Configuring an email channel in
Engage Digital
================================================================================================================
Email channels allow
Engage Digital
to send and receive customer emails. When you create an email channel, you choose both a provider for receiving and a provider for sending email. You can use the same provider for both or choose different providers.
[Learn about the available email channel providers](#creating-an-email-channel ""), or go directly to the [configuration steps](#creating-an-email-channel "").
Understanding email channel providers
-------------------------------------
Engage Digital
supports the following email providers:
* Amazon Email
* Postmark
* Microsoft Graph API
* IMAP
* SMTP
**Note** : Amazon Email is currently available by request. If Amazon Email is not available in your
Engage Digital
account, contact your
RingCentral
representative or Support.
### Before you begin
Before creating an email channel:
* Decide which providers you want to use for receiving and sending email.
* If you plan to use Amazon Email with your own domain, complete the [email domain configuration](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/configuring-email-domains-in-engage-digital.html?brand=RingCentral&product=ED&language=en_US "") first. This makes your verified domain available when you configure the email channel. Work with your IT team to determine which email domain or subdomain you'll use before you begin.
* Gather any credentials or server information required by your selected provider.
### Choosing an email provider
When you create an email channel, you can use the same provider for receiving and sending email or choose different providers based on your organization's email environment, business requirements, and migration plans.
The following are the most common provider combinations:
| |
|------------------------------|--------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| **Receiving** | **Sending** | **Typical use** |
| Amazon Email | Amazon Email | New email channels |
| IMAP | SMTP | Continue using an existing email service or mail server |
| Postmark | Postmark | Existing Postmark configuration |
| Postmark to Amazon migration | Amazon Email | Migrate from Postmark to Amazon Email |
Engage Digital
supports other combinations of receiving and sending providers to meet different organizational requirements. Use the following guidance to determine which provider or combination best fits your organization's needs.
| |
|---------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Provider** | **Recommended when** | **Key details** |
| Amazon Email | You're creating a new email channel or want RingCentral
to manage email handling. | Uses Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) for real-time sending and receiving, regional hosting, and attachments up to 25 MB. You can [configure email domains](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/configuring-email-domains-in-engage-digital.html?brand=RingCentral&product=ED&language=en_US "") directly in Engage Digital
. If you delegate your email domain to RingCentral
, admins can manage the domain and create email addresses for channels directly in Engage Digital
, so you don't need to maintain your own email infrastructure. Alternatively, you can continue using your existing email server for receiving email and forward incoming email to Engage Digital
. |
| IMAP and/or SMTP | You already have an email service or mail server and want to continue using your existing email environment instead of moving email handling to Amazon Email. | Compatible with email services that support standard IMAP/SMTP protocols, such as Microsoft Exchange, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or another mail server. IMAP is used for receiving email, while SMTP is used for sending email. |
| Microsoft Graph API | You use Microsoft 365 and want to connect Engage Digital
using Microsoft Graph API for real-time receiving. | Connects Engage Digital
to Microsoft 365 email accounts using Microsoft Graph API and Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0 authentication. |
| Postmark | You already use Postmark with Engage Digital
and want to continue using your existing configuration. | Postmark is available only for existing Postmark customers. You can continue using your existing configuration at this time. RingCentral
strongly encourages existing Postmark customers to consider migrating to Amazon Email. |
If you're migrating from Postmark, use **Postmark to Amazon migration** as the Receiving provider to temporarily receive email through both Postmark and Amazon Email during the migration. This helps prevent losing emails while DNS changes take effect.
### Understanding default email addresses
Each email channel requires its own email address for sending and receiving email. If you plan to create separate email channels for addresses such as *sales@yourcompany.com* and *support@yourcompany.com*, each channel must have its own email address.
When configuring Amazon Email or Postmark, you can either enter an email address or copy the default value to populate the field with a default email address for that channel.
* **For Amazon Email** , copy the default value in the email field to use and adapt the generated default email address if you:
* Haven't configured and verified your email domain
* Are completing the initial setup or testing your email channel
* Are forwarding email from your existing domain to
Engage Digital
* If you've [configured your email domain](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/configuring-email-domains-in-engage-digital.html?brand=RingCentral&product=ED&language=en_US ""), enter the email address that uses your verified email domain instead.
* **For Postmark** , click **Copy default value** to use and adapt the generated default email address, or enter the email address for your Postmark configuration.
The generated default email address consists of three parts:
* **Mailbox name** : The beginning of the email address before the period. Change this value to create a descriptive, unique email address for the channel.
Engage Digital
always generates the same default email address. You can use it as-is for the first email channel. For each additional email channel, personalize the mailbox name while leaving the account identifier and
RingCentral
domain unchanged. For example, you might use *support* for your first email channel, then create additional channels such as:
* *contact*
* *billing*
* *sales*
* *returns*
* **Account identifier** : A unique identifier for your
Engage Digital
account, after the period. You shouldn't change this value.
* **
RingCentral
domain** : The default
RingCentral
domain. This value can't be changed, unless you configure your own domain.
Creating an email channel
-------------------------
To create an email channel:
* Sign in to
Engage Digital
.
* Click **Admin** in the top menu bar.
* In the left panel, click the **Channels** icon, then click **Channels** .
* Click the three-dot **More** icon (A) in the upper right and select **Email** (B) from the dropdown.
* Configure the **General** settings:
* Check **Active** for the channel to begin sending and receiving when saved.
* Enter a **Name** for the channel.
* Enter a **Sender name** to display on outgoing emails (optional).
* Select an **Icon color** (optional).
* Select the **Receiving provider** , then configure its settings as needed:
* [Amazon Email](#amazon-email "")
* [IMAP](#imap "")
* [Microsoft Graph API](#microsoft-graph-api "")
* [Postmark](#postmark "")
* [Postmark to Amazon migration](#postmark-to-amazon-migration "")
* Select the **Sending provider** , then configure its settings as needed:
* [Amazon Email](#amazon-email "")
* [SMTP](#smtp "")
* [Postmark](#postmark "")
* Configure any necessary [Advanced settings](#advanced-settings "").
* Click **Save**.
The following sections describe the available provider options and their settings. The provider you select determines which settings are available for your email channel.
Amazon Email
------------
To use Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) for your email channel, select Amazon Email as the Receiving provider, Sending provider, or both. Amazon Email is the recommended provider for new email channels because it supports email domain configuration in
Engage Digital
, real-time sending and receiving, regional hosting, and attachments up to 25 MB.
Note
You can create an Amazon Email channel before configuring your email domains. For testing, use a
RingCentral
-provided domain. To use your own domain, first configure and verify it in Configuring email domains.
### Receiving settings
To configure Amazon Email as the Receiving provider:
* In the **Receiving provider** dropdown, select *Amazon*.
* If you've configured your email domain, enter your **Amazon email address** . Otherwise, click **Copy default value** , then adapt the generated default email address as described in [Understanding default email addresses](#understanding-default-email-addresses "").
### Sending settings
To configure Amazon Email as the Sending provider:
* In the **Sending provider** dropdown, select *Amazon*.
* If you've configured your email domain, enter your **Amazon sender email** . Otherwise, click **Copy default value** , then adapt the generated default email address as described in [Understanding default email addresses](#understanding-default-email-addresses "").
* Enter the **Maximum attachment size (MB)**. The default value is 25 MB. Set the value to 0 to prevent agents from sending attachments or images.
* Check **Enable open tracking** to let agents see when customers open their email replies (optional).
Postmark
--------
Postmark is available only for existing Postmark customers. If you're already using Postmark with
Engage Digital
, you can continue using your existing configuration.
RingCentral
recommends Amazon Email for new email channels.
Note
If you're using a custom Postmark domain, contact
RingCentral
Support or Professional Services for assistance configuring your Postmark API key.
### Receiving settings
To configure Postmark as the Receiving provider:
* In the **Receiving provider** dropdown, select *Postmark*.
* Enter your **Postmark email address** , or click **Copy default value** , then adapt the default email address as described in [Understanding default email addresses](#understanding-default-email-addresses "").
* Enter the **Postmark API key** if you're using a custom domain.
### Sending settings
Sending settings are optional. They become available after you save the email channel. If you're using the same sender email address as the receiving email address, you don't need to configure separate sending settings.
To configure Postmark as the Sending provider:
* In the **Sending provider** dropdown, select *Postmark*.
* Enter the **Maximum attachment size (MB)**. The default value is 10 MB. Set the value to 0 to prevent agents from sending attachments or images.
* Check **Enable open tracking** to let agents see when customers open their email replies (optional).
Postmark to Amazon migration
----------------------------
Use **Postmark to Amazon migration** as the Receiving provider to migrate from Postmark to Amazon Email without interrupting incoming customer email. This option is intended for existing Postmark customers who are migrating to Amazon Email.
During the migration,
Engage Digital
receives email through both Postmark and Amazon Email. This allows you to transition your DNS configuration while continuing to receive customer email and helps prevent email loss while DNS changes take effect.
Important
During the migration,
Engage Digital
receives incoming email through both Postmark and Amazon Email until the migration is complete.
### Receiving settings
To configure Postmark to Amazon migration as the Receiving provider:
* In the **Receiving provider** dropdown, select *Postmark to Amazon migration*.
* Enter your **Postmark email address** , or click **Copy default value** , then adapt the default email address as described in [Understanding default email addresses](#understanding-default-email-addresses "").
* Enter the **Postmark API key** if you're using a custom domain.
* Enter your **Amazon email address** , or click **Copy default value** , then adapt the default email address as described in [Understanding default email addresses](#understanding-default-email-addresses "").
After you've confirmed that Amazon Email is receiving email successfully, update the **Receiving provider** from *Postmark to Amazon migration* to *Amazon*.
Microsoft Graph API
-------------------
Microsoft Graph API lets
Engage Digital
connect to Microsoft 365 email accounts using Microsoft Graph API and Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0 authentication. Microsoft Graph API is currently used for receiving only.
This option is similar to IMAP but uses Microsoft Graph-specific permissions and realtime API with the same Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0 authentication used for Microsoft 365. Microsoft Graph and IMAP operate in parallel, with IMAP serving as a backup receiving provider.
### Receiving settings
To configure Microsoft Graph API as the Receiving provider:
* In the **Receiving provider** dropdown, select *Microsoft Graph API*.
* Manage the following settings:
* **Email address**: Enter the email address associated with this account.
* **Server address**: The hostname or IP address of the receiving server.
* **Server port**: The port number used by the receiving server.
* **Folders to synchronize**: After you create and save the channel, the initial synchronization retrieves the available folders. Select the folders to synchronize. You can't enter folder names manually. The available folders are shared by Microsoft Graph API and IMAP. Selecting a folder enables synchronization for both providers.
* **Folder for Sent Mail**: After you create and save the channel, the initial synchronization retrieves the available folders. Select the folder that contains sent mail. You can't enter folder names manually. The available folders are shared by Microsoft Graph API and IMAP. Selecting a folder enables synchronization for both providers.
* **Use SSL/TLS**: Check this box if your receiving server supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption.
* **Use StartTLS**: Check this box if your receiving server supports StartTLS (Opportunistic Transport Layer Security) encryption.
* **SSL verification mode**: This mode lets you verify the client's SSL certificate. Leave this field empty unless the email channel returns errors when you enable StartTLS or SSL/TLS.
* Manage the following authentication settings:
* **Authentication type**: Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0 is selected automatically for Microsoft Graph API and can't be changed.
* **Username**: Enter the username for this account. Some Microsoft environments may require the full email address as the username.
* **Refresh token**: Enter the refresh token generated during authentication.
* **Continue with Microsoft Identity Platform** : Click **Continue with Microsoft Identity Platform** and sign in with your Microsoft account to generate a refresh token.
Tip
If you're already signed in to a Microsoft account in the browser you're using to access
Engage Digital
Admin, and it's different from the Microsoft account you want to use for this email channel, right-click **Continue with Microsoft Identity Platform** and open the link in a private or different browser window before signing in.
IMAP
----
Use IMAP as the receiving provider to connect
Engage Digital
to an existing email service or mail server.
### Receiving settings
To configure IMAP as the Receiving provider:
* In the **Receiving provider** dropdown, select *IMAP*.
* Manage the following IMAP settings:
* **Email address**: Enter your IMAP email address.
* **Server address**: The hostname or IP address of the IMAP receiving server.
* **Server port** : The port number used by the receiving server. Common IMAP ports include:
* **993** when using SSL/TLS.
* **143** when using StartTLS.
* **Folders to synchronize**: After you create and save the channel, the initial synchronization retrieves the available folders. Select the folders to synchronize. You can't enter folder names manually.
* **Folder for Sent Mail**: After you create and save the channel, the initial synchronization retrieves the available folders. Select the folder that contains sent mail. You can't enter folder names manually.
* **Use SSL/TLS**: Check this box if your receiving server supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption.
* **Use StartTLS**: Check this box if your receiving server supports StartTLS (Opportunistic Transport Layer Security) encryption.
* **SSL verification mode**: This mode lets you verify the client's SSL certificate. Leave this field empty unless the email channel returns errors when you enable StartTLS or SSL/TLS.
* Manage the following authentication settings:
* **Authentication type** : Select whether your IMAP server uses Basic authentication or Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0. Microsoft services (such as Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, and Live.com) use OAuth 2.0, while Gmail uses Basic authentication with an app password. Go to [Configuring Gmail app passwords](#configuring-gmail-app-passwords "") for instructions.
* **Username** : The username of this account (for example, *john.doe*). Some email service providers require the full email address as the username. Check with your email service provider for their specific requirements.
* **Password**: Enter the password when using Basic authentication.
* **Refresh token**: When using Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0, enter the refresh token generated during authentication.
* **Continue with Microsoft Identity Platform** : Click this button to authenticate and generate a refresh token for Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0. Copy the token and add it to the **Refresh token** field.
Tip
If you're already signed in to a Microsoft account in the browser you're using to access
Engage Digital
Admin, and it's different from the Microsoft account you want to use for this email channel, right-click **Continue with Microsoft Identity Platform** and open the link in a private or different browser window before signing in.
SMTP
----
Use SMTP as the sending provider to connect
Engage Digital
to an existing email service or mail server.
### Sending settings
To configure SMTP as the Sending provider:
* In the **Sending provider** dropdown, select *SMTP*.
* Manage the following SMTP settings:
* **Email address**: Enter the SMTP email address.
* **Server address**: The hostname or IP address of the SMTP sending server.
* **Server port** : The port number used by the sending server. Common SMTP ports include:
* **465** when using SSL/TLS.
* **587** (or 25, if supported by your mail server) when using StartTLS.
* **Use SSL/TLS**: Check this box if your sending server supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption.
* **Use StartTLS**: Check this box if your sending server supports StartTLS (Opportunistic Transport Layer Security) encryption.
* **SSL verification mode**: This mode lets you verify the client's SSL certificate. Leave this field empty unless the email channel returns errors when you enable StartTLS or SSL/TLS.
* **Domain** : The domain used for the extended HELO/EHLO command when connecting through Extended Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (ESMTP). This command requires the server to identify itself when it connects to another email server to send an email. The default value is **localhost** (optional).
* **Attachment size limit**: Specify the maximum size of attachments that can be sent through this email channel.
Tip
SMTP supports attachment sizes up to 25 MB. The default attachment size limit remains 10 MB, but you can increase it to 25 MB or reduce it to 0 MB. Setting the attachment size to 0 MB also prevents embedded images, including images used in email signatures, from being sent.
* Manage the following authentication settings:
* **Authentication type** : Select whether your SMTP server uses Basic authentication or Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0. Microsoft services (such as Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, and Live.com) use OAuth 2.0, while Gmail uses Basic authentication with an app password. Go to [Configuring Gmail app passwords](#configuring-gmail-app-passwords "") for instructions.
* **Username** : The username of this account (for example, *john.doe*). Some email service providers require the full email address as the username. Check with your email service provider for their specific requirements.
* **Password**: Enter the password when using Basic authentication.
* **Refresh token**: When using Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0, enter the refresh token generated during authentication.
* **Continue with Microsoft Identity Platform** : Click this button to authenticate and generate a refresh token for Microsoft Identity Platform OAuth 2.0. Copy the token and add it to the **Refresh token** field.
Tip
If you're already signed in to a Microsoft account in the browser you're using to access
Engage Digital
Admin, and it's different from the Microsoft account you want to use for this email channel, right-click **Continue with Microsoft Identity Platform** and open the link in a private or different browser window before signing in.
Configuring Gmail app passwords
-------------------------------
Gmail uses Basic authentication with an application-specific password when connecting to
Engage Digital
through IMAP or SMTP. Google requires an app password instead of your Google account password. To create an app password, you'll need to enable 2-Step Verification for your Google account.
### Enable 2-Step Verification
* Go to your **Google Account** and sign in.
* Select **Security**.
* Under **Signing in to Google** , select **2-Step Verification**.
* Select **Get started**, then follow the on-screen instructions.
### Create an app password
* Go to your **Google Account** and sign in.
* Select **Security**.
* Under **Signing in to Google** , select **App passwords**.
* On the App passwords page, select *Other (Custom name)* from the **Select app** dropdown.
* Enter a name for the app.
* Select **Generate**.
* Copy the generated 16-character password and enter it in the **Password** field when configuring Gmail as your IMAP or SMTP connection in
Engage Digital
.
Advanced settings
-----------------
Configure the following settings as needed.
* **Threading heuristics** : Check this box to match each newly imported email against existing emails. If an email with the same recipients and subject has already been imported, the new email will be added to the existing thread. **Important**: You shouldn't enable this setting when implementing a form, or all form emails will be combined into one thread.
* **Common ancestors threading**: Check this box to find an existing email from the same customer, even if the email subject has changed.
* **Email parser (BBCode)** : Check this box to interpret BBCode tags. When this option is selected, emails received to this address won't be threaded and can be associated with an anonymous identity or the *reply_to* field, if applicable. **Important** : Make sure to enable this setting when implementing a form.
* By default, all BBCode tags (including those that are correctly interpreted) are displayed. To display only unrecognized tags, go to **Settings \> Account Settings** in the left panel. Under **Channel and community configurations** , check the **Display only unknown BBCode tags** box.
* **Whitelisted emails** : Enter email addresses that should use special email-handling rules. Each email imported from a whitelisted address creates a new thread and is associated with an anonymous identity unless a *reply_to* is specified in the email's raw source. Make sure to configure this setting when implementing a form.
* **Attachments security level** : Specify the kinds of attachments that can be uploaded to and downloaded from this email account. There are three levels:
* *Strict*: Audio, video, image, text, and PDF files can be attached to emails (default).
* *Relaxed* : Allows all file types allowed in *Strict*, as well as Microsoft Office and iWork document files.
* *Permissive*: Allows any type of file to be attached.
* **Spam threshold** : Manage the spam-detection threshold. When turned on, the platform uses the [Apache SpamAssassin set of heuristic rules](https://spamassassin.apache.org/doc.html ""), which assign a score to imported emails based on the email's content and characteristics. There are three thresholds:
* *Disabled*: Disables spam detection.
* *Relaxed*: Detects spam with a score less than or equal to 10.
* *Strict*: Detects spam with a score less than or equal to 5.
When an email's score is greater than the chosen threshold, the message will be archived. The stricter the threshold, the greater the risk of legitimate mail being archived.
* **Exclude from TO/CC** : Specify email addresses to exclude from receiving replies. Click the **plus** icon to enter additional email addresses and the **trash** icon to delete existing entries.