Mass Email Notifications relies on a batching system combined with WordPress cron to send messages safely and consistently. Understanding this flow helps explain why emails don’t go out instantly and how throttling is enforced.
Creation #
- Submitting the control form runs a feed, which creates a batch.
- The batch contains the list of recipients (from a target form or CSV), along with the message subject and body.
- Each batch is uniquely labeled for tracking.
Review Window #
- After creation, the batch enters a 5‑minute Pending window.
- During this time, you can preview the batch, cancel it, or let it proceed.
- This safety buffer prevents accidental “blast sends.”
Processing by Cron #
- Once the review window ends, the batch moves to In Progress.
- WordPress cron jobs handle sending in small chunks according to the limits you set.
- Cron typically runs hourly, but it may be triggered sooner or later depending on site activity or server setup.
Resend Behavior #
- If you click Send Now, the batch begins immediately, but still respects throttling limits.
- No emails are ever sent faster than the per‑minute/hour/day/month rules allow.
Why Cron Matters #
- WordPress cron is “pseudo-cron” — it only runs when the site is visited or triggered by a server task.
- If your host disables cron, you may need to configure a server-level cron job that pings
wp-cron.phpregularly.
By combining batching with cron, the plugin ensures campaigns are paced properly, accidental sends can be caught, and provider limits are respected automatically.
