Mailchimp is moving into the big leagues and introducing Multi User Functionality.  What’s Multi User Functionality? I’m so glad you asked!

As a web development agency, we offer email marketing support services to our clients. One of the things that concerns me with the current Mailchimp access, is that everyone has the same level of access – so my support staff can see billing information and the like, when all they require is the ability to create and edit new email messages.  Now, it’s not that I’m worried my team members will do the ‘wrong thing’, they are all highly trained and sign NDA’s etc however, the risk of an account compromise is increased with every person who can access it.  Limiting access by role, reduces risk – which is a good thing.

So what does Multi User Functionality really mean?

This means you’ll be able to set up a MailChimp account as an “Admin,” then grant permission to “Authors” who are allowed to design templates and create campaigns, or invite people in your organizations who can only view reports, and so on.

~ Mailchimp

Cool…. but what levels are available and what do they mean? From the email received from Mailchimp tonight:

  1. Admin: Highest level access to everything in MailChimp. Most importantly: account settings, billing info, the ability to shut down the account, and the ability to add other user types.
  2. Manager: Most of the essential functions of a MailChimp account (creating campaigns, viewing lists and reports). Basically, managers can’t access account settings, change billing, export lists, or invite other users.
  3. Author: Can create campaigns and edit templates, but cannot send them. You might give this access to an in-house designer or writer, or even to an outside design agency.
  4. Viewer: Only has the ability to view campaign reports. Grant this to someone in the company who needs to see campaign results, but doesn’t need to be creating campaigns or fiddling with lists. If you used our VIP Reports feature in the past, you could invite people as Viewers instead, so you don’t have to share reports each time you send a campaign.

As part of these changes, the “account keys” functionality will be discontinued – which I don’t think is so bad.  Instead, you’ll now see this when you login:

So you can choose which of your client accounts you want to select:

select-acct

Finished with one clients work and ready to do the next one?  Changing accounts is simple:

switch-acct

One of the really nice features is that an Author can create campaigns, but they can’t send them! In the final pre-delivery checklist, you won’t get the buttons to “Send Now” or “Schedule for Later.” Instead, you’ll get a button that says “I’m Finished,” which will allow you to send a note to Managers and Admins so that they can log in and deliver the campaign.  How great is that?

all-done-448x300

There’s still more goodness coming in Mailchimp V8 – which you can read about over on the blog… but these are the ones I think are most exciting.  The changes come into effect Feburary 18th, so make sure you check your account on that date.

Grab your Mailchimp account today!

About the Author Charly Dwyer

Charly has more than 30 years experience in the IT industry ranging from hands-on technical, to high-level business management, Charly has installed and configured computing equipment and has managed business contracts in excess of $25 million dollars.

As a result, Charly identifies the best way to integrate solutions and technologies for the most cost effective way to achieve a businesses outcome.

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  1. Hi Charity
    Thanks for the post. I came across this recently and thought my prayers were answered. However, the screenshot on your post (https://acl-themefiles.s3.amazonaws.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/select-acct-1024×694.png) got my blood racing, exactly what I was after. But how do you achieve this? I’ve been in touch with MailChimp Support, but to no avail. What you describe in your post is (and correct me if I’m wrong) a scenario where you can create multiple accounts for clients (who may very well be technophobic), and you can set up everything for them.
    MailChimp Support suggests the only way I can achieve this is to get my client to set up their own account. Is that how you do things?
    Thanks — Dee

    1. Hi Dee,

      I handle this in one of two ways.

      If I know a client will require a paid account from the outset, I ask them to do the initial account setup and add their payment details. I then either ask them to add my email address as an ‘admin’ user, or provide me with their log in details and I set myself up as an admin user.

      The second way is to set the account up using a gmail account and then change the ‘admin’ email to the clients when all the setup is done.

      With billing, the relationship is with Mailchimp and your client, therefore they will need to provide their credit card details. If the client is comfortable providing you with the details so you can set that up, use Method 2; otherwise, I use Method 1.

      Of course, you could always pay the clients account for them and bill them each month. Personally, I would not be doing that as it raises the risk to you.

      I know a number of clients are technophobic, but there is a point at which they need to be able login and enter payment details, particularly in this day and age.

      1. Hey, thanks for the info “Charly” — not sure why I called you Charity last time? 🙂
        Totally agree with your strategies. — Best

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