4.3 KiB
Requirements Document
Introduction
This document outlines the requirements for implementing email tracking functionality in the Munich News Daily newsletter system. The system will track email opens and link clicks to measure subscriber engagement and identify active users.
Glossary
- Newsletter System: The Munich News Daily email sending service
- Tracking Pixel: A 1x1 transparent image embedded in emails to detect opens
- Tracking Link: A redirecting URL that logs clicks before sending users to the actual destination
- Subscriber: A user who receives the newsletter
- Email Open: When a subscriber's email client loads the tracking pixel
- Link Click: When a subscriber clicks a tracked link in the newsletter
- Engagement Metrics: Data about subscriber interactions with newsletters
Requirements
Requirement 1: Track Email Opens
User Story: As a newsletter administrator, I want to track when subscribers open emails, so that I can measure engagement and identify active users.
Acceptance Criteria
- WHEN a newsletter is sent, THE Newsletter System SHALL embed a unique tracking pixel in each email
- WHEN a subscriber opens the email, THE Newsletter System SHALL record the open event with timestamp
- THE Newsletter System SHALL store the subscriber email, newsletter ID, and open timestamp in the database
- THE Newsletter System SHALL serve the tracking pixel as a 1x1 transparent PNG image
- THE Newsletter System SHALL handle multiple opens from the same subscriber for the same newsletter
Requirement 2: Track Link Clicks
User Story: As a newsletter administrator, I want to track when subscribers click on article links, so that I can understand which content is most engaging.
Acceptance Criteria
- WHEN a newsletter is generated, THE Newsletter System SHALL replace all article links with unique tracking URLs
- WHEN a subscriber clicks a tracking URL, THE Newsletter System SHALL record the click event with timestamp
- WHEN a click is recorded, THE Newsletter System SHALL redirect the subscriber to the original article URL
- THE Newsletter System SHALL store the subscriber email, article link, and click timestamp in the database
- THE Newsletter System SHALL complete the redirect within 200 milliseconds
Requirement 3: Generate Engagement Reports
User Story: As a newsletter administrator, I want to view engagement metrics, so that I can understand subscriber behavior and content performance.
Acceptance Criteria
- THE Newsletter System SHALL provide an API endpoint to retrieve open rates by newsletter
- THE Newsletter System SHALL provide an API endpoint to retrieve click rates by article
- THE Newsletter System SHALL calculate the percentage of subscribers who opened each newsletter
- THE Newsletter System SHALL calculate the percentage of subscribers who clicked each article link
- THE Newsletter System SHALL identify subscribers who have not opened emails in the last 30 days
Requirement 4: Privacy and Compliance
User Story: As a newsletter administrator, I want to respect subscriber privacy, so that the system complies with privacy regulations.
Acceptance Criteria
- THE Newsletter System SHALL include a privacy notice in the newsletter footer explaining tracking
- THE Newsletter System SHALL anonymize tracking data after 90 days by removing email addresses
- THE Newsletter System SHALL provide an API endpoint to delete all tracking data for a specific subscriber
- THE Newsletter System SHALL not track subscribers who have opted out of tracking
- WHERE a subscriber unsubscribes, THE Newsletter System SHALL delete all their tracking data
Requirement 5: Identify Active Users
User Story: As a newsletter administrator, I want to identify active subscribers, so that I can segment my audience and improve targeting.
Acceptance Criteria
- THE Newsletter System SHALL classify a subscriber as "active" if they opened an email in the last 30 days
- THE Newsletter System SHALL classify a subscriber as "inactive" if they have not opened an email in 30-60 days
- THE Newsletter System SHALL classify a subscriber as "dormant" if they have not opened an email in over 60 days
- THE Newsletter System SHALL provide an API endpoint to retrieve subscriber activity status
- THE Newsletter System SHALL update subscriber activity status daily