# GNA (Gone No Address)

### Overview

GNA stands for **Gone No Address**. It is a system field that exists on every contact record in UbiQuity, and alongside Opt Outs, it controls whether a contact is eligible to receive mailouts. GNA is a boolean field - it is either **No** (the default) or **Yes**.

When a contact is marked as GNA, they are automatically excluded from all mailouts going forward.

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### How a contact gets marked GNA

A contact is automatically set to GNA = Yes when their email address receives a **hard bounce** from any mailout sent through UbiQuity. This happens when the receiving mail server returns a permanent failure - for example, because the email address doesn't exist or the domain can't be resolved.

Once a hard bounce occurs, the email address is added to the UbiQuity Amazon SES suppression list, and the contact's GNA flag is set to Yes. This process is automatic and applies across all mailouts in the platform, not just the one that triggered the bounce.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** GNA contacts are excluded from standard mailouts and automated mailouts. However, triggered emails from Forms, Surveys, or Events will still be sent by UbiQuity.
{% endhint %}

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### How to resolve or remove GNA

You cannot manually reset the GNA flag on a contact. The **only way to remove a GNA flag is to update the contact's email address** - either manually in UbiQuity, via an import, or through the API. Updating the email address resets the GNA flag and the contact will become eligible to receive mailouts again.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Important:** Do not delete GNA contacts from your database to work around this. Deleting contacts undermines UbiQuity's built-in spam protection and can negatively affect your sending reputation. Leave GNA contacts in the system and let UbiQuity manage their exclusion for you.
{% endhint %}

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### GNA vs Opted Out

GNA and Opted Out are two separate flags on every contact record, and they work independently of each other. Understanding the difference helps you manage your contact list correctly.

|                                 | GNA                                            | Opted Out                                            |
| ------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| **What it means**               | The email address is undeliverable             | The contact has chosen not to receive emails         |
| **How it's set**                | Automatically, on a hard bounce                | By the contact via an opt-out form, or manually      |
| **Can it be manually changed?** | No - only updating the email address resets it | Yes, but only with good reason like explicit consent |
| **Excluded from mailouts?**     | Yes                                            | Yes                                                  |

Sending emails to Opted Out contacts is against the law and could damage your reputation. Only change the Opted Out flag if you have a clear, legitimate reason to do so.

***

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Why has a contact been marked as GNA when I know their email address is valid?** This can happen if the email address previously hard bounced from a mailout - for example, if the contact had a temporary issue with their mailbox that was misclassified, or if they've since moved back to an email address they used before. To resolve this, update the contact's email address in UbiQuity. Even updating it to the same address may not work in all cases - if in doubt, reach out to your account team.

**Will GNA contacts still receive any emails from UbiQuity?** Yes. GNA contacts are excluded from mailouts and automated mailouts, but triggered emails from Forms, Surveys, or Events will still be sent by UbiQuity.

**What happens if I import a contact who is already on the suppression list?** If the email address is on the Amazon SES suppression list, the contact will be marked as GNA automatically. Updating their email address to a valid, deliverable address is the correct way to restore their eligibility.

**Can I bulk-reset GNA contacts?** Not directly through the UbiQuity interface. You would need to update email addresses via an import or through the API to reset the GNA flag in bulk.


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