Setting up the Ability to use Email Within the Companion Software
Constructing the SMTP Email Server Master List
An item from this list is selected when setting up office email in the Agency Office Module. Each SMTP Email Server item describes the server, port, username and password. In order to setup email capabilities in your system you will need to add your outgoing SMTP Server Information into the SMTP Email Server Master List.
To set up your SMTP mail server connection:
- Open the User Defined Information Module.
- Click on the Email Server tool in the ribbon.
- Click on the Add button in the toolbar to add a new Email Server.
Fill in the following fields:
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| SMTP Description | Email Server Name you provide to identify the Outgoing SMTP Mail Server. |
| Server | Actual URL or IP Address of your Outgoing SMTP Mail Server. |
| Port | TCP/IP Port Number used to send your mail out on. Typical default port numbers are 25 (non-SSL) and 587 (with SSL encryption). |
| Username | Valid account name for the outgoing mail server. This will be an email address. |
| Password | Valid account password for the outgoing mail server. |
| Use SSL | Check to use SSL encryption when sending emails. Some email servers will require this option while some may not support it. |
Choosing which office specific email options to use as the default
To set up your office Email Settings:
- Open the Agency Office Module.
- Click on the Email Setup tool in the Home tab in the ribbon.
- Click on the Edit button to edit your office's settings.
Fill in the following fields:
| Field Name | Field Description |
|---|---|
| Description | Descriptive name for the Email Server you have chosen to use. |
| SMTP Email Server | Choose from drop-down list which Email Server you want to use. (Configured above.) |
| Default Reply To | Enter the default email address you want your clients or caregivers to reply to. When sending emails from the system, Companion will attempt to use the general email address of the currently logged in Office Staff person as the reply-to/from address. If the Office Staff person has no email specified, this default will be used when creating the email. |
| Sender Address | Enter the default email address you want to use for sending emails from. |
| Storage Path | Enter the path to a storage location where attachments to emails would be stored. The path and folder specified here should be a network location accessible to all computers running HomeTrak Companion. If no Storage Path is specified, attachment files are generated within a temporary folder that is not accessible to other machines. |
| Force From Address same as Sender | Check this indicator box, if you are using Microsoft Exchange and you need to have the from address on the emails be the same as the sender address. |
Once you have completed your setup you can use the Send Test Email button to send a test email to verify your setup.