Automate Correspondence Distribution with Distribution Rules

Role: Project Admin or Org Admin
Time: 20 minutes
Prerequisites: Correspondence types configured (NCR and RFI must exist); distribution list for the quality team created (or use individual users); Project Admin access

Distribution rules automatically add recipients to correspondence when conditions match — so the right people are always copied without relying on the sender to remember.

This tutorial creates two rules:

1. Auto-CC the Quality Team on every NCR — so no NCR goes out without the quality manager knowing
2. Auto-CC the Design Manager on every RFI — so the design manager tracks all RFIs without being manually added each time

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Step 1: Check your distribution lists

Before creating rules, check whether distribution lists exist for the groups you want to add as recipients.

1. Go to Correspondence → Distribution Lists (or Settings → Correspondence → Distribution Lists).
2. Confirm a Quality Team distribution list exists with the correct members.
3. Confirm the Design Manager is set up as a user you can reference.

If the Quality Team list doesn't exist:

1. Click New Distribution List.
2. Name: "Quality Team".
3. Add members: Quality Manager, Quality Engineer, Quality Director.
4. Save.

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Step 2: Navigate to Mail Distribution Rules

1. Go to Settings → Mail → Distribution Rules.
2. You see the list of existing rules (may be empty for a new project).

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Step 3: Create Rule 1 — Auto-CC Quality Team on NCR

1. Click New Rule.
2. Configure the rule:

Field	Value
Rule Name	Quality Team CC — NCR
Active	Yes
Scope	Project (applies to this project only)

3. Under Conditions, click Add Condition:

Field	Operator	Value
Correspondence Type	is	NCR

4. Under Recipients to Add:

   • Click Add Recipient
   • Type: CC
   • Recipient: Distribution List → "Quality Team"

5. Under Rule Type: Select Additive (adds recipients; does not replace what the sender has already entered).

6. Click Save Rule.

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Step 4: Create Rule 2 — Auto-CC Design Manager on RFI

1. Click New Rule.
2. Configure:

Field	Value
Rule Name	Design Manager CC — RFI
Active	Yes
Scope	Project

3. Conditions:

Field	Operator	Value
Correspondence Type	is	RFI

4. Recipients:

   • Type: CC
   • Recipient: User → [Design Manager's account]

5. Rule Type: Additive.

6. Click Save Rule.

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Step 5: Test Rule 1 — Create a test NCR

1. Go to Correspondence → New Correspondence.
2. Set Type to NCR.
3. Fill in a test subject (e.g. "Test NCR — Distribution Rule Check").
4. Fill in To with any recipient (e.g. a contractor contact).
5. Before sending, check the CC field:
   • The Quality Team members (or the distribution list) should have been automatically added.
   • You did not add them manually.
6. If they appear in CC: the rule is working. Click Cancel — do not send the test NCR.
7. If they do NOT appear: check the rule is Active and the Type condition is exactly "NCR" (case-sensitive, must match the type code).

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Step 6: Test Rule 2 — Create a test RFI

1. New Correspondence → Type: RFI.
2. Fill in subject: "Test RFI — Distribution Rule Check".
3. Check the CC field — the Design Manager should appear automatically.
4. Confirm → click Cancel.

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Step 7: Handle edge cases

What if the sender wants to remove the auto-added CC? With Additive rules, the auto-added recipients can be manually removed before sending if appropriate. The rule doesn't prevent removal — it's a default, not a lock.

What if you want to prevent removal of a CC? Use a Restrictive rule. Restrictive rules enforce recipients — they cannot be removed by the sender. Use this sparingly (e.g. for compliance-required recipients like a legal or audit address).

What if multiple rules match the same correspondence? All additive rules fire — all recipients are merged. If a restrictive rule applies, those recipients are locked and cannot be removed.

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Verification

After setup, confirm:

• A new NCR automatically shows Quality Team in CC without manual entry
• A new RFI automatically shows the Design Manager in CC without manual entry
• Rules appear as Active in Settings → Mail → Distribution Rules
• Existing correspondence is NOT affected (rules only apply to new correspondence going forward)

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What's next

• Mail Distribution Rules Guide — full reference: conditions, rule types, conflict resolution
• NCR Correspondence Cycle tutorial — end-to-end NCR workflow using these distribution rules
• Mail Approval Rules — pair distribution rules with approval rules for full governance