What is a Master Inbox (Reply-To)?
A Master Inbox (Reply-To) allows you to send emails from one mailbox while instructing recipients to reply to another email address. This feature is useful for directing replies to a different team member or managing responses centrally.
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How it works: When you send an email from mailbox A and configure mailbox B as the Master Inbox, recipients will see mailbox A as the sender, but when they hit "Reply," their response will go to mailbox B. This behavior is supported by most common email clients, like Gmail and Outlook.
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When should you use a Reply-To?
- Handling replies centrally: For example, if you are an SDR doing outreach from multiple mailboxes to enhance deliverability, but you want all replies to go to a central inbox, you can set up a Master Inbox for this purpose.
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Managing team workflows:
- If your team prefers to handle replies centrally, such as directing responses to a senior rep or a specific team member, each user can set up their own Master Inbox.
- This feature allows each user to manage replies within their own set of mailboxes. While replies can be centralized for an individual user’s mailboxes, the Master Inbox is configured on a per-user basis—meaning you cannot set a single Master Inbox across multiple users’ mailboxes.
How the Master Inbox Works
Once the master inbox is set, all email responses to your sequences from the selected mailboxes will be directed to the specified Master Inbox. This centralized management approach ensures smoother communication and a better overview of replies.
- Reply-To Field: Replies will be sent to the Reply-To address if the recipient's email client supports it, and unless the recipient manually changes the reply address.
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Important notes:
- The Master Inbox must be a mailbox that is connected to Amplemarket. You cannot designate a disconnected or external mailbox as a Master Inbox.
- The Master Inbox can only be set on a user basis for the same user's mailboxes. In other words, you cannot have a mailbox from one user set as a Master Inbox for another user’s mailboxes.
- Additionally, you cannot set a Master Inbox that points to another Master Inbox.
How to Set Up a Master Inbox
You can configure the Master Inbox feature for individual mailboxes or multiple mailboxes at once. This can be done both by the user or an admin at the organizational level.
For Users Setting Up Their Own Master Inbox
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Navigate to Settings:
- Go to User Settings.
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Access Mailboxes:
- Click on the Mailboxes tab to see a list of your connected mailboxes.
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Manage Master Inbox:
- Select the mailbox(es) for which you want to set a Master Inbox.
- Choose Manage Master Inbox either from the individual or bulk actions.
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Choose a Master Inbox:
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From the dropdown list, select the mailbox that you want to act as the Master Inbox.
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Once selected, any replies received by the chosen mailboxes will automatically be redirected to the Master Inbox.
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Important Note: If a Master Inbox is disconnected, all leads relying on this Master Inbox or any mailboxes that have their replies forwarded to it will be paused
For Admins Managing Master Inboxes
Admins have the ability to set or override Master Inbox configurations for users within the organization. Here’s how an admin can set up or manage a Master Inbox for their team:
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Navigate to Users:
- Go to System Preferences > Users.
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Access User’s Mailboxes:
- Select the user whose mailboxes you want to manage.
- Click on Mailboxes.
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Set or Override a Master Inbox:
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Choose the mailbox(es) and follow the same steps as outlined above to set or modify the Master Inbox. Admins can override any previous setup made by the user.
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Note: If an admin sets a Master Inbox for a user, the user will be notified that the Master Inbox has been configured on their behalf by an admin.
Important Notes
A Master Inbox plays a crucial role in ensuring that replies from your email sequences are routed correctly. It's essential to understand the importance of keeping a Master Inbox connected to Amplemarket.
If the Master Inbox becomes disconnected, removed, or altered, it can significantly impact your sequences and reply management.
To learn more about managing disconnections and handling failures, head over to this article.
If you have any issues setting up or managing your Master Inbox, feel free to contact support at support@amplemarket.com.