Release 6.2 - 2022 Feb

1.0 imicampaign Campaign Manager Module on the New UI

1.1 New two-step login process to better support SSO

From this release, imicampaign login process now will be split across 2 screens - you will have to enter your username on the initial screen and then password on the next screen.

This change is essential to better support the ‘Single-Sign-On’ feature that many clients are now using as mandated by their IT Security policies.

If you would like to implement SSO for imicampaign, please contact your Cisco / IMI Client Representative. Currently, we support SAML-based SSO with Microsoft Azure Active Directory Service. In the future, we may support SSO with other vendors.

1.2 Deployment Diary: View all scheduled deployments for the next 7 days (BETA)

This feature is only available on our New UI and is currently being rolled out as a ‘Beta’ feature. You can access it from the menu ‘Campaigns’ >> ‘Campaign Management’ >> ‘Deployment Diary’.

The main purpose of this ‘Deployment Diary’ is to show an overview of all your upcoming scheduled deployments today / over the next 7 days. You can then use this view as an input into your planning for your marketing team and for checking that you have sufficient message bandwidth (TPS) available for multiple deployments that may have been planned with the same Router with the overlapping schedule.

The screen is divided into 2 panels: the left panel shows the list of deployments, and the right panel shows the schedule of each deployment - with the color of the schedule bar indicating the status of the deployment.

Usage Notes for Deployment Diary:

• The default view shows the deployments created today by the logged-in user. This default filter can be changed to show deployments created by other users or created by ‘All’ users. Similarly, the date range can be changed to show deployments scheduled during the 7 days period from today.
• The deployments are sorted by ‘date ascending’ order.
• The left panel also shows the router and the TPS for each deployment. This information will be useful to assess whether there is sufficient router bandwidth available for upcoming deployments which might be scheduled to send out messages at the same time – thus sharing a router’s available bandwidth capacity.
• The ‘Router’ column also shows the available TPS bandwidth for that router (the number in parentheses after the router name).
• The ‘Deployment TPS’ column shows the TPS specified by the user for that specific deployment.
• By clicking on the deployment name, you can directly go to the ‘Deployment Summary’ page for that specific deployment.
• On the right panel, when you hover the mouse over any schedule bar, more detailed schedule information is displayed.
• The hours (0 to 24) at the top of the right panel are in the timezone of the logged-in user. So, if a user in France has scheduled a deployment to be activated at 9 am CET, and if a user in the UK is viewing that deployment on the ‘Deployment Diary’ screen, then its activation time will be shown as 8 am.
• A deployment in ‘Draft’ status will appear on this screen only if the user has configured and saved the ‘Schedule’ node of the deployment.
• If a deployment schedule involves ‘batching’, then this is indicated by the suffix ‘(B)’ under the ‘Schedule’ column.
• If a Onetime Deployment is scheduled with the ‘Immediately’ schedule option, then instead of a schedule bar on the right panel, the words “Immediately after activation” are shown on the right panel.
• For ‘Instant Deployments’, in case of the ‘Basic schedule’, the schedule bar is shown spanning the entire day (0 Hrs. to 24 Hrs.).
• In case of A/B deployments, each variant deployment (A, B, C..) and the ‘winner deployment’ are shown as separate deployments on this ‘Deployment Diary’ screen. The ‘winner deployment’ will be displayed only after the ‘winner schedule’ has been decided.

1.3 Contact-Frequency-Capping

This feature is only available on our New UI. The contact frequency capping feature can be used to control the maximum number of messages sent out to audience contacts depending on the channel and message purpose for defined time windows. This can help prevent sending more than the desired number of messages to the contacts and avoid messaging fatigue. The old ‘Policy Management’ feature is being deprecated.

1.3.1 Creating a new contact-frequency-capping rule

You can create new contact frequency rules under Administration>Tenant Management > Contact Frequency Rules by clicking on the “Add New Contact Frequency Rule”.

While creating a new frequency, you will have to follow a 4 Step process as below:
Step 1: Specify a contact frequency rule name and an optional description.

Step 2: Select an associated channel for the rule.
You can choose one of SMS/MMS or Email as options. The reason SMS and MMS are treated as a common option is because the contact identifier for both channels will be a mobile phone number and hence all messages to the contact’s phone number will be considered as sent messages.

Step 3: Select a Deployment Purpose to associate the rule.

You can only select one Purpose from the drop-down. All deployments which use this selected Purpose as a meta-tag will have the frequency capping rule applied to them automatically.

Step 4: Specify the maximum frequency of messages under this rule.

The maximum frequency is specified in terms of messages ‘per day’, ‘per week’, and ‘per month’. If this rule is applied to a deployment and a targeted contact has received equal or a greater number of messages for the day, week, or month across deployments than the value permitted by the applied rule, then the contact will be suppressed during TG preparation and the contact will not receive the outbound message.

Usage notes for creating contact-frequency-capping rules:

• Rules will be active by default when created. You can choose to de-activate or delete rules from the three-dot menu.
• You can only have 4 active rules for each of SMS/MMS and Email channels. If there are already 4 active rules for SMS/MMS or Email channel, you can de-activate an existing rule to create a new rule for the channel.
• Rules are not segregated by User Group and are visible to all users under the tenant.
• Rules are applied (and contacts are suppressed according to the rules) as part of a deployment’s TG preparation process.
• Rules are not applied retroactively to deployments for which the TG-Preparation was already completed. i.e., A rule is applied only to deployments for which the TG will be prepared after a rule became active.
• While editing a rule, the purpose and channel values cannot be updated. Only messages per day, per week, and per month can be updated.

1.3.2 Applying contact-frequency-capping rules

Frequency capping rules will be applied automatically to SMS, MMS, and Email deployments after the Deployment Purposes are specified - if any of those Purposes have any active frequency-capping rules associated with them. One deployment can have multiple rules applied to it, depending on the selected purposes. Frequency Capping is enabled by default. You can choose to disable the “Apply Contact Frequency Rules” option under the “Additional Options” node on the deployment.

If ‘Purpose’ meta-tags have been applied to the deployment, then hovering on the “i” information icon next to the “Apply contact frequency rule” toggle will show the rules which will be applied to the deployment.

Usage notes for application of contact-frequency-capping rules:

• Frequency capping is only applicable for deployments with Content Type = Message. It is not applicable for deployments with Content Type = API or File.
• Frequency Capping is only available for SMS, MMS, and Email channels.
• Frequency capping is not available as a feature for MO triggered instant deployments, Real-time Follow Up deployments, AB Promotion deployments, and AB Follow Up deployments.
• Frequency capping will not be applicable for messages sent to seed lists.
• Frequency Capping will not apply to test messages sent from the “Preview and Test” screen.
• Frequency capping will not apply to Preview test sends for the Auto-Generated test variant messages.
• Success and Failure Messages sent on top of API success/ failure codes or statuses will not be considered for frequency capping
• Frequency capping is only validated at the time the 1st batch of a batched deployment.
• Frequency capping will not be able to consider changes if deployments are paused and resumed because in these cases, the TG is already prepared and thus a contact may get an outbound message even if they should be suppressed because of other messages sent through other deployments to them whilst this deployment was paused.
• Frequency capping will not suppress multiple messages to a TG contact if the contact is duplicated in the TG associated with a deployment.
• Using the Frequency Capping feature may impact the time taken to prepare the TG for a deployment depending on the TG size and the number of applicable frequency capping rules.

1.3.3 Computing contact-frequency-capping rules

To decide whether to suppress an outbound message to an email / a mobile number based on contact-frequency-capping rules, imicampaign will go through the following steps during the TG processing:

• All the frequency capping rules associated with all the ‘Purpose’ meta-tags selected for the deployment are assessed to determine the minimum permitted messages that can be sent to the contacts within the TG for the duration of 1-day, 1-week, and 1-month.
• At the time of TG preparation, the minimum permitted values across all capping rules for 1-day, 1-week, and 1-month duration are compared against the number of messages already sent out to each TG contact for 1-day, 1-week, and 1-month. Only if sending out the message for the current deployment to a specific contact will not violate the minimum permitted values for any of 1-day, 1-week, or 1-month, only then the message is sent out to the TG contact (email or mobile number); otherwise, the message is not sent i.e., “the contact is frequency-capped”.
• After TG has been prepared and messages are pushed out (not delivered) for a deployment, then the counters-of-messages-sent are incremented by 1 for each of the TG contacts, to whom the message was pushed. These are counters for each applicable ‘Purpose’ meta-tag for messages sent in the last 1-day, 1-week, and 1-month durations.
• These revised message counters are then used for frequency capping comparisons for subsequent deployments.
• Frequency capping counters for TG contacts may take up to 60 minutes to update after the TG contact is processed for a deployment.
• The frequency counts for each contact across 1-day, 1-week, and 1-month durations will be reset as per the following schedule:
  • At 00:01 Hrs. tenant time zone every day, the ‘Current 1 Day Tally’ for each contact will be reset to 0 for every purpose, for each channel.
  • At 00:01 Hrs. tenant time zone every Monday, the ‘Current Week Tally’ for each contact will be reset to 0 for every purpose, for each channel.
  • At 00:01 Hrs. tenant time zone 1st day of every month, the ‘Current Month Tally’ for each contact will be reset to 0 for every purpose, for each channel.

1.3.4 Viewing contact-frequency-capping results on Dashboard & Reports

You will be able to see the count of contacts which were ‘frequency-capped’ on the Dashboard on the ‘Campaign Details’ and ‘Deployment Details’ pages. Similarly, these frequency-capped counts will be shown in reports.

1.4 Ability to update Purpose meta-tags while a deployment is paused

You will now be able to update the Purpose meta-tags associated with a deployment, while it is in ‘paused’ status. This enhancement is associated with the ServiceNow ticket PRB0046486 / INC11611973.

1.5 Ability to update the contents of a seed-list

You will now be able to update the contents of a seed list – provided all the deployments associated with that seed list are in ‘paused’ or ‘pending’ status. This enhancement is associated with the Nolt Enhancement Request #181.

On the ‘Campaign Management >> Target Data >> Seed List” menu, you will now see an ‘Edit’ option.

After selecting the ‘Edit’ option, you will be able to upload a new file containing your updated seeds. The new seed list file must have the same headers as the already existing seed list. The seed-list name itself will remain unchanged.

The ‘Edit’ action on a seed-list will be allowed only if all the deployments associated with that seed-list are in one of the following statuses:
Draft; Paused; Pending; Approval Pending; Rejected; Stopped; Completed.

If any deployment associated with the seed list is in ‘Running’ status, then you will not be able to update the seed-list contents. You will be shown an alert as shown below:

1.6 Instant Deployments: Timezone selection for Schedule nodes

For Instant Deployments, you will now be able to specify the timezone for ‘Basic’ and ‘Advanced’ schedule nodes.

1.7 Email templates with HTML-Editor: Easier previews of Partials

Within email templates created using the ‘HTML-Editor’, when you copy-paste HTML code containing a ‘Partial’ (i.e., the Partial name enclosed within double-curly-braces), you can now readily see the preview of the Partial within the Preview pane on the right side.

1.8 Email templates with Drag-&-Drop Composer: Ability to unlock a ‘Master Template’

You will now be able to remove the ‘Master Template’ status of an email template created using the Drag-&-Drop composer. After you make a template ‘non-master’, it is no longer locked.

1.9 Customer Care screen: now showing email subject-line

When viewing customer communication history on the ‘Customer Care’ >> ‘Search by Contact’ screen, the email subject-line will also be displayed when looking at the email content.

The subject line shown will account for the usage of:

• Personalization headers used in the subject line
• Conditional content in the subject line

1.10 Facebook channel Follow-ups to email, SMS & MMS deployments

You will now be able to create Facebook channel Follow-ups to email, SMS, or MMS parent deployments. This can be used to re-target SMS, MMS, and email contacts by reaching them on the Facebook network.

1.11 File Transfer channel: Headers are shown in the same order as the TG

On the ‘File’ node, the file-headers will now be listed in the same order in which they are present in the associated Target Group. Previously, the headers used to be shown in alphabetical order on the File node.

1.12 Ext Action channel: Ability to pass header info to a 3rd party API / Webhook

Now you will be able to invoke a 3rd party API / Webhook even if you do not license the imiconnect platform as we have introduced the ability to pass API Header information.

Previously, without this API Header info, you were effectively limited to invoking only an imiconnect Webhook using the Ext Action channel deployments.

2.0 Dashboard & Reports enhancements

2.1 Designate a ‘Saved Filter’ on the Dashboard as your ‘Default’ filter

You will see a new option, called ‘Make Default’, within the 3-dot menu for each of your saved filters which will allow you to designate one of your saved filters as a ‘Default Filter’. This enhancement is associated with the Nolt Enhancement Request #203.

Your default-filter will be indicated with a ‘star’ icon next to it.

The next time you log in, your default-filter will be automatically applied.

However, on screens where it does not make sense to apply all the sub-filters within the default filter, only the date-filter portion of the default-filter will be applied, e.g. If your default filter is configured to show only SMS channel deployments during the previous month, and if you navigate to the ‘Dashboard Home’ page, then only the ‘previous month’ portion of your default filter will be applied on that page because there is no possibility to apply the SMS channel filter on the Dashboard Home page.

2.2 MMS A/B Deployments: Variants’ content on the ‘A/B Deployment Details’ screen

You will now be able to see the MMS content for each A/B variant on the ‘Deployment Details’ screen.

2.3 New Pre-Configured Report: ‘Email Engagement Transaction Report’ (BETA)

We have introduced a new pre-configured report called ‘Email Engagement Transactions Report’. This report will provide detailed specific-email-recipient-level data about email opens, link clicks, the email recipient’s email client on which the email was interacted with, email domain, etc.

Obviously, like all other ‘transactional reports’ which contain PII data such as recipient emails and mobile numbers, this report is also sent out as a password-protected Excel / CSV file.

Note: Depending on the security settings enforced by your organization on your company-issued computers, you may have difficulty opening password-protected Excel attachments because your corporate anti-virus software may not be able to scan such password-protected attachments. If you face this issue, please contact your company’s IT helpline for their advice.

2.4 Pre-Configured Reports: P&L Filter added to 5 frequently used reports

Based on client feedback, we have added the ‘P&L’ as a filter on the following 5 frequently used pre-configured reports. This enhancement is associated with the Nolt Enhancement Request #206.
a) Campaign Deployments Summary Report

b) Email Deployment Summary Report

c) Email Asset Link Clicks Report

d) SMS Summary Report

e) MMS Summary Report

2.5 Pre-Configured Reports: Improvements to 4 Link-Click Summary Reports

We have made some improvements to the following 4 Link-Click Summary Reports by making the report header columns between these reports more consistent:
a) Link Clicks - By Browser
b) Link Clicks – By Handset
c) Link Clicks – By OS
d) Link Clicks – By Resolution

3.0 Drag-&-Drop Email Composer

3.1 Ability to add small comments within email templates

You can now add small comments or notes within your email template under the ‘Global’ Style Palette tab. You can add comments for yourself or colleagues (up to a maximum of 512 characters), e.g., you may want to write a note within an email template such as standard font colors or text that you need to frequently copy and paste while working with email templates. This enhancement is associated with the Nolt Enhancement Request #102.

3.2 Ability to change Personalization Reference for Derived Email Templates

When you derive an email template from another existing template, now you will be able to associate a different ‘personalization reference’ with the derived template. Previously, you were restricted to using the same ‘personalization reference’ of the parent template for the derived template.

3.3 Preview of Partials within Email Composer Mobile / Desktop Preview sections

You will now be able to see a preview of Partials within the Email Composer’s Mobile Preview and Desktop Preview sections. Previously, you could only see the Partial’s name in these Preview sections within the double-curly-braces notation. (e.g., in the below example screenshots, instead of seeing the Partial name shown as ‘{{ puppy_picture_partial }}’, you will now see the actual content of the Partial within the Mobile Preview and Desktop Preview sections.

3.4 Text Block: Improved (upgraded) floating black text toolbar

We have upgraded the floating black text toolbar to the latest available version; this should improve responsiveness and better comply with security best practices.

3.5 Specify different text colors for ‘Dark Mode’ within iOS Mail & MacOS Mail apps

You will now be able to specify different colors for iOS and macOS ‘Dark Mode’ for text within the Text Block and Button Block. This feature will be especially useful if you have a large customer base reading their emails within the iOS Mail or macOS Mail apps.

Note: This feature only works for Apple’s Mail app on iOS and macOS; it does not work for ‘Dark Mode’ on Android or Windows devices; nor does it work on non-Apple email apps (e.g., Gmail / Outlook) on iOS devices.
You will need to first enable the ‘Dark Mode Settings’ on the ‘Global’ tab under the Style Palette. Here you will need to specify the text colors to be used within the Text Block and the Button Block when displaying the email content in the dark mode in Apple Mail app on iOS & macOS.

After the above ‘Global’ configuration, you will need to enable the setting for ‘Different text color for Dark Mode’ on the ‘Building Block’ tab for each Text Block and Button Block as appropriate.

4.0 Profile Manager module enhancements

4.1 Segment Builder: Dynamic Segment Tags (BETA)

This feature is only available on our New UI. Now, you will be able to add dynamic segment tags to your segments. This feature can be used to dynamically create derived segmentation headers such as defining customer value tiers for each customer (e.g., Platinum, Gold, and Silver) based on the value of segment output headers.

4.1.1 Creating Dynamic Segment Tags

You will see a new option called “Add Dynamic Tags” on clicking the three-dot menu next to each segment under ‘Profiles’ >> ‘Segments’.

On clicking the ‘Add Dynamic Tags’ option a pop-up will open wherein you will be able to define dynamic tags based on conditions on the segment output headers selected in Step 3 of segment creation.

The Tag Name you provide will become an additional ‘Header’ in the Segment. After this Segment is copied to a Dynamic Target Group, this additional header will be also available in that TG. The value(s) specified for Tags will be used as the Target Group Header values for all contacts who meet Tag conditions defined.

As an example, considering the screenshot above:

• The Tag Name ‘Generation’ will show as Segment Header on downloading and visualizing the segment just like other headers you would have chosen in Step 3 of creating the original segment.
• The ‘Generation’ tag name has been defined as follows:
  o a value of ‘Generation Y’ if the value of ‘AGE’ Segment Header is between 25 and 40.
  o a value of ‘Generation X’ if the ‘AGE’ Segment Header value is between 41 and 56.
• On saving the configurations in the pop-up above, ‘Generation’ will be added as a new header in the Segment; the conditions given will be evaluated for each record, and depending on the conditions met, the value of ‘Generation’ header will be set to ‘Generation X’ or ‘Generation Y’.
• In case none of the conditions are met, then the value of “Generation” header will be left blank.

Usage notes for defining Dynamic Segment Tags:

• You can have 'And'/ 'Or' logical operator between conditions
• The 'Tag Name' value cannot be the same as any of the existing Output Headers
• You can use the '+ Add More' button to add additional conditions
• You can use '+ Add Another Tag Value' to add another value for the same Tag Name.
• You will be able to define up to 5 values for a Tag Name.
• You will be able to create up to 3 Dynamic Tags per Segment.
• You can delete a Tag while initially defining it; however, once you have saved a Tag, then you will only be able to change the Tag value, or change the conditions used to assign Tag values.

4.1.2 Using Dynamic Segment Tags

Once you create ‘Dynamic Segment Tags’ as described above, they can be used as follows:

• Dynamic Segment Tags will appear like any other already existing Segment Headers if the Segment is downloaded as a file.
• Dynamic Segment Tags will be carried forward as TG headers when a Segment is copied to a Dynamic TG.
• When using a Segment Template to create another Segment, the Dynamic Segment Tags will be carried forward to the new Segment created using the template.
• While visualizing the Segment, the newly created ‘Dynamic Tag’ will behave like any other standard Output Header. The below screenshot shows how the ‘Generation’ tag is available for visualization of the segment.

5.0 Maintenance items in this release

6.0 Need more information?

Please contact your Cisco/imimobile account manager if you have questions or would like access to a new feature.

Cisco Webex technical support team can be contacted at any time by phone or email:

• Europe / Middle East / Africa:
  • Phone: +44 (0) 1494 750 600
  • Email: [email protected]
• North America:
  • Phone: +1-855-324-0970
  • Email: [email protected]