Send one-way emails
Use One-way Messaging to send a single, targeted email to families, with subject, sender, schedule, recipients, and basic delivery logs.
What one-way email messaging is
One-way Messaging lets you send a single email from Campium to a selected audience, such as all parents in a session or a specific group. Recipients can read the message in their email inbox but do not reply back through Campium.
Use this when you want to share updates, reminders, or announcements without starting a back-and-forth email conversation.
Open One-way Messaging
Access one-way emails from the Communication menu.
Go to Communications
- Sign in as an admin or staff user.
- Open the main navigation.
- Select Communication.
Open One-way Messaging
- Under Communication, choose One-way Messaging or Email.
- This opens the page where you create and manage individual one-way emails.
You now see the screen where you set up the email details, choose who should receive it, and review logs after it sends.
Create and send a one-way email
Use the email editor to fill in your message details, choose timing, test, and then send.
Set up email details (Settings tab)
- Enter a Name of Email so you can recognize this message later in your list.
- Fill in From Email Address (must be {domains}) using an allowed sender address for your camp.
- Add a clear Subject so families understand what the message is about.
- In the Email field, type or paste your message. Use the rich text tools to format headings, lists, or links as needed.
Use the Merge Variables: {first_name} {last_name} {email} to personalize your message. For example, insert {first_name} in the greeting to show each recipient's first name.
- If needed, add addresses in BCC (separate by commas) to copy internal staff or additional recipients without showing their addresses to others.
Add attachments (optional)
- In the File (pdf or image) field, attach any documents you want to include, such as a packing list or schedule.
- Attachments support common pdf or image formats.
- The attached file appears as part of the email your families receive.
Large attachments can make emails slower to load. When possible, link out to documents you store elsewhere and keep attachments small.
Choose when to send
- Use When To Send to control timing.
- Set the date and time if you want to schedule the message for later.
- Leave it as soon as possible if you plan to send right away using Send Now.
Preview and test
- Click Preview Email to see how the message will look to families, including merge fields.
- Use Send Test Email to send a copy to yourself or a teammate to confirm formatting, links, and attachments.
Always send a test email before sending a large communication. Check that the subject, greeting, and merge variables look correct.
Send the email
- After reviewing your preview and test, return to the email editor.
- Confirm the When To Send time and your recipient selection.
- Click Send Now to queue the message to go out.
Once you send an email, you cannot edit that specific send. Use Send To Updated Recipients (when available) if you later update the audience and need to send the same message to new recipients.
When the email sends successfully, you will see status information such as Sent: {sent_datetime} and basic delivery and open information in the Logs area.
Settings, Recipients, and Logs
Use the tabs in One-way Messaging to move between your email setup, audience, and delivery history.
The Settings area controls the content and basic behavior of your one-way email.
Key fields include:
- Name of Email: A label for internal use so you and your team can recognize this message in lists and logs.
- From Email Address (must be {domains}): The sender address families see. This must match an allowed domain for your camp.
- Subject: The subject line that appears in the recipient's inbox.
- Merge Variables:
{first_name}{last_name}{email}: Short codes you insert into the subject or body to personalize each email with the recipient's details. - Email: The main message editor where you write and format the body of the email.
- When To Send: A date and time picker that controls when the email is delivered.
- BCC (separate by commas): An optional field for extra recipients who should receive the email without being visible to the main audience.
- File (pdf or image): An upload area for an attachment, such as a pdf or image, that is included with the email.
Actions available from Settings include:
- Preview Email to view the final layout.
- Send Test Email to send a test copy to yourself or another address.
- Send Now to send the message at the configured time.
Some screens also include options like Save Template, Save Filter, or Save so you can reuse content or audience filters later.
The Recipients area controls who receives this one-way email. Use it to target the right families or participants based on your camp's data.
In this area you typically:
- Choose filters to narrow down who should receive the message (for example, by session, cabin, or role such as parent or guardian).
- Review the list of matched recipients to confirm the audience before you send.
- Adjust filters if the audience is too broad or too narrow.
After the first send, if your underlying data changes (for example, new families are added or records are updated), you may see a Send To Updated Recipients option. Use this action to send the same email to newly matching recipients without resending to everyone who already received it.
Before sending, scan the recipient count shown in this area. Make sure the number of recipients matches your expectations for the announcement you are sending.
The Logs area shows basic delivery information for your one-way email. This helps you understand whether the message has gone out and how recipients are engaging with it.
Common status and activity labels include:
- Received or Updated: Indicate that the recipient record or delivery status has refreshed.
- Opened: Shows that the recipient opened the email at least once.
- Sent: {sent_datetime}: Displays the time the email was sent.
- Not Sent: Shows that the email did not send to that recipient, often due to filters or send conditions.
Use these logs to confirm that the email left Campium and to spot patterns, such as many Not Sent entries, that may suggest issues with your audience selection.
Logs focus on high-level delivery and open activity. They are not a full reporting tool, and some events (such as exact read time or forwarding) are not tracked.
When to use one-way emails
Use One-way Messaging when you need to:
- Announce schedule changes or weather updates.
- Share arrival or departure instructions.
- Send reminders about forms, payments, or packing lists.
- Share general camp news that does not require a direct reply.
For back-and-forth conversations or individual support, use your usual email or messaging tools outside of One-way Messaging, and reserve these emails for clear, consistent announcements to your families.
Last updated 1 day ago