Setting SMTP relay with Google Apps email account

[wtben]

Hi -

I followed your knowledge base article on configuring SMTP for my autoresponder, with reference to the Google article on configuring custom SMTP servers. However, the SMTP connection is still failing in Click & Pledge.

I have set up the SMTP relay service in Google Admin with your posted IP address (216.252.199.40), requiring authentication, and requiring TLS encryption. In Click & Pledge SMTP settings, I'm using Googles smtp-relay.gmail.com server with port 465 and SSL turned on. (I've also tried port 587 and not requiring the IP specification.)

Am I missing a setting elsewhere, should I be using a different IP address or none at all, or is something else amiss?

Thanks!

- Ben

[CnP.Support]

Good day!

Have you enabled 2 factor authentication for your account?



The only way we can duplicate the issue is when 2 factor authentication is active.

Is yours active?

[wtben]

That possibility occurred to me, however 2-Step Verification is turned off on our account. I can try turning it on, though, and see if it helps. Are there additional steps to the setup process if I do?

[wtben]

P.S. I've given you access to my organization (00Dd0000000borB) for support.

[wtben]

Are you able to help me resolve this issue? We'd like to start sending our new autoresponder and need this integration to work. Appreciate your time.

[CnP.Support]

Good day!

We have tested this with many SMTP servers and other than Google all others work without any issue. Our research shows that Google Docs has implemented insecure app setting which may be the cause.

The following services were tested:

• SendGrid
• MailGun
• Office365

Please note that you do NOT need to use any SMTP for this. We actually do not recommend it as we have seen many mail servers block relay attempts if relay exceeds a certain limit. The Click & Pledge SMTP is open for you and has no limits. Google Docs appears to have a limit of 10K emails that could be relayed (see: https://support.google.com/a/answer/166852?hl=en)

We are still investigating the settings that could make this work with Google Docs.

We strongly recommend that you use the Click & Pledge SMTP server or a server that you have full control over its settings to ensure during a high volume period your emails we are not being blocked from relaying your autoresponders.

Sorry for the delay-- we have been testing with many providers & comparing the results and it took a little long.

[wtben]

Thanks for your thorough testing! I am happy to use Click & Pledge to send our autoresponders. I have set an autoresponder to send with Click & Pledge, however when I go to C&P Designer to test an email, the only SMTP choices are Salesforce and Wilderness Torah.

Is Click & Pledge also supposed to appear as a choice here or do I need to manually add Click & Pledge's SMTP server in C&P Settings?

[CnP.Support]

Good day!

I think I see the confusion. You do not need the SMTP. The SMTP is only for your custom SMTP. By default you do not need it.

All you have to do is to go to Autoresponder and select Click & Pledge as the SMTP. See below:



I hope that answers your question.

[wtben]

Yes, I did that already. However, there is no way in the Autoresponder Setting pane to send a test email. The only way seems to be from C&P Designer. I've removed the Google SMTP server from SMTP settings so in the Designer the only choice is Salesforce. I'd attach a screenshot, but your uploader is limited to 20 KB, so I can't attach an image that effectively shows what I mean.

Please go to C&P Designer, open an email template, and click Test Mail. If you have no custom SMTP servers set in C&P Settings, what are your choices for testing the email?

[CnP.Support]

Good day!

That is not a problem. Salesforce SMTP will work. Just use it and in the definition of AR use Click & Pledge.

Salesforce SMTP works fine - the only problem with it is its limited daily allowance. Use it and test it. Once you go live it will use C&P.

Hope that helps.

[wtben]

So, what you're saying is, there's no way to test the sending of a Click & Pledge autoresponder through Click & Pledge. Thus, the only way to achieve the desired From field is to log in with a user whose email address matches it. Ultimately, the only way to know that the autoresponder is working as expected is to make a donation.

[CnP.Support]

Good day!

The TEST is simply to show you the overview of the design. There are no fields to match.

To test you can easily go to any transaction you have in the C&P Transaction and click on the SEND autoresponder. Do you have a test transaction in the instance?

You can simply click on the test button and see the results as you make changes. See below:




I hope you see that without any data the autoresponder will not be a true representation of what your patrons may see. If you have a test transaction you may simply click on the resend button as many times as you want and it will go through all your autoresponders & will send the one that satisfies the conditions.

It is the best way to test.