What Is Send Classification in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement?
A send classification combines a sender profile, delivery profile, and commercial or transactional classification into a reusable configuration for email sends. You select it alongside the email content and audience.
What each component controls
The sender profile defines who the email comes from. The delivery profile defines the sending IP and header/footer content. Commercial or transactional classification determines how the message is treated for sending and unsubscribe checks.
| Component | Settings |
|---|---|
| Sender profile | From name, From email address, and custom Reply Mail Management settings |
| Delivery profile | Sending IP selection and header/footer content |
| CAN-SPAM classification | Commercial or Transactional |
Reply Mail Management settings belong with the sender profile, not the delivery profile.
Sender profiles support static values, personalization strings, and AMPscript for dynamic From information. For example, different recipients can see their assigned representative as the sender. Configure a verified fallback address when using dynamic From email values.
Commercial vs transactional
Commercial applies to marketing messages, such as newsletters and promotional offers. Marketing Cloud Engagement checks commercial messages for an unsubscribe link. The message must also contain the required sender and mailing-address information.
Transactional applies to messages such as order confirmations and password resets. A website or app can send these messages through the API, but using an API or automated trigger does not itself make a message transactional. Choose the classification based on the message’s purpose.
Transactional sends can reach unsubscribed contacts. Review the classification’s opt-out settings alongside your subscriber consent and unsubscribe settings.
How to create a send classification
Create the sender profile and delivery profile first, then create the send classification.
- Open Setup, search for Send Classifications, and select Create.
- Enter a name, description, and external key.
- Select Commercial or Transactional.
- Choose the sender profile and delivery profile.
- For transactional classifications, review Honor source and publication list level opt outs.
- Choose the send priority and save.
Use names that identify the brand and purpose, such as Brand A Commercial or Brand A Order Confirmation.
Checking incorrect sender or footer settings
Start with the classification selected for the send, then check the relevant component:
- Wrong From name or address: Check the sender profile, including any dynamic values.
- Replies reaching the wrong mailbox: Check account-level Reply Mail Management and sender-profile overrides.
- Wrong sending IP or footer: Check the delivery profile and the footer content selected there.
A delivery profile can use the account’s default footer, library content, or no additional footer. If the footer is included in the email body, check that content too.
Send definitions can override the classification’s sender and delivery profiles. Check those overrides when the classification looks correct but the actual send uses different settings.
