# Email account and mailbox setup

Connect mailboxes to INSIDE and choose the sending identity and default account for email tickets.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator*

**Settings › Email › Email Accounts**

## What it is

**Email Accounts** connects incoming mailboxes and outgoing sending identities to INSIDE. Each account can belong to a subsite and have its own connection details, branding and survey selection. Powerfront manages these connections for you.

## Who uses it and why

- Administrators arrange mailbox access, sender identities and defaults with Powerfront.
- Operators select an available **Send From** account and report connection or credential warnings.

## Where to find it

Powerfront manages **Settings › Email › Email Accounts**. Ask Powerfront to add or change an account, test a connection or renew credentials.

Operators see available accounts in **Send From** when creating or replying to a ticket.

## How it works

Incoming mail uses the configured receiving account. Its **Subsite** affects the customer's placement for routing. When you create a ticket with an account assigned to a subsite, that mailbox's subsite takes precedence for the new email ticket.

For initial sender selection, the ticket form prefers an enabled **Subsite Default**, then the enabled **Global Default**, then the first available enabled account. Existing tickets can retain their selected sender. Available choices can also be restricted by subsite, and changing the sender depends on the email reply settings.

Saving a new **Global Default** removes that flag from competing website accounts. **Subsite Default** requires a selected subsite and replaces competing defaults for that subsite.

## Configure it

Give Powerfront the mailbox identity, receiving and sending requirements, subsite and preferred defaults through your agreed secure process. Powerfront selects the integration and authentication options, enters server and folder details where applicable, and uses **Test Email** to check the connection.

The default connection offers **IMAP** or **POP3** receiving settings and outbound server settings. **MS Graph** has its own credential options. **Use Alternative Outbound Credentials** allows a separate outgoing connection where supported. **Reply-To Email Address** can direct customer replies to a different address.

Ask Powerfront to maintain **Credentials Expiry Date**. When an uploaded certificate exposes its expiry and no date was supplied, INSIDE can derive the date. Recorded expiry can trigger notifications within 30 days, with warning severity at seven days and critical severity at one day or less.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enabled | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Off | Powerfront, on request | Makes the account available for email handling and operator sender selection. |
| Global Default | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | website | Off | Powerfront, on request | Makes this the website default, replacing a competing website default when saved. |
| Subsite | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Not set: no subsite assigned | Powerfront, on request | Associates the mailbox with a subsite for ticket placement and routing. |
| Subsite Default | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | subsite | Off | Powerfront, on request | Makes this the preferred account for its selected subsite. |
| Integration Type | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Default | Powerfront, on request | Selects Default or MS Graph connection settings. |
| Authentication Type | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | None in the new-account editor | Powerfront, on request | Selects None, Normal or OAuth2 where applicable to the integration. |
| Account Type | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | IMAP in the new-account editor | Powerfront, on request | Selects IMAP or POP3 for the default incoming connection. |
| Use SSL | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Off | Powerfront, on request | Enables an encrypted connection for the incoming, outgoing or alternative connection where selected. |
| Authentication | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Off | Powerfront, on request | Enables authentication for the primary outgoing server. |
| Credential Type | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Application Secret when no certificate is present | Powerfront, on request | Selects Application Secret or Certificate for MS Graph authentication. |
| Language | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Default: no account language override | Powerfront, on request | Selects the account language or Default. |
| Reply-To Email Address | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Not set: no account Reply-To override | Powerfront, on request | Sets an alternative address for recipients' replies. |
| Use Original Message-ID in Replies | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Off | Powerfront, on request | Supplies the original message reference when replying, to help mail clients thread replies. |
| Use Alternative Outbound Credentials | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Off | Powerfront, on request | Uses separate outbound account details where the selected integration supports them. |
| Email Account Service Level Settings (hours) | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | channel | Off | Powerfront, on request | Enables account-specific response and resolution targets, including targets by priority. |

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account Description | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | Yes | Names the mailbox in INSIDE. |
| Email Address | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | Yes | Identifies the mailbox and its sending address. |
| Incoming Server Address | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Supplies the receiving server for an IMAP or POP3 connection; required for that connection type. |
| Incoming Server Port | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Supplies the receiving server's port. |
| Outbound Server Address | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Supplies the outgoing server for a server-based sending connection; required for that connection type. |
| Outgoing Server Port | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Supplies the outgoing server's port. |
| Password | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Supplies the credential for password-based primary or alternative account authentication. |
| Directory Id | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Identifies the Microsoft directory for MS Graph authentication; required in that mode. |
| Application Id | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Identifies the registered application for MS Graph authentication; required in that mode. |
| Application Secret | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Supplies the application credential when secret-based MS Graph authentication is selected. |
| Certificate (Base64 Encoded) | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Holds certificate credentials for a connection configured to use them. |
| Credentials Expiry Date | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Records when credentials expire so INSIDE can notify connected operators. |
| Inbox Folder Name | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Identifies the incoming folder for mailbox processing. |
| Processed Folder Name | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Identifies the folder used for processed email. |
| Error Folder Name | Settings › Email › Email Accounts | No | Identifies the folder used for email processing errors. |

## Limits and good to know

- A disabled account is excluded from normal sender choices.
- Incoming access and outgoing sending are separate connection concerns. A successful connection test does not prove delivery to every destination.
- A different **Reply-To Email Address** does not change the displayed sending account.
- Credential-expiry notices depend on a recorded expiry date. A missing notice does not establish that authentication is healthy.
- Ask Powerfront to change **Reply Break Text**; its wording also affects other accounts on the website.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Configured in** [Subsites](ADM-003.md): Mailbox subsite selection affects ticket placement and sender defaults.
- **Configured in** [Email templates and ticket notifications](CHN-028.md): Account-specific templates and branding determine outgoing email content.
- **Configured in** [Email sender blocking and exceptions](CHN-030.md): Account and shared email block rules can prevent delivery.
- **Works better with** [Service levels and response timers](CHAT-029.md): Service levels measure email handling against the account's response targets.

### Used by

- **Required by** [Email Autopilot for tickets](AI-012.md): An email account receives customer messages and sends replies.
- **Required by** [Incoming email and ticket replies](CHN-025.md): An email account receives the incoming mail and supplies its mailbox and subsite context.
- **Required by** [Email ticket handling and statuses](CHN-026.md): Email tickets need a configured sending and receiving account.
- **Required by** [Email replies and support conversations](CHN-027.md): Outgoing messages use an enabled email account and its identity.
- **Required by** [Email templates and ticket notifications](CHN-028.md): Sending accounts supply outbound identity, branding and account-specific template selection.
- **Required by** [Email send cancellation and delivery failures](CHN-031.md): Email delivery needs a working sending account.
- **Configures** [Offline help for visitors](VX-011.md): Offline email tickets use the email account selected for the offline form.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task actions](ENG-016.md): Email account settings supply sending identities and defaults for email and ticket actions.
- **Configures** [Email event rules and actions](ENG-022.md): Email account identity can filter rules and supply notification senders.
- **Configures** [Email sender blocking and exceptions](CHN-030.md): Sending accounts carry their own blocked address lists.
- **Configures** [Ticket sources and email event automation](CHN-032.md): Notification actions use the selected email account's sending details.
- **Configures** [Certificates and protected browser data](SEC-026.md): Email Accounts holds certificate-based mailbox credentials and their recorded expiry separately from hosting certificates.
- **Enhances** [Offline messages](CHAT-028.md): An enabled email account supports offline ticket creation.
- **Related** [Website and regional settings](ADM-004.md): Review email account setup alongside the website sender and outbound server details.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why is the expected sender missing?

Ask Powerfront to check that the account is enabled and that subsite restrictions permit it.

### Why does the form choose a different mailbox?

The applicable **Subsite Default** takes priority over **Global Default**. An existing ticket may retain its sender.

### Why do replies arrive at another address?

Ask Powerfront to check **Reply-To Email Address** and any configured operator email alias.

### What should I do about an expiry warning?

Ask Powerfront to renew the credentials and test the account. The warning concerns the recorded expiry, which is separate from a delivery error.