Question 1

What is the FlowDrafts Standard for Local-First Privacy?

Accepted Answer

The FlowDrafts Standard is a security framework focused on payload isolation: 1. Zero-Trust Payloads (your recipient lists and email content never leave your machine), 2. Native Execution (automation runs strictly within your local Outlook memory), and 3. Hardware-Anchored Licensing (licensing tokens are encrypted using your unique device hash). While we store minimal account metadata (like your admin email) for billing and license management, your business-critical data remains 100% sovereign.

Question 2

Where is my recipient data stored?

Accepted Answer

All campaign data, including names, email addresses, and message content, is processed and stored locally on your machine. We do not use a cloud database for your contacts; your data stays under your control and within your organizational infrastructure.

Question 3

Is FlowDrafts GDPR compliant?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Since FlowDrafts processes your campaign payloads locally and never transmits your recipient lists to external servers, it significantly simplifies compliance for legal and financial teams. We only store the minimum necessary account metadata (admin email and license status) required to provide the service, following strict data minimization principles.

Question 4

Are the binaries digitally signed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All FlowDrafts installers and DLLs are digitally signed with a trusted certificate. This ensures the integrity of the software and prevents Windows SmartScreen warnings during installation.

Question 5

How is licensing communication secured?

Accepted Answer

Communication with our licensing backend is handled through a secure Vercel Proxy Gateway. This ensures that our master database keys are never exposed within the add-in binary, and all traffic is encrypted via TLS 1.2+.

Question 6

Does FlowDrafts store my Outlook password?

Accepted Answer

No. FlowDrafts operates as a native COM add-in within your existing Outlook session. It uses the established MAPI connection and never requests, sees, or stores your Microsoft 365 or Exchange credentials.

Question 7

What are the system requirements for FlowDrafts Private?

Accepted Answer

FlowDrafts Private is a VSTO Add-in requiring Windows 10/11, Microsoft Outlook (Classic Desktop Version), and .NET Framework 4.8. It is optimized for high-performance enterprise environments.

Question 8

How do I activate my device?

Accepted Answer

After installation, navigate to the FlowDrafts tab in the Outlook Ribbon and enter your unique Company Code (provided in your admin dashboard). The add-in will perform a hardware-bound activation handshake.

Question 9

Can IT administrators deploy FlowDrafts silently?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The FlowDrafts installer (setup.exe) supports silent installation flags for automated deployment via Microsoft Intune, SCCM, or Group Policy. Use: setup.exe /quiet /norestart.

Question 10

How does GPO license deployment work?

Accepted Answer

Administrators can deploy a license.key file containing the company code to C:\Program Files\FlowDrafts\. The add-in automatically detects this file to simplify activation for end-users.

Question 11

What domains need to be whitelisted?

Accepted Answer

To ensure license sync and updates, whitelist api.flowdrafts.com, releases.flowdrafts.com, and flowdrafts.com on Port 443.

Question 12

Is administrative privilege required for installation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Because the add-in installs to Program Files (Per-Machine) to ensure it is available for all users on the system, administrative privileges are required during the setup process.

Question 13

How do I perform a manual license sync?

Accepted Answer

If your license status hasn't updated after a renewal, click the activation status button in the FlowDrafts Ribbon. This forces the add-in to re-authenticate with the Proxy Gateway immediately.

Question 14

Does the add-in update automatically?

Accepted Answer

No. To ensure stability in enterprise environments, IT administrators manage the update schedule. Users receive a subtle "Orange Dot" notification in the Ribbon when a new version is available.

Question 15

Can I import any Excel or CSV file?

Accepted Answer

Yes. FlowDrafts supports Tab-Separated Values (TSV). You can copy rows directly from Microsoft Excel and paste them into the Recipients area. Our engine uses smart analysis to detect columns automatically.

Question 16

How does FlowDrafts handle massive campaigns with large attachments?

Accepted Answer

FlowDrafts includes an "Intelligent Flow Control" system designed for high-volume scenarios (e.g., 500 emails at 10MB each). It uses a 2.1-second safety delay to avoid M365 throttling and a "Backpressure Valve" that automatically pauses the campaign if your Outlook Outbox exceeds 15 items, resuming only when the spooler has caught up. This prevents Outlook from hanging or crashing during 5GB+ data transfers.

Question 17

Is there a limit on how many emails I can send?

Accepted Answer

FlowDrafts Private does not impose software limits on campaign size. You are only limited by the daily quotas established by your Microsoft Exchange server or M365 account.

Question 18

How do the smart greeting settings work?

Accepted Answer

The Greeting Service counts contacts per company. If the count is below your threshold (e.g., 3), it lists them ("Hi John and Jane"). If it meets or exceeds the threshold, it switches to a collective term like "Hi Team."

Question 19

Can I send unique attachments to each recipient?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Attachments module allows you to map specific local file paths to individual companies. These unique files (like NDAs or invoices) are attached in addition to your general template attachments.

Question 20

What is the {Tag} format for personalization?

Accepted Answer

FlowDrafts uses single-brace notation: {Tag}. This ensures compatibility with Outlook's HTML rendering engine. You can insert tags into the Body (click) or the Subject line (Shift + click).

Question 21

How do I handle per-company tag overrides?

Accepted Answer

You can define global default values for custom tags, but click the label button on any specific company row to set a unique value for that firm (e.g., a specific Project Name).

Question 22

What is Email Size Validation?

Accepted Answer

FlowDrafts calculates the estimated final size of each email, including Base64 encoding overhead (~35%). It blocks execution if an item exceeds your defined MB limit to prevent server rejection.

Question 23

Can I preview emails before sending?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Real-Time Preview tool renders your template using actual data from your list, showing exactly how the personalized tags and firm-specific attachments will appear.

Question 24

How does ZIP Export portability work?

Accepted Answer

The Export function bundles your template, recipient data, and all mapped attachments into a secure ZIP. It automatically converts absolute paths to relative ones so the campaign can be run on another device.

Question 25

What is the 72-hour grace period?

Accepted Answer

FlowDrafts is designed for offline readiness. If the add-in cannot reach the licensing server (e.g., firewall or travel), all features remain fully functional for up to 72 consecutive hours.

Question 26

What is the auto-save inhibitor?

Accepted Answer

FlowDrafts uses advanced MAPI properties to inhibit Outlook's auto-save feature during batch processing. This prevents the generation of multiple partial drafts in your sync folder.

Question 27

What is the "ghost draft" cleanup routine?

Accepted Answer

During batch processing, Outlook may create transient "ghost drafts." FlowDrafts monitors your Outbox and automatically removes these orphaned items from your Drafts folder once transmission is complete, ensuring a clean workspace.

Question 28

Can I delegate campaign execution?

Accepted Answer

Yes. An MD or Associate can prepare a campaign, map all files, and export it as a ZIP. A team member can then import that ZIP and execute the campaign without re-configuring any data.

Question 29

What is the asset retention policy for imported ZIPs?

Accepted Answer

FlowDrafts uses a two-layer hygiene system: 1. Instant Purge (files are deleted immediately when a campaign window is closed) and 2. 24-Hour Safety Net (orphaned files from system crashes are removed upon the next Outlook startup).

Question 30

Why shouldn't I click the Outbox during sending?

Accepted Answer

Standard Outlook behavior dictates that if a user opens the Outbox folder while messages are pending, they may get "stuck." FlowDrafts warns you to avoid the Outbox during active campaigns.

Question 31

How do I manage my subscription seats?

Accepted Answer

Administrators can increase seat counts at any time through the billing portal. Seats are allocated on a per-device basis, allowing one concurrent activation per seat.

Question 32

How do I revoke a license seat?

Accepted Answer

If an employee leaves or changes hardware, you can revoke the device in the Admin Dashboard. This instantly frees up the seat for a new activation.

Question 33

What is the monthly reroll quota?

Accepted Answer

Organizations are allocated "Rerolls" (revocations) equal to their total seat count per month. This quota replenishes every 30 days automatically.

Question 34

What is the "Initial Lock" period?

Accepted Answer

To prevent fraud, device revocations are typically locked for the first 30 days of a new subscription. This lock is automatically removed for returning customers.

Question 35

What information is included in Admin CSV reports?

Accepted Answer

The real-time audit report includes user names, work emails, team assignments, device hashes, and precise activation timestamps for internal compliance.

Question 36

How is billing handled?

Accepted Answer

All payments are processed securely via Stripe. You can manage your subscription, download invoices, and update credit cards through the integrated Stripe Customer Portal.

Question 37

How do upgrades and downgrades work?

Accepted Answer

Upgrades (adding seats) are effective immediately and pro-rated. Downgrades take effect at the end of your current billing cycle to ensure you get the full value of your prepaid period.

Question 38

What is Seniority Logic for downgrades?

Accepted Answer

If you reduce your seat count, our Seniority Logic ensures that the oldest (most established) device activations are kept, while the newest devices are deactivated to meet the new limit.

Question 39

Can I cancel my subscription at any time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can cancel through the Stripe Portal. Your licenses will remain active until the end of your prepaid period, after which all associated devices will be deactivated.

Knowledge Center