---
title: "Group Messages and Single Messages in Mapp Engage"
slug: "group-messages-and-single-messages-in-mapp-engage"
description: "Group messages and single messages in Mapp Engage: how they differ in message IDs, statistics, Outbox, and limitation, and which sendout creates which."
status: "update"
updated: 2026-11-05T16:34:02Z
published: 2026-11-05T16:34:02Z
canonical: "docs.mapp.com/group-messages-and-single-messages-in-mapp-engage"
---

> ## 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.

# Group Messages and Single Messages in Mapp Engage

## Overview

Every sendout in Mapp Engage creates either a group message or a single message. The type decides how Mapp Engage assigns message IDs, counts statistics, lists the sendout in the Outbox, and applies message limitation.

The type depends on how the sendout starts, not on the content of the message. For the ways to start a sendout, see [How Sending Works](/v1/docs/how-sending-works).

---

## Group Messages

A group message is sent in one sendout to all members of a group, or to the members who match a segment. A typical example is a newsletter.

- Each sendout gets its own message ID (MID) and its own statistics.
- Each sendout appears as a separate entry in the Outbox.
- Message limitation applies if the group considers message limitations.
- A sendout stays a group message when you apply a segment or run it as an A/B test.

---

## Single Messages

A single message is sent to one contact and is triggered for that contact. Typical examples are order confirmations, birthday greetings, and automated replies to contact activity.

- Unlike a group message, a single message can be sent many times within the same group to the same contact.
- All sendouts of a single message share one MID, and Mapp Engage combines their statistics.
- The Outbox shows only one entry. If you edit the message, earlier versions are not stored.
- Message limitation and group sendout time frames do not apply.

---

## Which Sendout Creates Which Type

| Sendout | Group message | Single message |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Message creation | You select **Send to Group** in the **Configuration** step. | Not applicable |
| Prepared Messages overview | You send a prepared message with **Copy & Send**. | Not applicable |
| Time-based Whiteboard or automation | The message goes to all members of a group on a schedule, for example a newsletter. | The message goes to all contacts in a segment, selected from all contacts in the system, for example birthday emails. |
| Event-based Whiteboard or automation | The message goes to all members of a group after an event. | The message goes to the contact who triggered the event, for example an order confirmation. |
| API | The API method sends to a group. | The API method sends to one contact, for example `messageSendSingle`. |
| System messages | Not applicable | System messages are always single messages. |

Transactional messages are usually single messages, because they are triggered for one contact. If the transactional message mode is active in a group, group sendouts in that group also get a TMID. For details, see [Transactional Messages](/v1/docs/transactional-messages).

---

## Example

A company sends a holiday newsletter to its newsletter group four times in December. Each newsletter is a group message with its own MID, its own statistics, and its own entry in the Outbox.

The same company sends a birthday greeting every day to the contacts who have their birthday. The greeting is a single message. All greetings share one MID, the statistics cover all greetings together, and the Outbox shows one entry.