Section 3 Introduction to Hosted Data

Collecting and storing recipient data is one of LISTSERV Maestro’s most powerful features. Organizations without a separate database can collect information from their mail recipients and store that data directly inside LISTSERV Maestro. This information can be used to create customized email messages and give recipients control over their subscription settings. Incorporated into this feature is the ability to create classic LISTSERV lists from the LISTSERV Maestro interface, combining the powerful features of LISTSERV with the easy-to-use LISTSERV Maestro interface.

The data administrator structures the way recipient data is collected by designing the dataset. Designing the dataset involves selecting the types of data to be collected and the names for each column of data. It also involves setting limitations and input validation rules for the collected data.

As the data administrator is designing the fields for recipient data, LISTSERV Maestro is also creating a form that can be made available on the Web so that recipients can sign up to receive mail and control their list subscriptions. Scripting is done automatically by the system so that information collected on the form is automatically placed in the host data database, called a Recipient Warehouse.

For those users who already have recipient data stored in a separate DBMS and do not wish to use hosted recipient data, the sections on hosted recipient data can be skipped. Proceed to Section 12 Introduction to Recipient Target Groups for information and instructions on how to create flexible yet powerful queries that can be used to retrieve data from other sources when defining recipients for a mail job.