Email statuses are a tool that help you know when it's time to check in with a client. In simple terms, whenever you send an email through HoneyBook, the email will include an image the size of a pixel. When the recipient opens the email, the pixel activates, and after a few minutes, the status changes to Opened in the project's activity feed.
📣 Note
Email statuses will show up for messages that are sent through HoneyBook and messages that are seen in a project's activity feed. The statuses will not show up for replies that are sent using a different email service, as HoneyBook can't track those messages.
Sometimes, the statuses for opened and unopened emails might not reflect their current status. An email could be wrongly marked as opened (even if it wasn't) or unopened. There are a few different reasons why this can happen. The sections below dive into the different reasons an email might be mistakenly marked.
Reasons emails could be incorrectly marked as opened
Client receives a push notification or previews the email
If a client gets a push notification or looks at a preview of your message, they can activate the pixel and mark the message as opened even if the client doesn't actually review the email itself.
The email was marked as read
A client marking your message as read can call on the pixel and switch the message to opened in HoneyBook.
Email providers automatically opened the email
Some email providers automatically load email content using their own proxy server. This server then sends the email to the recipient, and this loading process triggers the pixel. Because of this, the email can be marked as "opened" even if the recipient hasn't actually opened it themselves.
The email was forwarded without being opened
If the client you sent an email to forwards it to someone else, that new person can open the email and activate the pixel. This will tag the email as opened, even if your client never actually opened it themselves.
You viewed the email from your Sent folder
If you have email integration set up and view a message from your Sent folder, this can tag the message as opened.
Reasons emails could be incorrectly marked as unopened
Email providers blocked email tracking
Some email providers have the option to add on apps that block email tracking. This means that a client could open and read a message with it still being considered unopened.
The pixel didn't load
Select email providers will not load images by default. A client could open and read a message, but since the images are not loaded, the pixel is not triggered and the message remains tagged Sent.
Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!