Difference between revisions of "Email"

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=Overview=
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The SmartSimple platform provides several features that support communication via email. These features range from the ability to send email in bulk to target audiences, automated email that send based on your workflow, as well as individually crafted ad hoc email. Configuration options are also available for you to personalize your email content, and the delivery of email, such as varying the from address that email is sent with. It should be noted however, that while the platform makes a best effort to send email as configured, there are limits and best practices that need to be observed in order to maximize the successful delivery of email. These limits and best practices are ever changing, as is the industry standards that they are designed to follow.
 +
 
 +
=Usage=
 +
 
 +
==Sending Email in Bulk==
 +
 
 +
===Email Broadcast===
 +
The Email Broadcast feature enables you to send email in bulk to your users. You can define the recipient list of a broadcast through the same search criteria available to you in the People list view. That is, you can select users according to attributes such as their user roles, or specific field values, or even the company categories, or specific field values of the parent company that a user resides within.
  
 +
Learn more about the [[Overview_of_the_Email_Broadcast_Application | Email Broadcast feature]]. 
  
 +
===Group Email===
 +
The Group Email feature enables you to send email from a List View of records, targeted towards the users associated to these records. Currently, this feature is available from any UTA List View, or Organization List View. This lets you target a message to users that are associated by a specific role to a set of records that you can search based on any criteria available in the List View, such as type, status, or field value. The contents of the email also has context to the record, so you can include information from the record within your message. An example of this could be the sending of a reminder email to the owners of UTA records that are currently in a draft status, to remind them to submit their records.
  
−
=Overview=
+
Learn more about the [[Group_Email | Group Email feature]].
−
'''Email Access '''is provided within [[SmartSimple]] from two different features. Regardless of which technique you use, you are always able to store incoming emails with the contact that sent the messages, provided that contact exists within your [[SmartSimple]] system. Contact activities include all emails as well as other types of activities. When you save an email address to a specific contact, it will become visible to anyone who has access to view that contact.
+
 
 +
Group Email supports the use of pre-made [[#Email Templates|Email Templates]].
  
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* See here to learn [[User#Configuration - Essentials|how to add users and contacts]]. 
+
==Automation of Email==
  
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==Accessing Email from the Menu==
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===Workflow Acknowledgement Tasks===
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1. Click the 9-square menu icon on the top right of your page.
+
Within the Workflow automation module, is the ability to configure Acknowledgement type tasks. This grants the ability to trigger automated email notifications based upon the same conditions that a Workflow may trigger. This allows you great flexibility in sending email notifications based on a wide variety of criteria, targeted to any number of users associated to the record that the Workflow was triggered on, and with context to and ability to include information from the record too.
  
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:: {{Icon-Menu}} 
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Learn more about [[Workflows_Overview#Task_Type:_Acknowledgement|Workflow Email]].
−
2. Under the '''Communications '''heading, select '''Email. '''
 
  
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3. The '''Email '''feature will open. 
+
Workflow Acknowledgement tasks support the use of pre-made [[#Email Templates|Email Templates]].
  
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:: [[File:Email menu emmy.png|600px|border]]
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===Reminder and Follow-Up Email===
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:
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Activity records can be setup with a standard reminder email that is sent before a specified date time, or a standard follow-up email after a specified date time. These reminder and follow-up email settings are presented as standard fields that can be enabled on UTA Level 2, or Level 3 type records. After these fields have been enabled, users can then select whether they wish these email to be sent on a per-record basis by manually adjusting when they wish the email to be sent, relative to the value of the end date and time standard field of that record.
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:* A section later on in this article titled [[Email#Email Menu Options|Email Menu Options]] will provide more information about the functionality of the Email feature. 
 
  
−
==Accessing Email through Message Center==
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==Sending Ad Hoc Email==
−
The second method of accessing email is through the '''Message Center'''. When you click on any person's email address, regardless of the [[application]] or feature you are using (such as by viewing their [[profile]]), you will launch the Message Center which allows you to compose and send an email message. 
 
  
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:* A section later on in this article titled [[Email#Creating a New Email from the Message Center|Creating a New Email from the Message Center]] will explain how to create and send an email through this method.
+
===Message Center===
 +
Users can send individual ad hoc email to other users simply by clicking on their email address when viewing their user profile. This will launch the Message Center feature, that will allow you compose an email, and send to the target address through the platform.
  
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==<span id="Types_of_Email_Services" class="mw-headline">Types of Email Services</span>==
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The Message Center supports the use of pre-made [[#Email Templates|Email Templates]].
−
:* You can access email accounts in SmartSimple provided the type of account is either '''POP3''' or '''IMAP'''.
 
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:* You cannot access other types of email services that are not configured to operate as '''POP3''' or '''IMAP'''.
 
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:* The accounts you wish to access must have been previously established with some other service.
 
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:* SmartSimple does not provide an email server; however, you can send emails from within SmartSimple if your email service is unavailable.
 
−
For more help about email services, contact the SmartSimple [[How the SmartSimple Support Desk Works|Support Desk]]. 
 
−
Find out all of the options you have for emailing through different domains from our [[Email Options]] page.
 
  
 
=Configuration - Essentials=
 
=Configuration - Essentials=
−
==Email Menu Options==
+
 
−
::: [[File:Email menu emmy.png|600px|border]]
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==Email Domain==
 +
Email by default is sent out from the platform using a SmartSimple-managed domain. While the platform offers the option to configure email to be sent with a from address of your corporate domain, care must be taken to avoid having these email be regarded as spam. For the best results for email delivery, only the following configuration options are recommended.
 +
 
 +
===Sending From a SmartSimple Domain===
 +
Configure email with a from address of a SmartSimple-managed domain. This will be the most reliable method of sending email. Email configured in this manner will be relayed via SmartSimple-managed mail exchange servers*. It should be noted that these domains are not monitored, and are not configured to receive mail. You may use an alias of your choice in the form of ''alias''@''smartsimpledomain'', e.g. acme-recruitment@smartsimplemailer.com, but we suggest a general alias such as donotreply, e.g. donotreply@smartsimplemailer.com.
 +
 
 +
<nowiki>*</nowiki> ''Note: if you are subscribed to SmartSimple's Private Cloud offering, and self-host your own infrastructure, your environment may not be configured to relay email through SmartSimple-managed mail exchange servers, and this configuration option may not be applicable to you.''
 +
 
 +
The following table lists the SmartSimple-managed domains available for your use, as well as the geographic location that the email will be routed from.
 +
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Accounts'''
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!| Domain
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||Existing email accounts will be listed. To create a new account, read further for the [[Email#Setting Up an Email Account|Setting Up an Email Account]] information.
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!| Geographic Region
 +
 
 
|-
 
|-
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||'''Templates'''
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|| @smartsimplemailer.ca
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||Existing [[Email#Creating a New Message Template|Message Templates]] are listed.
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|| Canada
 +
 
 
|-
 
|-
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||'''Email Received'''
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|| @smartsimplemailer.eu
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||Emails that you have received are listed.
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|| European Union
 +
 
 
|-
 
|-
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||'''Email Sent'''
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|| @smartsimplemailer.com
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||Emails that you have sent are listed.
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|| United States
 +
 
 
|}
 
|}
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===Setting Up an Email Account===
 
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On the '''Accounts '''tab of the '''Email '''feature, click the '''+ '''icon on the top right to create a new account.
 
  
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The New Account Window is displayed.
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===Sending From Your Own Domain via SMTP Relay===
 +
You may configure email with a from address of your own corporate domain, but when doing so you should also configure the SMTP relay function in the SmartSimple platform, to relay the email through your corporate mail exchange system for successful delivery of email. This will require the ability on the part of your mail exchange system to accept SMTP relay, and accept email relay from the SmartSimple platform. If you configure email within the SmartSimple platform to send with a from address of your own corporate domain, but do not have SMTP relay configured, there is a high likelihood that the email will be designated as spam, and not be delivered to the recipient.
  
−
:: [[File:New email account.png|700px|border]] 
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====To Configure SMTP Relay in SmartSimple====
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The fields used to make a new email account are as follows:  
+
The configuration of SMTP relay functionality can be found in the Global Settings -> Communications tab. When this feature is configured, all subsequent email generated by the platform will be routed through the specified server. It is important, when leveraging this feature, to also have configured, everywhere in the platform that allows you to specify the from address of an email, an appropriate email address in order for the platform to successfully relay email to the specified mail exchange server. The following table describes the settings available for configuration with SMTP relay.
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''User Information'''
+
!| Setting
−
||
+
!| Description
−
'''Account Name - '''Specifies your email account name, which will usually be the same as your email address to the ''left ''of the @ sign.
 
  
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'''Email Address - '''Specifies the email address you use to receive and send messages (must have an @ sign followed by email domain). 
+
|-
 +
|| Server
 +
|| (Required) the web or IP address of the external endpoint of your corporate mail exchange server to connect to, e.g. smtp.samplecompany.com.
  
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Login Information'''
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|| User Name
−
||
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|| (Optional) a username for the account that the SmartSimple platform will authenticate against your corporate mail exchange server. This attribute is optional if you are using source authentication rather than account-based authentication.
−
'''Username - '''The "friendly" name associated with your email address.
 
  
−
'''Password - '''The password assigned to you by your '''Internet Server Provider. '''For security, the actual characters will not be displayed on your screen.
+
|-
 +
|| Password
 +
|| (Optional) the password for the above user, if a password is configured.
  
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Server Information'''
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|| Port
−
||
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|| (Optional) the port to connect to on the destination server, e.g. 587, (defaults to 25 when left blank).
−
You are able to receive this information from your '''Internet Service Provider '''or '''LAN Administrator.'''
 
−
 
 
−
* '''Server Type: '''Select POP3 or IMAP. 
 
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* '''Incoming Email Server (POP3): '''Specifies your server for incoming messages.
 
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* '''Outgoing Email Server (SMTP): '''Specifies your server for outgoing messages.
 
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* '''Incoming Port: '''Port for incoming messages.
 
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* '''Outgoing Port: '''Port for outgoing messages.
 
−
* '''Encryption: '''Encryption choices including [[TLS - Transport Layer Security|TLS]] and [[SSL]]. 
 
  
 
|-
 
|-
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||'''Additional Settings'''
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|| Encryption
−
||
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|| (Optional) enable or disable transit encryption, and specify the version.
−
'''Set as Default Mail Account - '''This email account will now be your default email account, unless otherwise specified.
 
−
 
 
−
'''Requires Outgoing Authentication - '''This means that the system must first log you onto the mail server.
 
  
 
|}
 
|}
−
In order to send or read from your email account, you must first '''open '''the newly created account. 
 
−
 
−
Returning back to the '''Accounts '''tab after clicking '''Save, '''select the name of your new account. The email messages that are stored on this email server will be displayed.
 
−
 
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* If you are using an '''IMAP '''email service, the folder on the server used to store your email will be displayed on the left of the window. These folders do not exist when using a '''POP3 '''account. 
 
−
 
−
==The Message Center==
 
−
The '''Message Center''' is used to display pre-defined message templates in order to simplify the creation of an email message, and to streamline the emailing process. You can make email templates available to certain roles or create your personalized, user-specific signature to append to your emails.
 
−
 
−
===Creating a New Email from the Message Center===
 
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By following method 2 of accessing '''Email''' functionality - directly clicking a contact's email address from somewhere in the system - a modal window of the '''Message Center''' will pop up, allowing you to create and send an email to that contact.
 
−
 
−
For example, you can access a contact by finding them from the '''People '''list, found under the '''Organizations '''heading in the main menu (accessed via the 9-square menu icon on the top right of your page). 
 
−
 
−
The contact's email address will appear on their profile. 
 
  
−
::: [[File:Email message center example 1.png|500px|border]]
+
====To Configure SMTP Relay in Your Mail Exchange Server====
−
Clicking directly on their email address will allow a modal window of the '''Message Center '''to pop up. 
+
Please refer to any documentation provided by the vendor of your mail exchange server for specific instructions on how to enable SMTP relay functionality. Some general points to consider during setup are listed below.
 +
* Determine the method of authentication, and whether basic authentication with username will be used.
 +
* Verify the permissions of the account used for the relay functionality. Is the account able to send email to external entities/domains? Is the account able to send email from other internal accounts? Consider the scenario where users may use the SmartSimple platform to send ad hoc email with the from address set to their individual email address.
 +
* Consider any sending limits that may be imposed by your mail exchange server, and compare this against the sending behaviour of your SmartSimple system.
  
−
::: [[File:Message center preview.png|750px|border]]
+
===Sending From Your Own Domain without SMTP Relay===
−
Your first option is to choose a '''Template '''from a drop-down of available Message Templates in the system that your [[User role|role]] has permission to use. This article will provide instructions for [[Creating a New Message Template]] later on. 
+
This configuration is not recommended as it will result in email being sent by the SmartSimple platform via the local mail server of the application server, and has a high likelihood of being designated as spam.
  
−
Your next option is to either send by email or [[Using Instant Messaging|'''Instant''' Message]],''' '''another communications feature within SmartSimple that can be accessed from the main [[menu]]. 
+
===Where to Set the Email Domain===
−
 
+
Due to the highly configurable nature of the SmartSimple platform, there are several different areas that allow you to specify what from address an email is composed with. The below table describes where to find each of these settings and what they control.
−
After confirming those options, you can then click on your next step with one of the buttons: 
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Compose'''
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!| Setting
−
||
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!| Description
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Clicking the '''Compose '''button will bring you to a new email page within the same modal window. The email page looks similar to what you would expect when composing an email in Microsoft Outlook or Gmail.
 
  
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* If you do not select a Template, this page will appear with all fields blank except for the '''To '''field, which will be populated with the email address of the contact whose email you clicked.
+
|-
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* If you ''do'' select a Template, any features that have been created in [[Creating a New Message Template|Message Template]] will already be displayed. 
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|| Global Setting -> Security -> Password and Activation Policies -> Activation Emails
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* No matter the Template, you can still modify your body content via the menu in the body text window, which allows changes to such features as font weight or colour. 
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|| The address associated with email related to user creation and password management activity.
  
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Compose in New Window'''
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|| Global Setting -> Communications -> Email Options and Security -> Enable Default From Address
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||Clicking this button will have the same functionality as the '''Compose '''button except that the page will appear as a new window. This window can then be moved around your screen, minimized, or fully closed in order to allow you to continually see and use other SmartSimple functions.
+
|| The default address associated with automatic system generated email, e.g. system alerts, MFA verification during authentication.
 +
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Preview'''
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|| Global Setting -> Users -> Signup Pages
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||Clicking the '''Preview '''button will generate a preview depending on the Template you have chosen. The preview will be generated at the bottom half of the modal window, under the heading '''Preview. '''
+
|| The address associated with initial welcome email related to each individual user signup page.
 +
 
 
|-
 
|-
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||'''Close'''
+
|| Global Setting -> Workflows -> Workflow Tasks (of type Acknowledgement)
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||Click this button to close the Message Center and return to the contact profile whose email address you clicked. 
+
|| The address associated with email sent by Workflow automation tasks.
−
|}
 
−
===Attaching Files to Email===
 
−
You will have options to '''upload files '''at the bottom of the new email page. You can upload files from [[SmartFolders]] within your SmartSimple [[instance]] or from a Local Disk (your own computer). The '''Local Disk '''option has a max file upload size of 10MB. Click the '''Attach '''button to the right of these options to attach the files selected. 
 
  
−
If email is originated from a [[UTA]] item, you have the option to upload '''Files from Custom Fields. ''' A "Custom Fields" button will be available for the [[User|user]] to attach files that have been uploaded into certain fields on the UTA object ([[Custom Field Type: Link – Single File|single file]], [[Custom Field Type: Display Only – Image|image]] and [[Custom Field Type: Link – Multiple Files|multi-file]] upload fields).
+
|-
 +
|| Global Setting -> Email Broadcasts
 +
|| The address associated with each email broadcast template.
  
−
===Creating a New Message Template===
+
|}
−
1. Click the 9-square menu icon on the top right of your page.
 
  
−
::: {{Icon-Menu}}
+
==Email Templates==
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2. Under the heading '''Communications, '''select '''Email. '''
+
Administrators can configure pre-made templates for their end users, in order to provide consistent branding, or initial text content, which may then be selected when composing an email to pre-populate the email contents.
  
−
::: [[File:Email from meu.png|600px|border]]
+
Learn more about [https://www.campaignmonitor.com/dev-resources/guides/coding-html-emails/#two| formatting email].
−
3. Click into the second tab labelled '''Templates.'''
 
  
−
::: [[File:Email templates.png|500px|border]]
+
===Creating a New Message Template===
−
:
+
# Open the '''Main Menu''', then under the '''Communication''' category, select '''Email'''.
−
:* Any templates that are already available to the system will be listed. Click the '''pencil icon '''on the left of the name of the template if you would like to edit that specific template. 
+
# Navigate to the second tab labelled '''Templates'''. Any templates that already exist in the system will be listed and be available for editing.
 +
# In order to create a new template, click the '''+''' icon on the top left.
  
−
When you have opened into the list of message templates, you are able to create a new message template.
+
::: [[File:Email new template save as.png|800px|border]] 
  
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1. Click the '''+ icon '''on the top left, above the list of templates. 
 
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2. Fill out the form fields to create a new email template.
 
−
 
−
:::: [[File:Email new template save as.png|800px|border]] 
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Name'''
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!| Setting
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||Message template name as it will appear on the template list.
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!| Description
 +
 
 
|-
 
|-
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||'''Type'''
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|| '''Name'''
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||
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|| Message template name as it will appear on the template list.
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Two types are available: '''Email Template '''and '''Email Signature.'''
 
−
 
 
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Each [[User|user]] can have an '''Email Signature '''that will be automatically appended to the bottom of each message that they create.
 
  
 
|-
 
|-
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||'''Category'''
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|| '''Type'''
−
||
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|| Two types are available: '''Email Template''' and '''Email Signature'''.
−
You can select from one of the following options: 
 
  
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::* '''General: '''Email Template will be available in all contexts.
+
Each user can have an '''Email Signature''' that will be automatically appended to the bottom of each message that they create.
−
::* '''[[Universal Tracking Application|UTA]] Level 1: '''Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a UTA 
 
−
::* '''Level 2 & 3: '''Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a UTA {{ l3 }} or {{ UTA }}.
 
−
::* '''Contact: '''Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a contact record.
 
  
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Private/Public'''
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|| '''Category'''
−
||If you are in a [[User role|role]] with manager permissions to create global templates, you are able to use this option to create a template that can be used by everyone in the organization. This option is not visible to users who do not have this manager permission and are creating an Email Template.
+
|| You can select from one of the following options: 
−
|-
 
−
||'''Role Allowed'''
 
−
||
 
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Click into the text box to select from available system roles to determine who is allowed to use this Email Template.
 
  
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'''Ex: '''People with '''Staff '''roles can have the ability to use an Email Template designed specifically for [[Internal|internal]] staff.
+
::* '''General:''' Email Template will be available in all contexts.
 +
::* '''UTA Level 1:''' Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a UTA.
 +
::* '''Level 2 & 3:''' Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a UTA Level 2 or 3.
 +
::* '''Contact:''' Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a contact record.
  
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Subject'''
+
|| '''Private/Public'''
−
||
+
|| Select private if this will just be a template for use by yourself, or public if you wish to make this template available to other users. This option is not visible to users who do not have the manager permission for creating an Email Template.
−
The subject line of the Email Template will appear here.
 
  
−
'''Ex: '''You can create an Email Template for acceptances of grant applications; these might all have the same subject line, "'''Grant Approved.'''" 
+
|-
 +
|| '''Role Allowed'''
 +
|| Select from available system roles to determine who has visibility of, and may use this Email Template.
  
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Default Attachment'''
+
|| '''Default Attachment'''
−
||
+
|| Select an attachment to always include when using this template to compose an email.
−
If you would like to add an attachment that is always included with this Email Template, you can click the '''binocular icon '''to look up and select the files here.
 
  
−
'''Note: '''The available file options must first be uploaded into [[SmartFolders]] or Configuration Folders, also found in the SmartFolders feature. 
+
|-
 +
|| '''Subject'''
 +
|| The default subject line to use for the email.
  
 
|-
 
|-
−
||'''Body'''
+
|| '''Body'''
−
||
+
|| The default body to use for the email.
−
The body of the message can be typed here. All types of formatting are supported - you are able to copy and paste information from other programs, including images, into the body window. 
 
−
 
 
−
'''View Variables - '''Click this option to see from a list of system-wide variables. These will be autopopulated with the appropriate text based on the recipients. For example, @GrantID@ will autopopulate with the specific grant ID number if you are sending it to the grant recipients from a {{ l1 }}. See the [[Variable List]] for more. 
 
−
 
 
−
'''Font/Content Modification - '''Utilize the menu options available in the body text window to modify the content of your email. For example, you can change the font weight (bold or not) and size, as well as formatting of columns and indents. 
 
  
 
|}
 
|}
−
===Creating a Signature Template===
 
−
A signature template is used to add your user-specific, personalized signature to the bottom of the email messages that you send. 
 
  
−
1. Click the '''New Template '''tab from the '''Email '''page.
+
==Saving Email to the Platform==
  
−
2. Change the Template '''Type '''to '''Email Signature.'''
+
===Configuring Activity Types to Represent Email===
 +
Email may be saved to the platform in the form of activity records.
  
−
3. Set the '''Name '''field to '''My Signature. '''
+
Learn more about [[Integrating Email with the UTA]].
  
−
4. Add the Signature to the body text window. You are able to modify and personalize your signature as you please.
+
===Email Anything Feature===
 +
With the Email Anything feature, the platform can generate unique email addresses that are mapped to individual records. Any emails sent to these unique email addresses, are then processed by the platform to be attached to the record as a sub activity. This allows you to track all email communications surrounding a particular record as activities within the platform.
  
−
5. Once you are done, click '''Save. '''
+
Learn more about the [[Email_Anything | Email Anything]] feature.
−
 
 
−
'''Note: '''The '''Save As '''button is for when you create a template for the first time. Clicking this will enable a pop-up that prompts you to put in the Template Name so that it can be saved into the system. Otherwise, clicking '''Save '''will suffice when you are making changes to an already existing template.
 
  
 
=Configuration - Advanced=
 
=Configuration - Advanced=
−
==Email Templates for User Activation and Password==
 
−
You can use '''Email Templates '''to manage the content of notifications sent to users who are either new to the system or require new passwords/password change. 
 
−
 
−
These templates can be accessed and modified by following these steps: 
 
−
 
−
1. Click on the 9-square menu icon on the top right of your page.
 
−
 
−
:: {{Icon-Menu}} 
 
−
2. Under the heading '''Configuration, '''select '''Global Settings.'''
 
−
 
−
3. Under the tab '''Security, '''select '''Password and Activation Policies.'''
 
−
 
−
:: [[File:Password and activation policies global settings.png|500px|border]] 
 
−
4. On the second tab, you will see the '''Activation Email Templates.'''
 
−
 
−
:: [[File:Activation email templates.png|800px|border]] 
 
−
The '''Activation Email Templates '''page has template options for '''New User, ''''''Request Password, '''and '''Password Change Notification.'''
 
−
 
−
* The '''New User '''email message is sent to to a [[User|user]] when you enable their access to your SmartSimple [[instance]] for the first time. 
 
−
* The '''Request Password '''email message is sent to a user when they request a new [[Password Policy|password]] from the [[Login page|login page]]. 
 
−
* The '''Password Change Notification '''email message is sent to the user when a System Administrator or themselves have changed their account's password. 
 
−
 
−
<pre> The User Activation and Password Templates can be viewed and modified in either plain text or HTML. </pre>
 
−
==Hierarchical User Email Templates==
 
−
A different password activation email can be defined for each company which will automatically apply to all sub-companies in the [[Organization hierarchy]] unless they have defined their own password policy. When viewing a company in your hierarchy, select '''Settings > [[Password Policy]]''' to define the password activation email. If there are no password activation emails defined for a company or the companies above it in the hierarchy, the password policy set in [[Global Settings]] will apply.
 
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* See [[Password Variables to Set or Reset User Passwords]] if needed. 
 
  
 
==Email Security==
 
==Email Security==
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To configure email security (as well as security settings for the [[Email#Feature: Email Broadcast|Email Broadcast]] feature, see our [[Email & Email Broadcast Security page|Email & Email Broadcast Security page]]. 
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To configure access permissions surrounding email functionality, including access to specific email features, as well as granular settings within email functions to restrict which user roles a user can include as an email recipient, see our [[Email_%26_Email_Broadcast_Security|Email & Email Broadcast Security page]].
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==Email Restriction==
 
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'''Email Restriction '''allows the [[Global User Administrator|System Administrators]] to set up a matrix of which roles ({{UTA}}-assigned roles only) are able to send emails to which other roles through [[SmartSimple]]. To configure Email Restrictions, follow these steps: 
 
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1. Click on the 9-square menu icon on the top right of your page.
 
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:: {{Icon-Menu}} 
 
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2. Under the heading '''Applications '''are a list of the {{UTA}}s available to your SmartSimple [[instance]]. Select the application you would like to enable Email Restrictions on.
 
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:: [[File:List of UTAs.png|550px|border]]
 
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3. When the UTA's page is open, click on the '''cog '''icon on the top of the page to go into '''Configuration Mode. '''
 
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4. Click into the tab labelled '''Security. '''
 
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:: [[File:Enable email restriction.png|500px|border]] 
 
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5. Toggle on the option to '''Enable Role Restriction. '''
 
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6. Click into the hyperlink '''Email Restriction, '''which will open up a list of UTA-assigned roles that will allow you to choose which roles should be restricted from the Email functionality. 
 
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7. When you are done permissioning roles for Email Restriction, click the '''Save '''button. 
 
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==Integrating Email with UTA==
 
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See our [[Integrating Email with the UTA]] page for more information and instructions.
 
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==Feature: Email Domain==
 
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The '''Email Domain '''setting is found in the [[Global Settings]] page. It is used to configure a default domain from which users will not have to enter their full email address when logging into [[SmartSimple]].
 
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* For example, if your company's email domain is @acmecompany.org, any users with an email address that ends in that domain will not have to enter that portion of their email address when logging into [[SmartSimple]]. 
 
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* Any users that have an email domain ''other ''than the other specified as the default will have to enter their entire email address into the '''Username '''field when they log into {[SmartSimple]]. 
 
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1. Click on the 9-square menu icon on the top right of your screen.
 
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:: {{Icon-Menu}} 
 
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2. Under the heading '''Configuration, '''select '''Global Settings.'''
 
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3. Under the tab '''Branding, '''you will see a field box populated that is labelled '''Email Domain. '''
 
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:: [[File:Email domain.png|550px|border]] 
 
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==Feature: Email Broadcast==
 
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The '''Email Broadcast '''feature enables you to send messages with or without attachments, targeted to specific roles either [[Internal|internal]] or [[External|external]] to your organization.
 
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To use the '''Email Broadcast '''feature, ensure that [[User role|roles]] have been created so that you can communicate with everyone you need to easily. 
 
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You can attach calendar links, documents, images, or anything else you need your contacts to receive. You can also track who has opened your email in the '''Reader Log. '''
 
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Learn how to [[Creating an Email Broadcast Message|Create an Email Broadcast Message]]. 
 
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[https://www.campaignmonitor.com/dev-resources/guides/coding-html-emails/#two|Learn more about formatting an email broadcasts]
 
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* '''Tip: '''If you use the email broadcast feature regularly for your SmartSimple [[instance]], you can create a [[Portals#Shortcuts|shortcut]] on your home page for quicker access. 
 
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==Feature: Email Anything==
 
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With the '''Email Anything '''feature, you have the ability to generate unique email addresses tied to various objects or records. This adds the convenience of attaching emails directly to the relevant object or record.
 
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'''Email Anything '''ensures that all claimants' or applicants' emails are tracked and stored in their own unique record and assigned email address - this eliminates lost or misplaced communications coming into a larger, communal email inbox. 
 
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<u>'''Some functions of Email Anything'''</u>''': '''
 
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:* You can configure the '''Email Anything '''feature so that when your external users send an email to a record, a '''sub-record '''is created on that record.
 
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:* Emails sent to an organization record can also create contact records in the system.
 
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:* Emails sent to a {{UTA}} record can create an '''activity '''on that record; users are then able to interact with and create records on your online database without even logging in.
 
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:* The system will automatically record all incoming and outgoing activity on the source record so all communications are properly tracked.
 
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<pre> This feature is also searched as the following: Objemail, eMail Everything, object email, @objemail@ </pre>
 
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===Configuring Email Anything===
 
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[[File:Objemail.png|@objemail@ example]]
 
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 The syntax (@objemail@) can be used to generate a unique email address for objects in SmartSimple.<br /> This will attach the email as a sub-record to the record from which is has been triggered.<br /> The status of the email record is controlled by the '''Received Activity Status '''setting. If there is a [[Workflow]] defined on that status it will be triggered when the record is added.
 
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'''<u>Use Cases</u>: '''<br />* '''Review Forms''' - A reviewer can send an email to the application<br />* '''Project Management''' - Staff can send email to community contacts while keeping the communication on file, eliminating the need for Outlook Plugin<br />* '''Letters of References''' - Applicant will enter referee email address, which will allow the Referee to respond back with the letter of reference attached<br />* '''Support Tickets''' - A client can email a ticket directly<br />* '''Anonymous Email Address''' - Users can inquire about opportunities without revealing their email address - similar to what online trading-places have
 
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'''<u>Example Usage</u>: '''<br />You can create a [[Custom Field Type: Read Only – System Variables|Read Only – System Variables]] Custom field with the following contents:
 
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<pre>
 
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<script>// <![CDATA[
 
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function copyToClipboard(element) {
 
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  var $temp = $("<input>");
 
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  $("body").append($temp);
 
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  $temp.val($(element).text()).select();
 
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  document.execCommand("copy");
 
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  $temp.remove();
 
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}
 
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// ]]></script>
 
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<span id="objEmail"><a href="mailto:@objemail@">@objemail@</a></span> <a>(Copy to Clipboard)</a></pre>
 
  
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Clicking on the email address will open a new email with your default email program<br /><br />Clicking '''Copy to Clipboard''' will copy the email address to your clipboard so you can paste it (Ctrl-V) into your email program etc.
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=Frequently Asked Questions=
  
 
=See Also=
 
=See Also=
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* [[Email Options]]
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* [[Email_%26_Email_Broadcast_Security|Email & Email Broadcast Security page]]
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* [[Email & Email Broadcast Security]]
 
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* [[Email Designated as Spam]]
 
 
* [[Message Queue]]
 
* [[Message Queue]]
  
 
[[Category:Email]][[Category:Communications]]
 
[[Category:Email]][[Category:Communications]]

Latest revision as of 12:38, 9 May 2023

Overview

The SmartSimple platform provides several features that support communication via email. These features range from the ability to send email in bulk to target audiences, automated email that send based on your workflow, as well as individually crafted ad hoc email. Configuration options are also available for you to personalize your email content, and the delivery of email, such as varying the from address that email is sent with. It should be noted however, that while the platform makes a best effort to send email as configured, there are limits and best practices that need to be observed in order to maximize the successful delivery of email. These limits and best practices are ever changing, as is the industry standards that they are designed to follow.

Usage

Sending Email in Bulk

Email Broadcast

The Email Broadcast feature enables you to send email in bulk to your users. You can define the recipient list of a broadcast through the same search criteria available to you in the People list view. That is, you can select users according to attributes such as their user roles, or specific field values, or even the company categories, or specific field values of the parent company that a user resides within.

Learn more about the Email Broadcast feature. 

Group Email

The Group Email feature enables you to send email from a List View of records, targeted towards the users associated to these records. Currently, this feature is available from any UTA List View, or Organization List View. This lets you target a message to users that are associated by a specific role to a set of records that you can search based on any criteria available in the List View, such as type, status, or field value. The contents of the email also has context to the record, so you can include information from the record within your message. An example of this could be the sending of a reminder email to the owners of UTA records that are currently in a draft status, to remind them to submit their records.

Learn more about the Group Email feature.

Group Email supports the use of pre-made Email Templates.

Automation of Email

Workflow Acknowledgement Tasks

Within the Workflow automation module, is the ability to configure Acknowledgement type tasks. This grants the ability to trigger automated email notifications based upon the same conditions that a Workflow may trigger. This allows you great flexibility in sending email notifications based on a wide variety of criteria, targeted to any number of users associated to the record that the Workflow was triggered on, and with context to and ability to include information from the record too.

Learn more about Workflow Email.

Workflow Acknowledgement tasks support the use of pre-made Email Templates.

Reminder and Follow-Up Email

Activity records can be setup with a standard reminder email that is sent before a specified date time, or a standard follow-up email after a specified date time. These reminder and follow-up email settings are presented as standard fields that can be enabled on UTA Level 2, or Level 3 type records. After these fields have been enabled, users can then select whether they wish these email to be sent on a per-record basis by manually adjusting when they wish the email to be sent, relative to the value of the end date and time standard field of that record.

Sending Ad Hoc Email

Message Center

Users can send individual ad hoc email to other users simply by clicking on their email address when viewing their user profile. This will launch the Message Center feature, that will allow you compose an email, and send to the target address through the platform.

The Message Center supports the use of pre-made Email Templates.

Configuration - Essentials

Email Domain

Email by default is sent out from the platform using a SmartSimple-managed domain. While the platform offers the option to configure email to be sent with a from address of your corporate domain, care must be taken to avoid having these email be regarded as spam. For the best results for email delivery, only the following configuration options are recommended.

Sending From a SmartSimple Domain

Configure email with a from address of a SmartSimple-managed domain. This will be the most reliable method of sending email. Email configured in this manner will be relayed via SmartSimple-managed mail exchange servers*. It should be noted that these domains are not monitored, and are not configured to receive mail. You may use an alias of your choice in the form of alias@smartsimpledomain, e.g. acme-recruitment@smartsimplemailer.com, but we suggest a general alias such as donotreply, e.g. donotreply@smartsimplemailer.com.

* Note: if you are subscribed to SmartSimple's Private Cloud offering, and self-host your own infrastructure, your environment may not be configured to relay email through SmartSimple-managed mail exchange servers, and this configuration option may not be applicable to you.

The following table lists the SmartSimple-managed domains available for your use, as well as the geographic location that the email will be routed from.

Domain Geographic Region
@smartsimplemailer.ca Canada
@smartsimplemailer.eu European Union
@smartsimplemailer.com United States

Sending From Your Own Domain via SMTP Relay

You may configure email with a from address of your own corporate domain, but when doing so you should also configure the SMTP relay function in the SmartSimple platform, to relay the email through your corporate mail exchange system for successful delivery of email. This will require the ability on the part of your mail exchange system to accept SMTP relay, and accept email relay from the SmartSimple platform. If you configure email within the SmartSimple platform to send with a from address of your own corporate domain, but do not have SMTP relay configured, there is a high likelihood that the email will be designated as spam, and not be delivered to the recipient.

To Configure SMTP Relay in SmartSimple

The configuration of SMTP relay functionality can be found in the Global Settings -> Communications tab. When this feature is configured, all subsequent email generated by the platform will be routed through the specified server. It is important, when leveraging this feature, to also have configured, everywhere in the platform that allows you to specify the from address of an email, an appropriate email address in order for the platform to successfully relay email to the specified mail exchange server. The following table describes the settings available for configuration with SMTP relay.

Setting Description
Server (Required) the web or IP address of the external endpoint of your corporate mail exchange server to connect to, e.g. smtp.samplecompany.com.
User Name (Optional) a username for the account that the SmartSimple platform will authenticate against your corporate mail exchange server. This attribute is optional if you are using source authentication rather than account-based authentication.
Password (Optional) the password for the above user, if a password is configured.
Port (Optional) the port to connect to on the destination server, e.g. 587, (defaults to 25 when left blank).
Encryption (Optional) enable or disable transit encryption, and specify the version.

To Configure SMTP Relay in Your Mail Exchange Server

Please refer to any documentation provided by the vendor of your mail exchange server for specific instructions on how to enable SMTP relay functionality. Some general points to consider during setup are listed below.

  • Determine the method of authentication, and whether basic authentication with username will be used.
  • Verify the permissions of the account used for the relay functionality. Is the account able to send email to external entities/domains? Is the account able to send email from other internal accounts? Consider the scenario where users may use the SmartSimple platform to send ad hoc email with the from address set to their individual email address.
  • Consider any sending limits that may be imposed by your mail exchange server, and compare this against the sending behaviour of your SmartSimple system.

Sending From Your Own Domain without SMTP Relay

This configuration is not recommended as it will result in email being sent by the SmartSimple platform via the local mail server of the application server, and has a high likelihood of being designated as spam.

Where to Set the Email Domain

Due to the highly configurable nature of the SmartSimple platform, there are several different areas that allow you to specify what from address an email is composed with. The below table describes where to find each of these settings and what they control.

Setting Description
Global Setting -> Security -> Password and Activation Policies -> Activation Emails The address associated with email related to user creation and password management activity.
Global Setting -> Communications -> Email Options and Security -> Enable Default From Address The default address associated with automatic system generated email, e.g. system alerts, MFA verification during authentication.
Global Setting -> Users -> Signup Pages The address associated with initial welcome email related to each individual user signup page.
Global Setting -> Workflows -> Workflow Tasks (of type Acknowledgement) The address associated with email sent by Workflow automation tasks.
Global Setting -> Email Broadcasts The address associated with each email broadcast template.

Email Templates

Administrators can configure pre-made templates for their end users, in order to provide consistent branding, or initial text content, which may then be selected when composing an email to pre-populate the email contents.

Learn more about formatting email.

Creating a New Message Template

  1. Open the Main Menu, then under the Communication category, select Email.
  2. Navigate to the second tab labelled Templates. Any templates that already exist in the system will be listed and be available for editing.
  3. In order to create a new template, click the + icon on the top left.
Email new template save as.png 
Setting Description
Name Message template name as it will appear on the template list.
Type Two types are available: Email Template and Email Signature.

Each user can have an Email Signature that will be automatically appended to the bottom of each message that they create.

Category You can select from one of the following options: 
  • General: Email Template will be available in all contexts.
  • UTA Level 1: Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a UTA.
  • Level 2 & 3: Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a UTA Level 2 or 3.
  • Contact: Email Template will only be available when sending an email from a contact record.
Private/Public Select private if this will just be a template for use by yourself, or public if you wish to make this template available to other users. This option is not visible to users who do not have the manager permission for creating an Email Template.
Role Allowed Select from available system roles to determine who has visibility of, and may use this Email Template.
Default Attachment Select an attachment to always include when using this template to compose an email.
Subject The default subject line to use for the email.
Body The default body to use for the email.

Saving Email to the Platform

Configuring Activity Types to Represent Email

Email may be saved to the platform in the form of activity records.

Learn more about Integrating Email with the UTA.

Email Anything Feature

With the Email Anything feature, the platform can generate unique email addresses that are mapped to individual records. Any emails sent to these unique email addresses, are then processed by the platform to be attached to the record as a sub activity. This allows you to track all email communications surrounding a particular record as activities within the platform.

Learn more about the Email Anything feature.

Configuration - Advanced

Email Security

To configure access permissions surrounding email functionality, including access to specific email features, as well as granular settings within email functions to restrict which user roles a user can include as an email recipient, see our Email & Email Broadcast Security page.

Frequently Asked Questions

See Also

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