See how Pipeline CRM tracks email opens and clicks, why your tracking data sometimes looks unexpected, and how to turn tracking off.
How opens and clicks are tracked
Pipeline CRM uses two methods:
- Open tracking: A tiny invisible image (1×1 pixel) is embedded in each tracked email. When the recipient opens the email and their email app loads images, the pixel registers an open.
- Click tracking: When a recipient clicks a link, the click routes through Pipeline CRM's servers before reaching the destination. This registers a click regardless of image-loading settings.
Tracking activity appears in the Activity Feed on the person's record, listed as a Trackable Email Action.
Which emails are tracked
Emails you send from Pipeline CRM are tracked by default.
Email type
Tracking
Campaign emails
Tracked automatically
Bulk emails
Tracked automatically
Individual emails
Tracked by default. Turn the Tracked option off when composing to skip tracking.
Multiple recipients in To, CC, or BCC
Not tracked
Tracking only works when the email is sent through Pipeline CRM. Emails sent from your own email app, even with a Pipeline CRM extension, don't include a tracking pixel.
Turn off tracking and open notifications
Open notifications come from tracking, so turning tracking off stops the notifications too.
For a single email: Click the Tracked option to turn it off before you send.
For the whole account (admins):
- Go to Settings > Email > Email Settings.
- Turn off Allow users to send tracked emails.
Users can still send email normally. Opens and clicks just stop being recorded. See Control Email Tracking, Logging, and Attachments for the other options on this screen.
Why an email shows a click but no open
Many email apps, including Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail, let users block automatic image loading. If your recipient has that turned on, the tracking pixel never loads and no open is recorded. A link click still routes through Pipeline CRM's servers, so it registers.
A click always means the recipient engaged with your email, even when no open was recorded.
Why an email shows as opened when it wasn't read
An open can register without anyone reading the message:
- Email security scanners: Corporate spam filters and security tools open emails automatically to scan them, which loads the pixel.
- Apple Mail Privacy Protection: Apple Mail can load the tracking pixel automatically, so an email can show as opened when the person hasn't read it.
- Preview panes: If the recipient's email app loads a preview, even briefly, the pixel may fire.
- Antivirus software: Some tools preload email content in the background to check for malicious links.
Why an email shows multiple opens
Repeat opens from one recipient are normal:
- They opened the email on more than one device.
- They forwarded it to someone who also opened it.
- A security scanner rechecked the message later.
- They reopened the email to refer back to it.
Treat the open count as a general signal of engagement rather than an exact metric. Click data is more reliable.
Need help? Contact support at customercare@pipelinecrm.com.