Keeping email preferences up to date helps your team stay compliant and ensures candidates and contacts only receive emails they have agreed to.
This article covers how to configure default subscription settings, use unsubscribe links, request consent, and search or report on subscription status.
⚠️ Important: Unsubscribing a candidate or contact blocks them from receiving any email that uses one of the affected bulk email templates — including emails sent individually from a pipeline stage, Taskboard, or CRM screen. This is not limited to mass email campaigns.
Manage Email Subscription and Unsubscribe Settings
Configure Default Subscription Settings (GDPR)
You can set the default email subscription status applied to all new candidates and contacts added to the system.
Go to Settings, then click Admin Settings.
Select GDPR / Data Privacy, then click Email Permission Settings.
Click Edit, then choose whether new records should be subscribed or unsubscribed by default.
Click Save to apply the setting.
📌 Note: This setting only applies to records created after the change is saved. Existing candidate and contact records are not affected.
Bulk Update Email Subscription Status
You can update the email subscription status for up to 300 candidates or contacts at a time.
Go to the Candidates or Contacts table view, or open Advanced Search.
Select the records you want to update (up to 300 at a time).
Open the Action List, then select the relevant email permission option.
Confirm your selection to apply the change.
Add an Unsubscribe Link to Email Templates
You can include a self-service unsubscribe link in your bulk email templates using a wildcard.
Open the email template you want to edit.
Place your cursor where you want the unsubscribe link to appear.
Insert the wildcard #EmailUnsubscribe# into the template body.
Save the template.
📌 Note: The unsubscribe wildcard is only available in bulk email templates. It will not appear in transactional or system-generated emails.
Request Email Consent from a Candidate
You can send a candidate a consent request so they can choose whether to receive bulk emails from your team.
Find the candidate record and select it.
Open the Action List, then select Request Consent.
The candidate receives an email with a link to a page where they can opt in or out of bulk emails.
Track and Manage Subscription Changes
Every subscription change is automatically logged against the candidate or contact profile.
Go to the candidate or contact profile, then click Details.
Scroll down to and review the Email Permission field to see the current subscription status.
To change the status manually, update the Email Permission field and save.
Changes are logged in two places:
The profile activity feed on the individual record.
The Consolidated Activity Table, which shows the name of the user, the candidate, or the contact who made the change.
Search and Filter by Email Subscription Status
You can add an Email Subscription column to your table views and use it in Advanced Search.
Add the column to a table view:
Open the Candidates, Contacts, or Applications table view.
Click Table Views & Configuration, then click Columns.
Search for Email Subscription, then select the checkbox next to the field.
Save your column configuration.
Search by subscription status in Advanced Search:
Open Advanced Search for Candidates or Contacts.
Use the Boolean search filters to search by Subscribed, Unsubscribed, or No Email (Contacts only).
Enable the Email Permission Field on a Candidate Profile
If the email permission section is not visible on a candidate's profile, you need to enable it in the field configuration.
Go to Settings, then click Field Configuration.
Select Candidate Summary, then click Details.
Enable the Email Permission field, then save.
Which Emails Are Blocked When a Contact or Candidate Unsubscribes
When a candidate or contact unsubscribes, they are blocked from receiving any email sent using the templates listed below.
This applies whether the email is sent as a bulk campaign or as an individual email from one of these screens.
Candidate email templates affected:
Template | Action |
6.1 | Email in Candidates stage |
6.2 | Email in Shortlisted Candidates stage |
6.3 | Email in Resumes Sent stage |
6.4 | Email at 1st Interview stage |
6.5 | Email at 2nd+ Interview stage |
6.6 | Email in Advanced Search |
6.7 | Email in Taskboard |
6.8 | Email at Offer stage |
6.9 | Email at Placements stage |
Contact email templates affected:
Template | Action |
7.1 | Email all stages in CRM |
7.2 | Email in Advanced Search |
7.3 | Email in Tasks |
📌 Note: Unsubscribing does not prevent candidates or contacts from receiving transactional, system, or workflow emails — such as interview confirmations, CV send notifications, or placement notifications. Those emails are always delivered regardless of subscription status.
Best Practices
Set your default subscription status in GDPR settings before adding large volumes of new records to avoid manual bulk updates later.
Use the Request Consent option to let candidates manage their own preferences, keeping your data compliant with minimal manual effort.
Add the Email Subscription column to your table view so your team can see subscription status at a glance without running a separate search.
Before sending a bulk email from a pipeline stage or Taskboard, check that the recipients are subscribed — individual emails using bulk templates are still blocked for unsubscribed records.
FAQs
Q1: If I send an email to just one candidate from a pipeline stage, will their unsubscribe status still block it?
Answer: Yes. Any email sent using one of the affected bulk templates is subject to the unsubscribe filter, regardless of whether you are sending to one person or many. If the candidate is unsubscribed, the email will not be delivered.
Q2: Does changing the default GDPR subscription setting update existing records?
Answer: No. The default setting only applies to new records created after the change is saved. To update existing records, use the bulk update action from the table view or Advanced Search.
Q3: Where can I see who changed a candidate's subscription status?
Answer: The change is logged in the profile activity feed and in the Consolidated Activity Table, including the name of the user or the candidate or contact who made the change.
Q4: Will an unsubscribed candidate still receive their interview confirmation or placement notification?
Answer: Yes. Transactional and system emails — such as interview confirmations and placement notifications — are always sent and are not affected by the unsubscribe setting.