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I'd like to be able to track messages (message analytics) that a user prints, forwards, or deletes after we send them out. How do I implement these functionas? I'd like a technical explanation that I can implement. The server is Redhat Linux, and the messages are sent out with SMTP
Jonathan Kushner
Posted 2013-01-23T23:56:13.390
Reputation: 329
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Think of email as Electronic Mail. When you send a letter, you can't tell if the recipient has opened the message without paying a courier. You can't tell if they throw it out, or even that it went to the right mailbox.
With Email though, you can at least tell that it was sent off, and that there was no error. The SMTP protocol does not tell you if it has been read, deleted, or forwarded. And unless you have a program on ALL their computers, you won't be able to tell.
The most you can do is set up a web server that has resources on it that the email must access when opened. This is not fool proof, but at least lets you know that someone has opened the message, which is about as far as email will let you go outside of your organization
Canadian Luke
Posted 2013-01-23T23:56:13.390
Reputation: 22 162
It can be done, not sure how they do it, but glock analytics claim to have a solution: https://glockanalytics.com/
– hayd – 2017-04-10T01:00:31.033Im sorry. I thought it was misworded and would reword it. The platform is redhat? Im sending out the emails using SMTP. I'm assuming its clientside tracking that sends back data to the server. Does this help at all? Im very sorry for restarting the question. – Jonathan Kushner – 2013-01-24T00:01:28.887
I believe its SMTP. Although Im not positive. It could be Postfix though. – Jonathan Kushner – 2013-01-24T00:03:22.063
Im really sorry for deleting the previous question. It was accidental. I really would like some assistance on this, and I hope by accidentally recreating the question I dont deter people from helping me. Ill answer any question you have. – Jonathan Kushner – 2013-01-24T00:20:59.440
As I feared, the question is now closed by the admins. I think you have a very useful question to ask but you need to remember that QA's here are not just for you. They are also a resource for anyone else with similar problems. You're getting closer to understanding the question, the information you need to present and some of the things you need to try yourself first. So have another think and by all means come back and ask again. There are certainly answers and help we can give. – Julian Knight – 2013-01-24T07:03:12.317