From version 2.50h, Dimensions uses SMTP for emailing rather than MAPI. This article explains how to set up your SMTP server and configure user email settings.
The manner in which Dimensions utilises e-mail has been changed from version 2.50h onwards. This document is intended to be a guide to using this feature in these versions. If you are using a version of Dimensions earlier than v2.50h then this document is not relevant to you. In v2.50h, SMTP emailing was introduced for the first time.
The reasons behind this change are mainly to do with getting the “ClickYes” issue. ClickYes is a software application which was free at one time but is now a chargeable item. When left running in the background, the application allowed the user to continue while the Microsoft Outlook kept popping up a message along the lines of “Another program is trying to send an e-mail on your behalf…” and prompting the user to Allow or Deny.
Another reason behind the change is the prevalence of 64-bit versions of MS Outlook whilst Dimensions remains a 32-bit application. From v2.51c onwards there exists the facility to create email templates (either in Plain Text or HTML format) for use when SMTP emailing. This document does not cover the setup of these templates.
📌 Note: Email templates cannot be used if the user is set to use the MAPI protocol. See the User Record Settings section below.
There are two main areas of e-mailing in Dimensions: Live and Batch.
Examples of Live: Sales Order Confirmations, copy Sales Invoices.
Examples of Batch: ‘Bulk’ operations like Purchase Ledger Remittances or Sales Ledger Statements.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Live e-mailing will still use the default e-mail client in versions 2.50h through to v2.50L and will operate as it always has done. From v2.50L onwards, this facility was removed and emails were sent via SMTP without the user seeing the Outlook Send dialog box. Therefore they did not have a chance to alter the email address or add any covering text to the email message.
There is a HotFix available that will restore this “old” email functionality in Live emailing scenarios and you will need to apply the correct Hot Fix on every workstation in order to complete the setup.
Dimensions v2.50L needs HOTFIX-916
Dimensions v2.51a needs HOTFIX-983
Dimensions v2.51b needs HOTFIX-1061
Dimensions v2.51c needs HOTFIX-1131
Batch e-mailing will make use of the new SMTP server settings (if present) and bypass Outlook entirely.
Set up an SMTP server
Click System Control.
Click System Options.
On the System Format tab, click System E-mail Defaults (or blue arrow next to it).
Note: If this is an upgraded database (i.e. from a previous version) then the words “System E-mail Defaults” may not be seen, but the blue arrow will be.📌 Note: If this is an upgraded database, the words 'System Email Defaults' may not be visible, but the blue arrow will be.
The first time you click this, you are prompted to create a password. This is stored in encrypted form.
Create a list of SMTP servers.
Click the button marked with the red arrow.
Enter the name, address, port number, and SSL setting for the SMTP server.
Click Save. The previous screen reappears.
Click New Users (yellow face icon) to add the credentials used by the SMTP server to send emails.
Enter the user's credentials.
Enter the email Sender address — for example, [email protected]. It must be a valid mailbox as customers may reply to it.
Enter the account name — this is what the recipient sees as the sender's name.
Select the Copy E-mail to check box and enter in the name of a recipient if a copy of each e-mail that is sent should be sent to someone else. This can be used as a way to copy of what was sent as emails from here don’t appear in outboxes.
Select the SMTP Server from the list, then select the user for that SMTP server.
📌 Note: These details are now set as the defaults for this user.
Click Save.
User Record Settings
Decide which protocol to use for the user: SMTP or MAPI.
Open the User Records window.
Click the user record you want to change.
Click Options. An Options window is displayed.
Click Edit.
In the bottom right, choose the protocol from the drop-down.
Click Save. The window closes.
In the ribbon, click Email. Complete the fields based on the protocol you selected:
If SMTP was selected: Fill in the sender's email address and their name. Select which SMTP server and SMTP user they will use to send emails.
If MAPI was selected: Fill in the Profile Name. Usually, this is just 'Outlook'.