicking Send: You initiate the process by choosing a guided, simple, test, or triggered send.

2. OMM Prepares: OMM detects the send and gets ready by analyzing whether the email is template-based or HTML-paste. It also identifies the subscriber source (list, group, or data extension) and checks for personalization or dynamic content. At this stage, databases are prepared, but the email isn't built yet.

3. Building the Email Structure: OMM creates the email's structure, including the header, footer, and body. It retrieves the subject line, content, AMPscript, and images.

4. Subscriber Analysis: With the structure in place, OMM matches the content to the subscriber list. If there's personalization or dynamic content, OMM determines what each subscriber will receive.

5. Email Assembly and Sending: Finally, OMM bundles the emails in batches of 500 and sends them out. Large sends with complex rules may take longer to complete.

Understanding this process helps you know why some emails send instantly while others may take more time.