How do I create and use an Email Series?

Note: Email Series is a legacy feature that is being discontinued in favor of Workflow Automation. For new email journeys, use Workflow Automation instead. The steps below apply if you are maintaining or extending an existing Email Series. 

An Email Series lets you send the same email or a sequence of emails to contacts who meet a set of dynamic search criteria. It’s most commonly used to welcome new subscribers, re-engage lapsed donors, or ask recurring donors to renew a failed commitment. 

Step 1: Create your saved search 

Before setting up the series, create a saved search in Create A List to define who should receive it. You must use saved searches (not saved lists) — Email Series runs the search each day to find new contacts who qualify. 

Step 2: Open Targeted Email and create a new Email Series 

From the Targeted Email dashboard, select Create New Email > Create Email Series. Enter a unique name and optional description. 

Step 3: Configure exclusions 

You can choose to Exclude anyone currently in this series from receiving your regular Targeted Emails. This helps ensure new subscribers receive consistent onboarding messaging. Once a contact completes the series, they return to your regular sends. You can also set how long to wait before normal messaging resumes. 

Step 4: Select recipients and compose your first message 

Select Create First Email. Choose your saved search as the recipient source. Compose the message as you would any other Targeted Email. 

The saved search you select for your first email determines who enters the series. The series runs the search each day and sends the first message to any new qualifying contacts. 

Step 5: Set delivery timing 

On the Review & Deliver Message step, configure: 

• Send — which message in the series the current one follows 

• Schedule — the series attempts to send the first message every day 

• Preferred Send Time — your preferred time of day (high-volume periods may cause delays) 

Step 6: Add more messages and launch 

Save your first message. From the Email Series dashboard, add additional emails using the same process. For each subsequent message, you can: 

• Select a delay — the number of days after the previous message before this one sends 

• Set a “don’t send after” date — to avoid sending time-sensitive messages long after the criteria were met 

When ready, select Launch Series to start the daily search and send. 

Step 7: Monitor your series 

Return to the Email Series section of the Targeted Email dashboard to view the status, number of unique recipients, and start date for each series. Select a series to see details for individual messages. Use the Email Comparison Report with Group By > Email Series Name to compare series performance. 

Not quite what you were searching for? 

• Navigate back to the Email Campaigns & Management Resource Index.

How do I create an Email Series in EveryAction? | How do I set up a welcome series in Targeted Email? | How do I add a delay to an Email Series in EveryAction? | How do I launch an Email Series in EveryAction? | How do I monitor Email Series performance in EveryAction? | How do I use saved searches with Email Series in EveryAction? | What is the difference between Email Series and Automation in EveryAction?