Learn how Pipeline CRM tracks email opens and clicks, why your tracking data sometimes looks unexpected, and how to switch it 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 client loads images, that pixel fires and 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.
You'll find tracking activity in the Activity Feed on the contact's record, listed as a Trackable Email Action.
Which emails are tracked
Email type
Tracking
Campaign emails
Tracked automatically
Bulk emails
Tracked automatically
Individual emails
Toggle the Tracked option on or off when composing
Multiple recipients in To, CC, or BCC
Not supported
Tracking only works when the email is sent through Pipeline CRM. Emails sent from your own email client — even with a Pipeline extension — don't include a tracking pixel.
Turn off tracking and open notifications
Open notifications come from tracking, so switching 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.
- Select the Email tab.
- Click Email Settings.
- Turn off Allow users to send tracked emails.
Users can still send email normally — opens and clicks simply stop being recorded. See Email Settings for the other options on this screen.
Why an email shows a click but no open
Many email clients — including Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail — let users block automatic image loading. If your recipient has that 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.
- Preview panes — if the recipient's client loads a preview, even briefly, the pixel may fire.
- Antivirus software — some tools pre-load 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 re-checked the message later.
- They re-opened the email to reference it again.
Treat 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.