Batch Email Setup

You can configure Batch emailing for specific users. Once set up, HawkSoft enables mass emailing to customers and prospects in conjunction with HawkSoft Reports.

This article provides instructions on how to configure Batch Email in your own user preferences.

See Batch Emails for more information on how to use the HawkSoft Batch Email feature.

Both setup and use of the Batch Email feature can only be completed in the HawkSoft Desktop application. See Logging In and Out of HawkSoft for more information.

Batch emailing is done at the agency’s own risk.

HawkSoft, Inc. is not liable for actions taken by an ISP Internet Service Provider, a mail hosting service, or other email filtering services.
It is the agency’s responsibility to know and understand their ISP or mail host provider's rules regarding email.
Certain state and federal laws may apply to your Batch Emails, depending on the type of emails being sent. Violating these laws may result in legal action being taken against the agency. It is the agency's responsibility to know and follow the laws of their jurisdiction regarding mass emails.
Violation of your mail provider's rules could result in black-listing, closing of your email account(s) or flagging your email account as a source of spam.
Configuring the HawkSoft CMS Batch Email service to comply with your ISP or mail host service rules, and creating email templates that are spam filter friendly, are the responsibility of the agency.

To set up Batch Emailing

You can use SMTP integration to connect your email account to HawkSoft for batch emailing. If your email service provides email through Microsoft 365, you may also have the option to directly connect HawkSoft to your Microsoft account and send batch emails that way. In many cases your email provider will only offer one of these connection types. Contact your email service provider for more information on which of these connection types are available to you.

Another consideration when selecting the integration type, if your email provider allows both, is the presence of individual batch emails in your email's Sent folder.

While there are some exceptions depending on mail server configuration, generally speaking the Microsoft Office 365 integration will show a copy of each email that was sent in a batch in your email's Sent folder. The SMTP integration generally will not show individual batch emails in the Sent folder.

Before you get started

Prior to setting up your Batch Email, you should contact your email service provider and your internet service provider to gather the following information about sending batch emails on their networks.

Contact your email service provider regarding the maximum number of emails that can be sent per minute without triggering a spam alert.
Contact your internet service provider as well, and ask about the maximum number of allowable emails per minute. This threshold may differ from the email provider’s limits.

If your agency does not have a Microsoft Office 365 subscription, or does not want to send Batch Emails through an Office 365 email, you will need to integrate with your email account through SMTP. Ask your email service provider for the following information:

The outgoing SMTP server address
The SMTP server's port number
Determine if the email provider requires an encrypted connection (SSL or TLS)
Determine if the SMTP server requires authentication and, if so, the user name and password expected

If you exceed the ISP or email provider's limit, you run the risk of having your email account black-listed and outgoing emails blocked.
For agencies that prefer to completely avoid potential issues, contact an email relay service that can provide an SMTP account used specifically for sending Batch Emails.

To connect your email address in User Preferences

Click the User icon, and then select User Preferences.

The User Preferences dialog launches.
Select the Batch Email side-tab.

The Batch Email side-tab does not appear in a user's profile unless Batch Email permissions have been granted by a HawkSoft Administrator.
Select the email Integration Type from the drop-down.
- If you selected SMTP, the Batch Email SMTP Settings section appears. Check with your agency technician and/or your email provider's support for the correct SMTP settings.
  1. Enter the Email Address to be used for Batch Emailing.
  2. Enter your outgoing SMTP Server address.
  3. Enter the Port number.
  4. Check Use encrypted connection (TLS/SSL), if required by your email provider.
  5. Enter the User Name and Password for the email account used to send batch emails if the SMTP server requires authentication.
- If you selected Microsoft Office 365, click the Connect button that appears next to the drop-down. Use the Microsoft Account dialog that appears to log into your Office 365 account and connect the account to HawkSoft.
Set the maximum number of emails to be sent per minute.

This is a required field. You will not be able to send batch emails without entering a number greater than zero. Typically, this is set to the maximum number of emails per minute that can be sent without triggering a spam alert, as provided by your email provider and ISP.
Click Test Now to send a test email to your email account.
1. Click OK on the confirmation dialog that opens.
  Assuming no errors, a dialog box opens telling you to check your email inbox.
2. Check the inbox of the email address entered for an email from HawkSoft Email Test.
  If you see the email, the batch email test was successful.
  If an error occurs, confirm the information entered in the Batch Email setup with your email service provider and network manager. The most common causes of error are the email password or SMTP server information being incorrect.
Click OK to save User Preferences settings.