How to get SMTP bounce messages from Salesforce Marketing Cloud?

Key findings

• Data view access: SFMC provides a system data view called _Bounce that contains detailed information about email bounces.
• SQL queries: SQL queries are the primary method to extract bounce data from the _Bounce data view and push it into a custom data extension.
• Bounce reason fields: Key fields like SMTPBounceReason provide specific details about why an email bounced.
• Job ID filtering: Bounces can be filtered by JobID to retrieve bounce data for specific email sends.
• Domain and IP filtering: Queries can also be customized to filter bounce data by specific domains or IP addresses for targeted analysis.

Key considerations

• Data extension creation: A custom data extension must be created to store the bounce data pulled from the system data view.
• Automation setup: While one-off queries are possible, setting up scheduled automations to regularly pull bounce data into a data extension is recommended for ongoing monitoring and analysis. This approach is part of effective bounce management in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
• Data volume limits: Be aware that the SFMC interface for data extensions may only display a limited number of records (e.g., 200) unless the data is exported, necessitating careful data handling for larger datasets.
• Comprehensive analysis: Analyze the bounce reasons to differentiate between hard and soft bounces and take appropriate action to maintain list hygiene. For a deeper dive into managing these, consider the definitive guide to bounce management in SFMC Email Studio.

Key opinions

• Automation for extraction: Setting up automations to pull bounce messages into a data extension is a common and effective approach.
• Targeted queries: Marketers frequently use SQL queries with JobID filters to isolate bounce data for specific email sends.
• Detailed bounce reasons: Accessing fields like SMTPBounceReason is crucial for understanding the specific reasons behind delivery failures.
• Domain-specific analysis: The ability to filter bounce data by recipient domain helps identify issues with specific ISPs.

Key considerations

• Ad-hoc queries: It's common to run SQL queries as one-off jobs, modifying the JobID as needed, but regular automation is better for a holistic view.
• Data export for larger sets: For extensive analysis or when dealing with many bounces, exporting the data extension to Excel or another tool is often necessary since the SFMC interface may limit visible records. For broader context on this, see how to manage email bounces, SMTP replies, and enhanced status codes.
• Understanding SQL syntax: Familiarity with SQL queries is important for pulling specific bounce fields and filtering data effectively. This is similar to how you might get SMTP bounce logs from an ESP.
• Regular monitoring: Consistent review of bounce data is vital for maintaining good sender reputation and optimizing email campaign performance.

Key opinions

• Automated data gathering: Experts recommend setting up daily automations to gather bounce data from the _Bounce data view and other relevant tables.
• Historical data retention: Collecting data for a period, such as the last 14 days, is crucial for trend analysis and deeper research into deliverability issues.
• Proactive research: Having easily accessible bounce data allows for quick filtering and download, facilitating rapid research when deliverability problems arise.
• Leveraging all available fields: Utilizing the full range of fields available in the _Bounce data view is key for comprehensive diagnostics, as detailed in the Salesforce documentation for the _Bounce data view.

Key considerations

• Long-term data strategy: Consider how long bounce data should be retained in custom data extensions for historical analysis and compliance.
• Integration with other data: Correlate bounce data with other deliverability metrics and authentication records (like SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to identify systemic issues and improve overall inbox placement. Learn more about setting up DMARC, DKIM, and SPF.
• Reporting and visualization: Beyond raw data, consider how bounce trends can be visualized and reported to provide actionable insights to stakeholders.
• Reputation impact: High bounce rates, particularly hard bounces, can negatively impact sender reputation and lead to IP address or domain blocklisting. Monitoring SMTP bounce responses is crucial for understanding and processing reputation-based bounces.

Key findings

• Comprehensive field list: The documentation provides a complete list of fields available in the _Bounce data view, including IDs, dates, reasons, and subscriber details.
• Data view purpose: It clarifies that the _Bounce data view records instances where an email was bounced and provides the reason for the bounce.
• Query examples: While not always explicit SQL examples, the documentation implies the use of SQL queries for extracting data from these system views.
• Contextual information: Fields like BounceCategoryID and BounceTypeID provide categorical classifications of bounces.

Key considerations

• Data retention policy: SFMC system data views typically retain data for a limited period, often 6 months. For longer-term analysis, data must be regularly extracted and stored in custom data extensions. This relates to expectations for ESPs sharing bounce data.
• Query optimization: Efficient SQL queries are necessary to retrieve large datasets without performance issues. Utilizing WITH (NOLOCK) can help prevent locking issues.
• Bounce classification: Understanding SFMC's internal bounce classification system, as detailed in its documentation, is key to correctly interpreting bounce types and categories. This knowledge is fundamental to how ESPs classify and manage SMTP bounce codes.
• Official reference: Always refer to the latest Salesforce Marketing Cloud documentation for the most accurate and up-to-date information on data views and their fields.