Each constituent can have up to four email addresses. You choose which address your agents send to, and replies always go back to the address the constituent wrote from.
How email types work
Every email address on a constituent record has an email type:
Email: the default. Any email you already import maps here.
Email - Institutional, Email - Personal, and Email - Other: additional addresses. Use them however fits your data, for example Institutional for a student's .edu address.
These four types are fixed, and a constituent can have one address of each type.
💡 If you don't map any additional email types, nothing changes. Your agents continue sending to Email.
Before you start
Your unique identifier can't be email. To store more than one email per constituent, match records on a different field, such as a Slate ID or student ID. See Available properties and mapping guidance to change it.
Each email address can belong to only one constituent. If an address is already on another record, that address fails on import.
Duplicate records aren't merged automatically. If the same student exists as two records (for example, one created from an inbound email and one from your import), contact your CollegeVine team. They can remove the extra records so you can reimport them correctly.
Map email addresses on import
Under Constituents, select + New.
Adjust the provenance as needed, then select Upload file.
Confirm that all contacts in the file are expecting to hear from your organization.
On Map fields, map each email column to an email type: Email, Email - Institutional, Email - Personal, or Email - Other.
Select Next, then choose a unique identifier other than email.
Select Next to finish.
The same email types are available when you map fields for an SFTP or API integration.
View a constituent's email addresses
Open any constituent. Their email addresses are listed at the top of the Properties panel, one row per type. An empty type shows a dash.
The marker next to each address shows whether the constituent can be reached there. An address can be unavailable if the constituent opted out at that address or if it failed validation.
Choose which address your agent emails
Open the agent and select Edit.
Select the email_constituent tool to open Configure action.
Under To address, choose the email type the agent should send to.
To set a fallback, add another email type below the first. If a constituent has no address of the first type, the agent uses the next one.
Save your changes.
The To address is set to Email by default.
Replies and inbound email
When a constituent emails your agent from any of their addresses, the message is matched to their record and appears on the same timeline. The agent always replies to the address the constituent wrote from, whatever the To address is set to.
Opt-outs
Opt-outs apply to the individual email address. A constituent who unsubscribes at their personal address can still be reached at their institutional address. Keep this in mind when you set fallbacks.
Missions
Mission emails go to each constituent's Email address.
Replies to a mission email from any of a constituent's addresses appear on their record and timeline.
When a student's addresses live on one record, they appear in a mission audience once, not once per record.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add more than one phone number?
Not currently. You can store additional phone numbers as custom properties, but only the Phone property is used for calls and SMS.
Can I add a parent's or guardian's email?
No. Email types are for one person's own addresses. A parent or guardian should be their own constituent.
Will CollegeVine merge duplicate records for me?
No. Contact your CollegeVine team if you need duplicate records removed before reimporting.