How to configure newsletter notifications

Updated 17 days ago

Overview

Simpplr sends notifications to users when a new newsletter is published. As an App manager, you can control whether mobile push notifications are enabled for newsletters. This article explains how to configure newsletter notification settings at the app level and what users can control themselves.

Before you begin

You must be an App manager to configure default notification settings.
Newsletter notifications work across in-app, mobile push, and email channels.

How newsletter notifications work

When a newsletter is sent, recipients are notified in the following ways:

Channel	Behaviour
Email	Newsletter is delivered to the recipient's inbox by default
In-app notification	Recipients receive an in-app notification with a direct link to the newsletter. This cannot be disabled by users they receive it regardless of profile settings
Mobile push notification	If enabled at the app level, users can choose whether to receive mobile push notifications for new newsletters
SMS	If SMS is selected as a distribution channel, users receive a link to the newsletter via text message. SMS delivery ignores app-wide notification settings

Step 1 – Access notification default settings

Go to your User menu and select Manage.
Navigate to Application > Defaults.
The Defaults page shows all notification settings you can configure for your users.

Step 2 – Enable mobile push notifications for newsletters

On the Defaults page, scroll to the Newsletters section.
Check the box to enable mobile push notifications for new newsletters.

Once enabled, end users can configure their own mobile push notification preference for newsletters from their profile settings.

Note: mobile push notifications for newsletters are only configurable from the Mobile channel. They are not available under email, browser, or SMS notification settings.

Step 3 – Apply settings to all existing users (optional)

By default, new notification settings apply to new users going forward. To apply them to all existing users:

Scroll to the bottom of the Defaults page.
Click Overwrite notification settings for all users.
Confirm the action.

Note: users can manually change their own notification settings at any time after this.

Step 4 – Disable SMS as a distribution option (if SMS is not in use)

If your organisation does not use SMS notifications, you can prevent SMS from appearing as a distribution option in the newsletter editor.

Go to Manage > Application > Setup > SMS notifications.
Disable the SMS notifications setting.

Once disabled, SMS will no longer appear as a selectable channel when newsletter managers configure distribution.

What end users can control

Setting	User-configurable?
In-app notifications for newsletters	❌ No – always received
Mobile push notifications for newsletters	✅ Yes – if enabled at app level
Email delivery of newsletters	Configured by Newsletter manager at send time
SMS delivery of newsletters	Configured by Newsletter manager at send time

Things to keep in mind

Do Not Disturb hours: if Do Not Disturb hours are enabled for your organisation, newsletters will still send at the scheduled time and users will receive the notification, even if the send time falls outside working hours.
Newsletter sending failure notifications: if a newsletter fails to send, an email notification is sent to the newsletter manager and a support ticket is automatically created. This is an Early Access feature available upon request.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can users turn off in-app notifications for newsletters?

Ans: No. In-app notifications for newsletters are always received and cannot be disabled by users, regardless of their profile settings.

Q: Do I need to enable anything before users can get mobile push notifications for newsletters?

Ans: Yes. Mobile push notifications must first be enabled at the app level from the Defaults page. Once enabled, individual users can then choose their own preference from their profile settings.

Q: If I enable mobile push notifications, will it apply to existing users automatically?

Ans: By default, new settings only apply to new users going forward. To apply the change to all existing users, use the Overwrite notification settings for all users option on the Defaults page.

Q: Can I stop SMS from appearing as a distribution channel if we don't use it?

Ans: Yes. Go to Manage > Application > Setup > SMS notifications and disable the setting. SMS will then no longer appear as an option for newsletter managers when configuring distribution.

Q: Will newsletters still be delivered during Do Not Disturb hours?

Ans: Yes. Newsletters send at their scheduled time regardless of Do Not Disturb hours, and users will still receive the notification even if it falls outside working hours.

Q: What happens if a newsletter fails to send?

Ans: An email notification is sent to the newsletter manager, and a support ticket is automatically created. This is an Early Access feature available upon request.

Q: Where can users manage their own mobile push notification preference for newsletters?

Ans: This is only configurable from the Mobile channel in their notification settings; it isn't available under email, browser, or SMS settings.

Q: Can users override notification defaults after an App manager has applied them to everyone?

Ans: Yes. Even after settings are applied to all existing users, individuals can still manually change their own notification preferences at any time afterward.