Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) Automation Studio does not natively support email attachments in the Send Email activity. However, you can work around this limitation using one of the following methods:

Method 1: Host the File and Include a Download Link (Recommended)

Since SFMC does not support direct file attachments in emails, the best practice is to:

1. Upload the file to an FTP server or a cloud storage location (e.g., Google Drive, Amazon S3, or a website).
2. Include the file’s download link inside the email content.

Steps:

• Upload the file to an Enhanced FTP or a public storage location.
• Get the public URL for the file.
• In Email Studio, add a link to the file in the email body:
• <a href=”https://yourdomain.com/path-to-file.pdf”>Download the file</a>
• Use the Send Email activity in Automation Studio to send the email with the link.

 Advantages:

• Works for all email clients.
• No size limitations from SFMC.
• Provides a better user experience.

Method 2: Use AMPscript for Personalized File Links

If you have different files for different recipients, you can store file URLs in a Data Extension and use AMPscript to personalize the link.

Steps:

• Create a Data Extension with a field for the file URL (File_URL).
• In your email content, insert this AMPscript:
• %%[
• SET @fileURL = Lookup(“YourDataExtension”, “File_URL”, “SubscriberKey”, _subscriberKey)
• ]%%
• <a href=”%%=v(@fileURL)=%%” download>Download Your File</a>
• When the email is sent, each recipient gets a unique link to their specific file.

Method 3: Use a Cloud Email Provider for Attachments

If you must send attachments:

1. Use an external service like Salesforce Core (CRM), SendGrid, or AWS SES, which allows email attachments.
2. Trigger the email via API instead of Automation Studio.

Limitations of Direct Attachments in SFMC

• SFMC does not support direct email attachments in Send Email activities.
•  Large files can lead to deliverability issues and email filtering.
•  Email size should not exceed 10MB for best inbox placement.