Start Here: MailChimp and MPDX

This integration allows you to keep your email newsletter list from MPDX in MailChimp. MailChimp can help you create engaging email newsletters, track who opens your newsletters and how often, and know which emails are no longer valid and when someone unsubscribes from your list. When you connect MPDX to MailChimp, MPDX will set up a one-way sync from MPDX to MailChimp. 

Step 1:  Preparing Your MailChimp List in MPDX

Step 2:  Create a MailChimp Account and Login. If you need to learn how to use MailChimp, they have good support documentation to help you Get Started with MailChimp

Step 3: Set Up the MailChimp Sync

You can enable the MailChimp Sync by visiting the gear (Settings) in the top right of your MPDX screen > Connect Services > MailChimp. 

An Overview of How the MailChimp Sync Works 

MPDX syncs all contacts who are marked as Newsletter-Email or Newsletter-Both to your selected list in MailChimp. The email marked primary (for each person within the contact) will be added to the synced MailChimp list. If individuals within a contact have different newsletter preferences, you will need to edit that person's preferences under the People tab. If an individual person within a contact in MPDX is marked as "Opted Out of Email Newsletter," we will not include them in the sync.

Here is the list of fields sent from MPDX to MailChimp:
[Email Address], [First Name], [Last Name], [Partner Status], [Tags (max of 46)], [Greeting] 

MPDX will only sync contacts FROM MPDX TO MailChimp. If you have contacts in MailChimp you want to have in MPDX, you will need to either input them manually in MPDX, or export your list as a CSV and import them into MPDX. You can find more articles on how to use the MPDX CSV import tool here on our help site.

If you DO NOT turn the sync on, you will need to update all newsletter contacts separately in both MPDX and MailChimp.

NOTE: As of March 10, 2023 MailChimp set a Contact Limit of 500 Contacts for their free plan

  • If you exceed the 500 Contact limit you will need to upgrade to a different level of membership
  • For contacts with email addresses that have bounced or for contacts who have unsubscribed you can archive that contact and it will not count towards your 500 contact total. 

Step 4: Maintaining Your MailChimp List in MPDX

An important part of sending your newsletters is making sure your list stays accurate as your Ministry Partner’s information changes, or as you add, or change Ministry Partners. Periodically checking and updating your MailChimp email Newsletter list in MPDX is key.

If you need to update a contact’s email address, make sure to do it in MPDX. If you update a contact in MailChimp, that information will NOT sync back to MPDX. If you update a contact in MPDX, however, it WILL update that contact in MailChimp. Remember, the sync believes that MPDX is the source of truth for your newsletter list.

Additionally, if you add people in MailChimp, MPDX will NOT automatically create a new contact in MPDX. You will need to also create them manually in MPDX, or export your MailChimp list to import into MPDX.