Overview
This article is for setting up SMTP settings for Chronicall, so you can set up scheduled reports and alerts via email. To see if you have SMTP settings updated and working, follow these steps to verify and send a test email.
Steps
- Log into Chronicall, and go to Admin (System) > System Settings
- Select Basic Settings to see the SMTP settings shown below
- Select Send Test Email as shown in the screen above, and input your email address to see if the SMTP settings are working
- NOTE: The best resource for what SMTP relay should be used, and the credentials that belong to it, will be your own IT department, not Xima Support
Example third-party SMTP relays
Gmail
- Report Email Address: your_email@gmail.com
- SMTP Encryption: SSL
- SMTP Host: smtp.gmail.com
- SMTP Port: 465
- SMTP Username: your_email@gmail.com
- SMTP Password: your_password
- The Gmail account may need to be configured to allow SMTP emails to be sent
- This is due to Gmail adding additional security features to its email accounts to prevent other apps from accessing it.
- To disable this so that Chronicall can connect, login to your Gmail account and go follow the steps found at https://www.google.com/settings/security/lesssecureapps.
- The option to allow "Access for less secure apps" should be set to Turn On.
- NOTE: As of May 30, 2022, Google no longer supports the use of third-party apps or devices which ask you to sign in to your Google Account using only your username and password (less secure apps.) Setting up a 16-digit app password may be required.
- Follow the steps found here to create this password: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833
- Once you have the 16-digit password, enter this as the SMTP Password within Chronicall and save the settings.
- NOTE: As of May 30, 2022, Google no longer supports the use of third-party apps or devices which ask you to sign in to your Google Account using only your username and password (less secure apps.) Setting up a 16-digit app password may be required.
Outlook, Hotmail, or Live
- Report Email Address: your_email@outlook.com
- SMTP Encryption: TLS
- SMTP Host: smtp.live.com
- SMTP Port: 587
- SMTP Username: your_email@outlook.com
- SMTP Password: your_password
Note: As of April 2020 we send all TLS encrypted emails using purely TLS v1.2
Microsoft Exchange
- You will want to have your local email administrator fill in the settings for Chronicall as every server will be configured and managed differently.
- Note: Microsoft Exchange does not like the way that Chronicall's test email button works. Instead, try using settings that are known to work elsewhere and then schedule a report to run and be emailed. If that email comes through then you have the SMTP settings correct.
Using Telnet to Send a Test Email
To send a test email from the Chronicall server using your SMTP server, you can use the Windows Telnet client. Windows XP and Server 2003 have the Telnet client enabled by default.
- To enable it in Windows Vista, 7, and Server 2008
- Open Programs in your Control Panel and select the Turn Windows features on or off option in the left sidebar
- Find and check the Telnet client box, then click OK
- Next, open a command prompt and establish a connection from the Chronicall server to the mail server
- You can do this by typing
telnet mail.domain.ext 25, inserting your own mail server and domain - After a moment, you should receive a message that says you are connected to the server
- Now, declare where you are sending the email from by entering
HELO local.domain.name- NOTE: While backspace will allow you to visually reverse typing mistakes, the Telnet client may not take those corrections into account and you will need to enter the command again
- If your SMTP server uses SSL authentication, you will need to enter the
AUTH LOGINat this point. This will show you a string of Base 64 code requesting login information.- Enter the requested information in Base 64 code in order to proceed
- If your server does not use SSL authentication, you can skip this step.
- Next, specify the email address you are sending mail from by typing
MAIL FROM: <example@email.com> - Do the same thing for the recipient with
RCPT TO: <other_example@email.com> - To begin composing an email, enter
DATA - Enter a subject by typing
Subject: <Subject Text Here>- Each line you enter after that will be a new line in the email. When you are finished, enter a single period
.by itself on a line.
- Each line you enter after that will be a new line in the email. When you are finished, enter a single period
- This finishes and sends the email. If it arrives in the specified recipient's inbox, the test was successful and Chronicall should be able to send emails using the server.
- Be sure to enter the SMTP server information in the Basic Settings section of Chronicall's System Settings.