Bounce management

• US 20060075031A1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Wagner, Dirk P., Back, Tim, Schlatterer-Kaiser, Thomas, Lueckhoff, Hermann J.
• Application Number:
  US10/943,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075031A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for managing incoming potential bounce messages with user-created rules. Bounces that are not recognized by the SMTP may be identified and follow-up actions for these bounces may be performed. A user can create rules for analyzing an incoming message to determine whether the message is a bounce and select follow-up actions that will be performed if the message is determined to be a bounce. Further, manual verification of certain messages is possible if it is unclear that the message is a bounce. Management of bounces that are recognized by the SMTP is also improved. A user may create rules for determining a cause of delivery failure of formal DSNs and select follow-up actions depending on the cause of delivery failure, as well as other factors. Exemplary messages that may be analyzed include e-mails, SMS text messages and FAXes. Follow-up actions may be performed for both informal and formal DSNs to assist in preventing future bounces and to deliver the message. A follow-up action may include, for example, selecting another e-mail address or telephone number associated with the business partner who was the intended recipient. An integrated, user-friendly approach that is specific to addressing bounced e-mails is provided. For high-mass message scenarios, automated bounce management reduced the processing time needed to analyze a large volume of bounced e-mails, such those associated with a marketing campaign. Easy collection and analysis of bounced messages may also useful for providing feedback to vendors who sell e-mail addresses and/or telephone numbers.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating an incoming message using bounce rules created by a user comprising:

upon receipt of a first message, determining from message contents whether said message is an informal status notification;

the determining comprising processing bounce rules, wherein each bounce rule comprises an attribute, an operator, and a value; and

performing a first follow-up action triggered by processing said bounce rules, wherein said first follow-up action is performed to avoid future bounces or to resend said first message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receipt of a second message that is a formal delivery status notification, performing a second follow-up action to avoid future bounces or to resend said second message based on a determination of a cause of delivery failure of said second message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing bounce rules triggers transmission of said first message to an agent for manual verification.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said second follow-up action is to resend said second message because said bounce is a temporary type bounce.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said first follow-up action or said second follow-up action is to update intended recipient contact information stored to do not use status.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said second follow-up action is to resend said second message using alternate contact information retrieved from business partner data.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said second follow-up action is to resend said second message although a recipient'"'"'s mail server did not accept said second message.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said second follow-up action is to update a status of an original outgoing message that was not delivered resulting in said second message using information received in said second message.

9. A computer readable medium storing thereon program instructions that, when executed, cause an executing device to:

upon receipt of a first message, determine from message contents whether said message is an informal status notification by processing bounce rules, wherein each bounce rule comprises an attribute, an operator, and a value; and

perform a first follow-up action triggered by processing said bounce rules, wherein said first follow-up action is performed to avoid future bounces or to resend said first message.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, storing thereon program instructions that, when executed, further cause the executing device to:

upon receipt of a second message that is a formal delivery status notification, perform a second follow-up action to avoid future bounces or to resend said second message based on a determination of a cause of delivery failure of said second message.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said processing bounce rules triggers transmission of said first message to an agent for manual verification.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second follow-up action is to resend said second message because said bounce is a temporary type bounce.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said first follow-up action or said second follow-up action is to update intended recipient contact information stored to do not use status.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second follow-up action is to resend said second message using alternate contact information retrieved from business partner data.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second follow-up action is to resend said second message although a recipient'"'"'s mail server did not accept said second message.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second follow-up action is to update a status of an original outgoing message that was not delivered resulting in said second message using information received in said second message.

17. A system for identifying and managing bounces comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor;

a bounce manager residing in said first memory and executed by said first processor, said bounce manager comprising;

bounce determination module for identifying informal delivery status notifications based on rules created by a user and triggering follow-up actions based on said rules; and

bounce management module for identifying a cause of failure for formal delivery status notifications based said user-created rules and triggering follow-up actions based on said rules.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a database for storing business partner data to be used for performance of said follow-up actions coupled to said processor.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

an administrator workstation coupled to said processor for creating rules to be used to manage bounces.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

an agent workstation coupled to said processor for manually verifying that messages are informal delivery status notifications.