Email Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) Setup

The settings you configure in the Email section of the External Communications page allow for messages to be sent via email from Penelope to Workers and Clients. The Authentication Email settings make it possible to use the 2-step login feature for enhanced security at the authentication (login) level.

After you enable email External Communications in Penelope you can configure recipient delivery settings for both Workers and Clients.

Email Settings Reference

Setting	Description
Test	A tool to test the email settings that you've configured. ​ To test your email settings, you will need to enter a real email address where you'd like to receive the test email. The test is considered successful if you receive the test email at the email account entered (please ensure to check the junk/spam folder of your recipient email account for this test email as, depending on the content of the test email, it may show up there instead).
Enable / Disable	A tool to enable or disable the use of the email component of External Communications. This setting is database-wide (i.e. it is applicable to all clients and workers regardless of their individual message settings).
Use standard email settings	For Authentication Email Settings only, an option to specify that the standard email settings configured should or should not be used for authentication purposes. ​ ​Note: If your agency will not be using the Authentication feature, you do not need to configure the Authentication Email Settings. For more information about Authentication, please see the Authentication help topics.
Host	The host name of the outgoing SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server. Common examples include: smtp.office365.com smtp.gmail.com
Send From	The email address from which all email notifications will be sent (i.e. the sender or email address listed in the "From" field). For example, many agencies use a generic or administrative email address like [e-mail] or [e-mail].
Username	The username for the account that will be sending messages from your email server. Some email providers require your full email address as your username.
Change Password	The password you use to sign in to the email account that will be sending messages from your email server. ​ To enter a password for the first time, click the Change Password option and type the account password in the New Password and Confirm Password fields. Please note that passwords are limited to a maximum of 30 characters.
Port Number	The port number used by the outgoing mail server. Penelope defaults to the port typically associated with the encryption type selected TLS = 587 SSL = 465 Unencrypted = 25 You can generally use the default port number for your encryption type, but we recommend that you consult your IT department or email hosting provider to confirm.
Encryption type ​ Use SSL Use TLS	The encryption type (SSL or TLS) supported by the outgoing mail server. SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) are security protocols that encrypt data in transit through an extremely secure algorithm that requires SSL or TLS certificates on both sides of a transaction (i.e. an email going from your email server to someone else's email server) to "shake hands" before revealing the contents of the data (the email you sent). ​ To determine whether your email server uses SSL or TLS for SMTP-based communications, please consult your IT department or email hosting provider. Common examples include: Office 365: TLS with port 587 Gmail: SSL with port 465 or TLS with port 587

Penelope version 4.21.1.0 (and above) – Penelope is now fully TLS1.2 compliant. All emails sent from Penelope will be sent using the TLSv1.2 protocol to ensure modern security standards are met.

Configure Email Settings

Complete this task if you want to send email messages to Clients and/or Workers from Penelope.

Note

These settings apply to all non-Authentication email communication from Penelope. For information about configuring the Authentication email options see the Configure Authentication email settings topic.

Before you begin: Review the Email Settings Reference topic for information about each field or property available for you to configure.

1. Navigate to System Setup > External Communications.

2. In the Email section click Edit.

3. If you haven’t entered your email password yet, click Change Password and then enter the password for the email account listed in the Username field. Please note that passwords are limited to a maximum of 30 characters.

4. Complete each of the fields listed below with the information provided by your email provider:

5. Click Save.

6. In the Email section click Enable.

7. To ensure the settings are configured accurately click Test.

• In the Recipient field type an email address to send a test email to.

• In the Subject and Body fields type the content you would like to include in the test email.

• Click Save.

If the test email is received successfully the setup is complete. Otherwise, you will need to review and adjust the settings in steps 3 and 4 until the test passes.

Configure Authentication Email Settings

Only complete this task if you will also be configuring the 2-step login feature using trusted devices. For more information please read the Penelope Authentication topics.

Before you begin: Review the Email Settings Reference topic for information about each field or property available for you to configure.

1. Navigate to System Setup > External Communications.

2. In the Authentication Email section click Edit.

3. Complete one of the following options:

• To use the same email settings as your general email settings click the Use standard email settings

• To configure a different email account for Authentication complete the fields using the information as provided by your provider.

4. Click Save.

5. In the Authentication Email section click Enable.

6. To ensure the settings are configured accurately click Test.

• In the Recipient field type an email address to send a test email to.

• In the Subject and Body fields type the content you would like to include in the test email.

• Click Save.

If the test email is received successfully the setup is complete. Otherwise, you will need to review and adjust the settings in step 3 until the test passes.