Email Configuration Options

Email Protocol

Acctivate may be configured to send email through Microsoft Mail (MAPI), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), your Gmail account, or your Microsoft 365 account. When choosing which protocol to use, it’s important to understand the basic differences between them. This article will briefly explain how the different email protocols work, as well as when it’s beneficial to use one over the other.

Choosing an email protocol
For most users, the email protocol of choice is dictated by which email service provider is used. If using Gmail or Office 365, it's recommended that you use the Gmail or Microsoft 365 integration method below.

Users that utilize a free email server will likely benefit from the simple configuration of an SMTP connection. Users with Microsoft Outlook and an Exchange server may wish to use MAPI.

Note

Users that have their email account set up to use POP/SMTP settings in Outlook will not be able to use Acctivate’s MAPI settings for their email.

Microsoft 365

Acctivate can connect to an Office 365 account using an OAuth2 connection. This allows for a quick and secure integration.

Gmail

Acctivate can connect to a Gmail account using an OAuth2 connection. This allows for a quick and secure integration.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)

Emails sent from Acctivate are passed directly through to your email server. This setting does not require an email client (like Microsoft Outlook) to be installed on your workstation but does require some additional configuration in Acctivate in order to be used. You will need to specify the email server address, encryption type, and individual login credentials for each user’s email address before sending email from Acctivate.

Benefits of SMTP

  • Independent of an email client (i.e., does not require Outlook to be installed).
  • No additional security settings to configure.
  • More widespread support than MAPI.

Disadvantages of SMTP

  • SMTP does not automatically save copies of sent emails.

Email Configuration in Acctivate

After determining the protocol(s) your company uses, you can configure email at the company and/or user level.

Setting up Company Email

  1. Open File → Configuration Management → Company → Company Info.

  2. Click Edit.

  3. Enter the company Email Address.

  4. On the Email Settings tab, select the following method of email integration:

    • None: No email configured.

    • Microsoft 365: Select this option and then click Connect to begin the connection process to your Microsoft 365 account. You will be asked to sign into your Microsoft 365 account to complete the connection.

    • Gmail: Select this option and then click Connect to begin the connection process to your Gmail account. You will be asked to sign into your Gmail account and consent to Acctivate having access.

    • Microsoft Mail: Select this if using MAPI. You must have Outlook installed and configured on your computer.

    • Simple Mail Transfer Protocol: Select this option to use SMTP. If you select SMTP as your email protocol, you will be required to enter the following information:

      SMTP Field Comments
      Server Check with your email provider. Typically formatted as smtp.emailserver.com.
      Encryption Check with your email provider.
      Port Selecting the Encryption type will automatically set your Port; however you should follow your email providers recommendations.
      Authentication required Enable if your email provider requires authenticating your email address (typical).
      Username The email address used to send email. Required if 'Authentication required' is enabled. Must match the Company Email address
      Password The password for the Username/Email Address. Required if "Authentication required" is enabled.
    Note

    When MAPI is used for the company email settings, emails will come from the email account configured in Outlook, regardless of the email address associated with the user.

    When SMTP is used for the company email settings, connections to the SMTP server will use the company SMTP information, but emails will be sent using the email address associated with the user.

Setting up User Email

  1. Open File → Configuration Management → User → User Information.
  2. Click Edit.
  3. Click on the Acctivate User you want to modify.
  4. In the right pane, under the Email settings section, select From company if this user's email should use the Company Email configuration. Otherwise, select Personal to enter configuration settings specific to this user. If you select Personal, select the following method of email integration:

    • None: No email configured.

    • Microsoft 365: Select this option and then click Connect to begin the connection process to your Microsoft 365 account. You will be asked to sign into your Microsoft 365 account to complete the connection.

    • Gmail: Select this option and then click Connect to begin the connection process to your Gmail account. You will be asked to sign into your Gmail account and consent to Acctivate having access.

    • Microsoft Mail: Select this if using MAPI. You must have Outlook installed and configured on your computer.

    • Simple Mail Transfer Protocol: Select this option to use SMTP. If you select SMTP as your email protocol, you will be required to enter the following information:

      SMTP Field Comments
      Server Check with your email provider. Typically formatted as smtp.emailserver.com.
      Encryption Check with your email provider.
      Port Selecting the Encryption type will automatically set your Port; however you should follow your email providers recommendations.
      Authentication required Enable if your email provider requires authenticating your email address (typical).
      Username The email address used to send email. Required if 'Authentication required' is enabled. Must match the Email address supplied for the user.
      Password The password for the Username/Email Address. Required if "Authentication required" is enabled.