---
title: "The Opt Out Tag"
slug: "the-opt-out-tag"
description: "The Opt Out Tag unsubscribes person records from communications. When a record has the Opt Out Tag, communications will not be sent to the person unless the communication is transitional."
status: "update"
updated: 2026-10-16T20:16:49Z
published: 2026-10-16T20:16:49Z
canonical: "knowledge.technolutions.net/the-opt-out-tag"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The Opt Out Tag

The Opt Out tag excludes a person record from communications other than transactional communications.

A communication is considered transactional if it only contains content of a transactional nature. Content of a transactional nature includes content that:

- Facilitates, completes, or confirms a commercial transaction that the recipient already has agreed to
- Delivers goods or services as part of a transaction that the recipient already has agreed to

📖 **Further reading from the FTC:** [CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business)

## Setting the Opt Out tag

The following events cause the Opt Out tag to be set:

- **Decision:** the person receives a Decision configured to set the Opt Out tag
- **Tag:** a user adds the Opt Out tag to a person record
- **Upload Dataset:** an import is run with the Opt Out tag mapped
- **Unsubscribe Request:** an email client issues an unsubscribe request if a message is identified as spam

**Decisions:** The Opt Out tag must be added to a Decision code for it to be applied to records. Common examples include if a Deny or Admit/Decline decision is made. This will ensure that those records do not receive future marketing emails. Transactional emails will continue to send, such as those related to a student's application, decision notifications, or as a result of an action that a student completed.

## Unsetting the Opt Out tag

The following events cause the Opt Out tag to be unset:

- **Starting an Application:** the person starts a new application or reapplies
- **Form Submission:** the person submits a person-scoped form, such as a Request for Information or Event Registration
- **Manually Unset:** a user unsets the tag on a person record
- **Upload Dataset:** an import is run with the Opt Out tag mapped

**Applications:** The Opt Out tag will be unset when any type of application is created for a record in Slate. This includes applications created through Upload Dataset, meaning a Static Mapping to remove the Opt Out tag is not needed.

## Related

- [The Unsubscribe Management Page](/the-unsubscribe-management-page.md)
- [Custom Unsubscribe Follow-Up Form](/custom-unsubscribe-follow-up-form.md)
- [Unsubscribe from Specific Communications with Message Groups](/opt-out-of-specific-communications-with-message-groups.md)