Email open and click statistics can be useful when evaluating a campaign. But measuring recipient activity also introduces an important privacy question: should every delivered email automatically contain tracking, or should tracking depend on the recipient's permission?
This question has become particularly relevant for organizations using email marketing in Europe. In April 2026, the French Data Protection Authority, CNIL, published specific recommendations concerning tracking pixels in emails and explained when consent may be required.
For Vtiger CRM users, the practical challenge is not simply whether a campaign should be tracked. The more useful question is whether tracking can be controlled separately for each recipient while still allowing the email itself to be delivered.
What does an email tracking pixel actually do?
An email tracking pixel is typically a very small remote image inserted into an email. When the recipient opens the message and the image is loaded, the sender can receive information indicating that the email was opened.
Depending on the implementation, tracking can also record information such as the time of the request, device information or an approximate location derived from an IP address.
Links inside an email can also be modified so that a click first passes through a tracking URL before the recipient reaches the final destination. This allows campaign software to measure which links were clicked.
Did the recipient open the email?
A tracking image can be used to register an email open when the remote resource is requested by the recipient's email client.
Which campaign links were clicked?
Tracked links can register a click before redirecting the recipient to the requested destination.
Why CNIL email tracking guidance matters
In April 2026, CNIL published recommendations specifically addressing tracking pixels in emails. The authority explains that these pixels can collect information about how recipients interact with messages and that their use raises privacy considerations similar to other tracking technologies.
CNIL distinguishes between different purposes for which tracking pixels may be used. Some uses can require recipient consent, particularly when tracking is used for advertising, marketing optimization or profiling. Other narrowly defined uses may be assessed differently.
This distinction is important. A company should not simply assume that every tracking pixel is prohibited or that every tracking pixel is automatically permitted. The purpose, implementation and applicable legal framework need to be considered.
You can read the official CNIL recommendations on email tracking pixels for the detailed regulatory guidance.
Consent should be a real choice
Where consent is required, CNIL emphasizes that recipients should be properly informed and should be able to refuse or withdraw their consent.
This creates an important technical requirement for campaign software: permission to receive an email and permission to measure interaction with that email may need to be handled separately.
Receiving an email and being tracked are not the same choice
One of the most important concepts when designing a privacy conscious email workflow is separating the decision to receive messages from the decision to allow tracking.
A recipient may still want to receive newsletters, product information or customer communication while preferring that their opens and clicks are not measured.
| Recipient choice | Controls | Possible result |
|---|---|---|
| Email subscription | Whether the recipient should receive campaign emails | Email is delivered or excluded from the campaign |
| Tracking consent | Whether opens and clicks may be measured | Email can be delivered with or without tracking |
The Vtiger CRM email tracking challenge
Campaign tracking is normally designed around a campaign level choice. Tracking is enabled and statistics are collected for the emails sent through that campaign.
Privacy requirements can create a more granular requirement. One recipient may permit tracking while another recipient in the same campaign may not.
Standard Vtiger Open Source campaign workflows do not provide the same per recipient tracking consent logic described here. Implementing such behaviour manually would require additional CRM fields, consent handling, campaign checks and changes to the tracking mechanism.
One tracking setting for the campaign
Tracking is generally treated as part of the campaign configuration rather than a separate recipient permission.
Tracking follows the recipient's choice
Each recipient can have a separate tracking consent state that is checked before tracking elements are added to the email.
Tracking consent directly inside Vtiger Email Marketing
Our Email Marketing extension for Vtiger CRM adds recipient level tracking consent to the campaign workflow.
Supported recipient modules can contain an Email tracking consent checkbox. Before the extension adds open or click tracking to a message, the recipient's consent status is checked.
When tracking consent is not available, the campaign email can still be delivered, but the supported open pixel and tracked links are not added for that recipient.
- Separate email delivery permission from tracking permission.
- Store tracking consent directly on supported CRM records.
- Check consent individually when campaign emails are generated.
- Send email without supported open and click tracking when consent is absent.
- Allow recipients to confirm or withdraw tracking consent.
- Keep unsubscribe handling independent from tracking consent.
- Allow administrators to disable tracking globally.
How recipient based tracking consent works
The objective is to make consent part of the campaign workflow rather than relying on someone to manually prepare separate campaigns.
Store the recipient's choice
After administrator setup, supported CRM records can contain an Email tracking consent field.
Create your campaign normally
Select recipients, prepare the template and configure the campaign through the Vtiger Email Marketing workflow.
Consent is checked per recipient
When individual messages are prepared, the extension checks whether tracking consent is available for that recipient.
Tracking is added only where allowed
A recipient without tracking consent can still receive the email, but supported open and click measurement is omitted.
Giving recipients control over email tracking
Collecting a value inside the CRM is only part of the workflow. Recipients may also need a practical way to express or change their choice.
The Email Marketing extension can provide a confirmation link that allows recipients to manage their tracking consent. This makes it possible to handle tracking permission independently from the normal unsubscribe process.
This approach is particularly relevant to the CNIL recommendation concerning consent collected after an email address has already been obtained. CNIL describes a workflow where consent can be requested in an email that does not itself contain the tracking mechanism requiring consent, followed by a positive action from the recipient.
What happens when tracking consent is not available?
A privacy conscious campaign does not necessarily need to block the entire message simply because tracking permission is missing.
With recipient based tracking consent, the email can still be prepared and delivered while supported tracking elements are excluded.
| Recipient status | Email delivery | Open tracking | Click tracking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscribed and tracking allowed | Sent | Available | Available |
| Subscribed and tracking not allowed | Sent | Not added | Not added |
| Unsubscribed from campaign emails | Not sent | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Why a global tracking switch is not enough
An administrator may decide to disable tracking completely. That is a useful control, but it addresses a different requirement from recipient consent.
A global setting can prevent tracking for everyone. It cannot create permission for an individual recipient.
Recipient level consent provides the additional control needed when different people have made different choices.
A practical checklist for Vtiger email campaigns
Technology is only one part of a compliant email process. When reviewing tracking in your Vtiger CRM campaigns, consider the complete workflow.
- Identify whether your campaign uses open pixels, tracked links or both.
- Document why you collect each type of tracking information.
- Determine whether consent is required for your particular purpose and recipients.
- Explain tracking clearly in your privacy information where applicable.
- Keep permission to receive marketing separate from permission to track interaction where appropriate.
- Provide an appropriate mechanism for recipients to withdraw tracking consent.
- Keep unsubscribe functionality available independently of tracking preferences.
- Review your campaign configuration when privacy requirements or business purposes change.
This article describes technical functionality and general privacy considerations. It is not legal advice. Applicable obligations depend on your organization, recipients, campaign purpose, jurisdiction and implementation.
Build the privacy workflow around the campaign
Tracking consent is most useful when it becomes part of the same system that already manages recipients and campaigns.
Instead of maintaining a separate spreadsheet of tracking permissions or creating different mailing lists manually, consent can remain connected with the CRM recipient record and be evaluated when the campaign email is generated.
The ITS4YOU Email Marketing extension for Vtiger CRM combines campaign creation, scheduling, templates, subscriber management, email statistics and recipient based tracking controls inside Vtiger.
Email Marketing also works with Newsletter and Email Maker templates and supports campaign metrics such as opens, clicks and unsubscribe information when those measurements are enabled and applicable.
Common questions about Vtiger email tracking consent
Can I disable email tracking in Vtiger CRM?
Email tracking can be disabled through the supported tracking controls provided by the ITS4YOU Email Marketing extension. Administrators can disable tracking globally, while recipient level consent can determine whether supported tracking is used for individual recipients.
Can an email still be sent when tracking consent is missing?
Yes. With the recipient consent workflow in the ITS4YOU Email Marketing extension, an email can still be delivered while supported open and click tracking is omitted for that recipient.
Is email tracking consent the same as newsletter consent?
No. Permission to receive an email and permission to measure opens or clicks are separate concepts. A recipient may continue receiving campaign emails while declining supported tracking.
Is tracking opt out the same as unsubscribe?
No. Unsubscribe controls whether the recipient receives campaign emails. Tracking consent controls whether supported interaction measurement is added to delivered messages.
Does CNIL require consent for every email tracking pixel?
Not necessarily. CNIL distinguishes between different purposes and circumstances. Some uses, particularly marketing, advertising and profiling related tracking, can require consent, while certain other uses may qualify for an exemption. Organizations should assess their own purpose and implementation.
Can tracking consent be collected by email?
CNIL describes situations where consent can be requested later through an email that does not itself contain the tracking mechanism requiring consent. The recipient should then perform a positive action to confirm the choice.
Does this make my Vtiger CRM GDPR compliant?
No single extension can make an organization compliant by itself. Tracking consent controls provide technical tools for implementing a privacy workflow, but your privacy notices, legal basis, consent collection, data processing and other obligations still need to be assessed for your organization.
Where can I find the Email Marketing extension?
Visit the Email Marketing extension for Vtiger CRM to review features, pricing, compatibility and available packages.
Add recipient based email tracking consent to Vtiger CRM
If your organization uses Vtiger for email campaigns and needs more control over open and click tracking, Email Marketing can make tracking permission part of the recipient workflow.
Keep campaign delivery, unsubscribe preferences and tracking consent separate while managing everything directly inside your CRM.
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