Bulk Email in Shape gives your team a practical way to reach a large, targeted group of records while keeping personalization, sender control, opt-out management, deliverability safeguards, and campaign reporting.
Instead of exporting a list into a separate marketing tool, you build your audience from the data already in Shape, choose an email template or write custom content, send on behalf of assigned users, and track results in the same platform your team uses every day.
Bulk Email works well for marketing campaigns, customer updates, prospect re-engagement, event announcements, educational content, product or service updates, database nurture, referral partner communication, and other large-scale outreach.
This guide walks through building an audience, setting up and testing a bulk email, understanding sender and signature behavior, monitoring your campaign, and following deliverability best practices.
Before sending a bulk email
A successful bulk email starts before you click Send. For larger campaigns especially, confirm three things first:
- Your sending domain is properly authenticated.
- Your recipient data is clean and current.
- Your audience fits the message you’re sending.
Authenticate your sending domain
Shape completes email domain authentication during onboarding. Authentication lets receiving providers verify that Shape is allowed to send for your domain. It requires access to your DNS settings and a domain you control. A consumer address like @gmail.com can’t be authenticated as your sending domain.
If your DNS changes after onboarding, make sure your authentication records stay in place. Also check that your DMARC settings, like strict alignment, aren’t causing mail providers to refuse your email. See Email Domain Authentication & Deliverability and Understanding DMARC Policies.
Validate your email list before major sends
For larger campaigns, we strongly recommend running Email Validation first. It finds invalid or unusable addresses before your campaign starts, and those addresses can be opted out so they aren’t included in future email.
This is especially valuable for older databases, imported contacts, large prospect lists, records from multiple systems, lists that haven’t been emailed recently, and data of unknown quality.
Bigger isn’t always better. A smaller, cleaner, more relevant audience can earn better engagement while reducing bounces and protecting your sending reputation.
Step 1: Build your audience
Bulk email starts from a record list in Shape. You can send from record-type list pages and from All Records.
Before selecting records, use list filters to define who you actually want to reach, such as status, source, assignment, tags, campaign, creation date, last activity, location, record type, custom fields, or industry-specific data. For example, instead of emailing your whole database, you might target active prospects created in a certain timeframe and assigned to your sales team. In a mortgage setup, that might mean filtering by loan status, loan purpose, assigned loan officer, or source.
The idea is the same everywhere: use your CRM data to make the audience fit the message. Because your audience lives in Shape, you don’t have to export records, edit spreadsheets, or import lists into another system.
Step 2: Select your records
Select individual records, multiple records, or all records in your filtered results. You aren’t limited to the first page. If your filters return thousands of records, you can select them all at once.
For large campaigns, review your filters one more time to make sure you’ve selected the audience you intended.
Step 3: Choose Bulk Actions › Email
With records selected, open Bulk Actions and choose the email option.
Access to bulk email is controlled through Feature Authorization in Role Permissions. Administrators can decide which roles can send bulk email, for example letting all users send one-to-one emails while limiting large sends to authorized users.
Step 4: Choose an email template or write custom content
In the bulk email pop-up, either:
- Choose an existing email template, or
- Write custom content just for this send
Templates are helpful when your organization has approved, branded, or common messaging. When you choose one, Shape loads its content and settings. You can then edit the email for this send without changing the original template, so you get consistency with flexibility.
If you don’t use a template, the campaign shows as Custom Content in bulk email reporting.
Step 5: Personalize with merge tokens
Bulk doesn’t have to mean impersonal. Use merge tokens to pull information from each recipient’s record. Click the Tokens button, search for the detail you want, and choose the version in curly brackets { }.
For example, “Hi {First Name},” becomes “Hi Sarah,” in Sarah’s email and “Hi Michael,” in Michael’s, all from the same campaign. See Merge Tokens.
What if a token’s field is blank? It’s left blank in that recipient’s email. Make sure your sentences still make sense when optional information is missing, and send a test (Step 10) to check.
Step 6: Set the From email and email signature
You control both who the email comes from and which signature appears. There are three layers:
| Layer | What happens |
|---|---|
| Bulk email defaults | When you open the bulk email pop-up, the From email and signature default to you, the user starting the send. |
| Template settings | If you choose a template, Shape loads that template’s From email and signature settings. |
| Bulk email overrides | You can change either setting in the pop-up for this send, without changing the template. |
For example, if a template sends from the Assigned Sales User with that user’s signature, those settings load into your bulk email. You can keep them or override them for this campaign. That lets you reuse standard content while changing who a particular campaign comes from.
Using dynamic assigned users
The From email and signature can use assigned department users, like the Assigned Sales User, Manager, Loan Officer, or Processor. These are checked for each record.
Say you send to 1,000 records assigned across 20 sales reps. If you choose Assigned Sales User as the From email, each recipient gets the email from their own rep. Replies go back to the From email address for that recipient. You can run a central campaign without it looking like a generic corporate blast.
From email and signature are separate
The From email decides who sends the email. The signature decides whose signature appears. They’re often the same person, but they’re separate settings, so check both before a large campaign.
Sender and signature fallback logic
Shape has safeguards to keep incorrect information out of a large campaign:
- No template chosen: the From email and signature default to you.
- Template chosen: Shape loads the template’s settings, which you can override.
- A specific department user chosen: Shape pulls that department user for each record.
- Both From and signature need a department user, but none is assigned: the email fails, because Shape can’t identify the sender.
- From is you, but the signature needs a department user who isn’t assigned: Shape sends with no signature rather than inaccurate information.
Step 7: Understand the email footer
Your organization’s Email Footer is separate from the signature and is added beneath it. A finished email has three layers: the email content, the email signature, and the email footer. The footer is useful for company information, disclosures, licensing, and standard contact details, and you only have to maintain it in one place.
Step 8: Understand open and click tracking
If the template has Open Tracking or Click Tracking turned on, those settings carry into the bulk email. Tracking is set on the template and can’t be changed in the bulk email pop-up. You can review opens and clicks later in Shape’s email reports. If a type of email shouldn’t count toward engagement, an administrator can change the tracking settings on the template.
Step 9: Understand automatic unsubscribes
Shape automatically includes an unsubscribe option on bulk and automated email. When a recipient unsubscribes, Shape updates their Email Unsubscribe preference and blocks future email.
You don’t need to remove unsubscribed recipients before sending. If your audience includes records that already have Email Unsubscribe turned on, Shape won’t email them. Those blocked emails appear in reporting as failed because of an email opt-out. See Understanding SMS Opt-Out & Email Unsubscribe.
Step 10: Preview, test, and review
The bulk email pop-up shows a preview while you write. Before you send to your whole audience, send yourself a test.
Send a test
- In the bulk email pop-up, click Send a Test.
- Enter the email address that should receive the test, usually your own.
- Enter a valid Lead ID. Shape uses that record’s information to fill in tokens, the From email, and the signature.
- Send the test and check it in your inbox.
Using a real Lead ID shows you exactly what a recipient will see. If you’re using dynamic department users, test with a record that has the department user assigned.
Review checklist
Before you send, review:
- Audience and filters
- Subject line and email content
- Merge token values
- From email, signature, and footer
- Links, formatting, and spelling
- Calls to action
- The template’s tracking settings
If you started with a template, pay special attention to the From email and signature it loaded. Override them in the pop-up if they don’t fit this audience.
Step 11: Send now or schedule
When your email is ready, choose Send Immediately or schedule it for a future date and time. Scheduled bulk emails use your organization’s Company Timezone, so keep that in mind if your users or recipients are in different time zones.
Before the campaign starts, Shape asks you to confirm. Since you’ve already previewed and tested the email, this step mainly guards against sending by accident.
What happens after you click Send?
Large campaigns go through a sending queue instead of releasing every email at once. Shape paces delivery to support healthier sending and protect your reputation. Large campaigns may process at a few thousand emails per hour.
That’s intentional. Mailbox providers watch sending volume, bounces, complaints, authentication, engagement, and sudden changes in sending patterns. Gmail specifically recommends increasing volume gradually and avoiding sudden spikes. If you start a large campaign and not every email has sent yet, it’s probably still in the queue.
What if several users send bulk emails?
Campaigns are processed through the sending queue, so one campaign may wait behind others that started before it. That keeps outbound email from spiking. If several departments send bulk email regularly, coordinate major campaigns when you can.
Monitor your campaign with the Bulk Email Report
The Bulk Email Report shows campaign-level results, including initiation, scheduled, and completed dates; template or Custom Content; subject line; who initiated it; sent, delivered, failed, bounced, and processed counts; opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and complaints; and progress, status, and actions.
About unsubscribes in this report: The unsubscribe count only covers this one send. It includes recipients who unsubscribed from this email, plus emails in the send that were blocked because the recipient had already opted out. Because it covers a single send, it won’t match reports that cover a whole date range. See Email Reporting & Engagement Tracking.
Pause, resume, or cancel
While a campaign is still processing, authorized users can pause, resume, or cancel it, depending on its status. That’s especially useful if you spot a problem partway through. Emails already sent can’t be recalled.
Bulk Email Report vs. Email Performance Report
Bulk Email Report is your campaign-level view. Use it to see how many emails were sent, delivered, failed, or bounced, how many opened, clicked, unsubscribed, or complained, and whether the campaign is still processing.
Email Performance Report shows each individual email: template, record ID, recipient, sender, subject, send method, status, and sent, opened, clicked, rejected, failed, and bounce dates.
Together, they let you move from a campaign’s overall results down to one recipient.
Understanding failed emails
Not every selected record turns into a delivered email. An email can fail if the sender or destination address is invalid, if the recipient has already opted out, or if the recipient’s mail provider refuses it, for example because of your domain’s DMARC settings. Failures show in reporting.
Don’t look only at opens and clicks after a campaign. Review failures and bounces too. A few scattered failures usually point to data quality. A sudden spike across many recipients, especially at Gmail and Yahoo, usually points to an authentication problem.
Hard bounces and email suppression
A hard bounce means a permanent delivery problem, like an address that doesn’t exist. When an address hard-bounces, it can be added to a suppression list, so future sends to it are blocked instead of retried. That protects your sender reputation, since repeatedly sending to known bad addresses hurts it. Temporary delivery problems are handled differently, because not every failure means the address is permanently invalid.
Why email list hygiene matters
Deliverability isn’t controlled by one setting. Mailbox providers look at authentication, sender reputation, bounce rates, spam complaints, engagement, sending patterns and volume, list quality, unsubscribes, and content. Your CRM data is a big part of your email strategy. Make these habits part of every bulk send:
- Run Email Validation before major sends to catch invalid addresses before the campaign starts.
- Segment your audience so relevant messages go to the right groups instead of your whole database.
- Respect unsubscribes. Shape enforces them automatically, but your audience and message still matter.
- Review bounces and failures after each campaign to find records that need cleanup.
- Monitor engagement. Opens and clicks show which audiences and messages work, and help with future segmentation.
- Avoid sudden volume spikes. Steady, intentional sending is healthier than a sudden burst from a domain with little history.
Shape provides safeguards, but healthy email performance comes from the technology, your data quality, and your sending practices working together.
Standard bulk email vs. cross-branch email campaigns
Standard bulk email starts from a record list: select records › Bulk Actions › Email. The audience is based on the records the user can access in that CRM.
Cross-branch email campaigns are for authorized Corporate users coordinating email across multiple branches. The cross-branch campaign builder adds audience selection and campaign management, so Corporate teams don’t have to recreate the same campaign in every branch. It’s especially helpful for centralized marketing, compliance, operations, or corporate communications teams.
Bulk email best practices
Start with the audience, not the email. Decide exactly who should get the message and why before you write it.
Use dynamic senders when it fits. If recipients already know their salesperson, loan officer, agent, or account manager, send from the assigned department user to keep that personal relationship.
Double-check the From email and signature. No template: you’re the default. Template chosen: its settings load. Need something different: override them in the pop-up.
Send a test first. Use Send a Test with a real Lead ID to check tokens, sender, signature, and formatting before sending to everyone.
Validate large or older lists. Don’t assume every address in an old database still works.
Keep your sending domain authenticated. And check that your DMARC settings aren’t causing providers to refuse your email.
Make the message worth opening. Use a clear subject line, relevant content, an understandable call to action, accurate sender information, and links that make sense. Avoid misleading subject lines or aggressive messaging.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I send a bulk email in Shape?+
From a record list, select your records and choose the email option from Bulk Actions. Multi-branch organizations may also have Cross-Branch Email Campaigns.
Can I send to an entire filtered list?+
Yes. Filter your list and select all the results, not just the first page.
Can I send custom content without a template?+
Yes. Write custom content just for that bulk email.
Can I send a test before sending a bulk email?+
Yes. In the bulk email pop-up, click Send a Test, enter your email address and a valid Lead ID, and Shape sends a test filled in with that record’s information.
How do I add merge tokens?+
Click the Tokens button, search for the detail you want, and choose the version in curly brackets { }.
What are the default From email and signature?+
Both default to the user starting the send.
What happens when I choose a template?+
Shape loads the template’s From email and signature settings. You can override them for this send without changing the template.
Can different recipients get the email from different users?+
Yes. Choose an assigned department user as the From email, and Shape uses each record’s assigned user. Replies go back to that From email.
What happens to the signature and footer?+
Shape adds the signature you selected, then your organization’s footer beneath it.
Does Shape include an unsubscribe option?+
Yes, on bulk and automated email. Records that already have Email Unsubscribe turned on won’t be emailed.
Why doesn’t my Bulk Email Report unsubscribe count match other reports?+
The Bulk Email Report only covers that one send, and includes emails blocked because the recipient had already opted out. Other reports cover a whole date range or count differently. See Email Reporting & Engagement Tracking.
What if an email address is invalid?+
The email can fail, and reporting shows the failure.
Can I schedule a bulk email?+
Yes. Send now or schedule for later. Scheduled sends use your Company Timezone.
Why hasn’t my whole campaign sent yet?+
Large campaigns are paced through Shape’s sending queue, and may wait behind campaigns started earlier.
Can I stop a bulk email after it starts?+
While it’s still processing, you can pause, resume, or cancel it. Emails already sent can’t be recalled.
Where can I see the results?+
Use the Bulk Email Report for campaign results and the Email Performance Report for individual recipients.
Should I validate emails before every bulk email?+
It depends on the size, age, and quality of the list, but we strongly recommend it before major sends, especially with older or imported data.
Get more from bulk email in Shape
Bulk email works best as part of your overall CRM and communication strategy. Shape brings it together: filters to find the right audience, templates to standardize messaging, merge tokens to personalize, assigned users to send from the right person, signatures and footers for consistent presentation, test sends to catch mistakes, Email Validation and suppression to protect list quality, and reporting to see what happened.
Before any major send, the fundamentals still matter:
Authenticate your domain. Validate your data. Target the right audience. Check your From email and signature. Send a test. Send relevant content. Monitor your results.
Need help? Email help@setshape.com or call Support at (888) 718-6344.
Related guides: Email Templates · Merge Tokens · Email Reporting & Engagement Tracking · Email Domain Authentication · Bulk Texting