# Creating an Automated Mailout Automated Mailouts let you send emails to contacts based on lifecycle events or date-based triggers - without manually sending each time. Common uses include: * Sending a birthday email * Following up five days after a purchase with a survey link * Notifying a contact before their subscription expires * Sending welcome programme emails Automated Mailout filters work similarly to standard mailout filters, with additional options for date-based conditions - for example, *5 days after Sign-up Date*. When you create an Automated Mailout you are taken to the **Automated Mailout Dashboard**. The mailout will not run until it has been activated. Use **Run Now** to trigger it immediately at any time. *** ### Content and Preview Build the email content in the same way as a standard mailout. See [Email Templates](/documentation/channels/email/email-templates.md) for details. *** ### Track Links Select the links to track in the same way as a standard mailout. See [Creating a Mailout - Track Links ](/documentation/channels/email/creating-a-mailout.md#track-links)for details. *** ### Filter The filter works similarly to a standard mailout filter. #### Automatically excluded contacts Contacts flagged as **GNA** or who are **Opted Out** are automatically excluded. See [Email Delivery and Statuses](/documentation/channels/email/email-delivery-and-statuses.md) for details. *** ### Dedupe Works the same as for a standard mailout, but duplicates are calculated at the time the Automated Mailout runs rather than at setup. *** ### Recurrence Set how often the Automated Mailout should run - for example, daily, weekly, or monthly. *** ### Activate The Activate screen shows a projected target count - the number of contacts expected to be included when the mailout next runs. This is a projection only, as data may change before the run date. Once activated, the dashboard updates to include reporting and a run history. Deactivate the mailout to make changes. *** ### Pre-send Checklist We recommend prior to sending a mailout that you go through the pre-send checklist to make sure that everything has been double checked. {% file src="/files/6WzlxCixHSqX8JAZYBhj" %} We also strongly recommend that you do a live email test send to yourself and/or other stakeholders to ensure that everything is working correctly for your email. *** ### Mailout Projections Once active, the **Mailout Projections** section shows how many emails are expected to send on future dates. Click a date to see which contacts would be included, and click a contact to preview how merge fields will appear for them. Projections are based on current data and may differ from actual sends if your database changes before the scheduled date. *** ### Mailout Report See [Mailout Reports](/documentation/channels/email/mailout-reports.md) for details on viewing and interpreting Automated Mailout reports. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.ubiquity.co.nz/documentation/channels/email/creating-an-automated-mailout.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.