---
title: "Configuration Templates: Reply Handling"
slug: "configuration-template-reply-handling-tab"
updated: 2026-01-08T09:42:03Z
published: 2026-01-08T09:42:03Z
canonical: "docs.mapp.com/configuration-template-reply-handling-tab"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mapp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuration Templates: Reply Handling

## Overview

The **Reply Handling** tab defines how Mapp Engage processes responses to email messages sent from a group. It also controls the sender information for group email sendouts and defines the outbound sender ID for SMS messages. These settings determine how replies are routed, stored, or processed after a message is delivered.

---

## Navigation Path

1. Navigate to *Audience > Group Management > Groups.*
2. Select **Configuration Template**.
3. In the **Actions** column, click **Edit**.
4. Open the **Reply Handling** tab.

---

## Settings

#### Email Reply Handling

This section defines how replies to group email messages are handled. The selected method determines the **Reply-To** address in the email header and how incoming replies are processed.

| **Setting** | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **Send Directly to Address** | Replies are sent directly to a defined email address. Messages are not processed, tracked, or filtered by Mapp Engage. The defined address becomes the reply address for the sendout. |
| **Store in IMAP (Include Auto-responses)** | A copy of every incoming message, including auto-responses, is stored in the configured IMAP folder. |
| **Store in IMAP (Exclude Auto-responses)** | Incoming replies are filtered to exclude auto-responses (for example, out-of-office messages). Remaining messages are stored in the IMAP folder. |
| **Send to Address and Store in IMAP (Exclude Auto-responses)** | Auto-responses are filtered out. Remaining replies are forwarded to a defined email address and stored in the IMAP folder. |
| **Send to Address and Store in IMAP (Include Auto-responses)** | All incoming messages are forwarded to a defined email address and stored in the IMAP folder. |
| **Send to Message Author** | All replies are forwarded to the author of the original message. |
| **Send to All Group Members** | Replies are sent to all group members. This option requires the sender to have permission to send messages and to include their Mapp Engage password in square brackets `[ ]` in the subject line. This option is not intended for commercial use. |
| **Treat as Unsubscribe Request** | Replies from group members trigger an unsubscribe action. The contact receives a confirmation, and the unsubscribe is recorded in message statistics. |
| **Ignore and Delete** | All incoming replies are automatically ignored and deleted. No further action is taken. This setting is not recommended. |

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### Reply Address Details

Some reply handling options require defining sender information.

| **Setting** | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **Name** | Defines the name of the person to whom replies are sent. |
| **Email** | Defines the reply email address. This field is mandatory. Personalization placeholders can be used. If a valid address cannot be generated during sendout, the group’s default name and email address are used. |

---

### From Address

This section defines the sender information used for group email sendouts. The configured name and email address appear as the sender in the recipient’s inbox.

| **Setting** | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **Name** | Defines the sender name displayed in the inbox. This field is optional. If left empty, only the email address is shown. |
| **Email** | Defines the local part of the sender email address used for sendouts. This field is mandatory. |

---

### SMS

This section defines the sender information for SMS messages sent from the group.

| **Setting** | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **Outbound Mobile ID** | Defines the Transmission Path Originating Address (TPOA) for the group. This value appears as the sender of the SMS on the recipient’s device. An alphanumeric value, such as a company name, can be used instead of a mobile code. |

---

### Reply Handling Behavior

- The selected reply handling method directly affects the **Reply-To** address shown when recipients respond to an email.
- Replies can include automatic responses, questions, service requests, or feedback.
- Auto-response filtering applies only to supported reply handling methods.

## Related

- [Accessing the Inbox with IMAP](/access-the-inbox-with-imap.md)
- [Managing Replies to Email Messages](/manage-replies-to-email-messages.md)