Akada gives you two options for setting up and sending emails. We offer a transactional email service that allows you to send emails through our email server. Or, you can send emails through your email provider using an SMTP transfer (how your cell phone works).
What's the difference?
Emails sent through our server will come from noreply@akadasoftware.com but will still show your studio name in your customer's inbox. Sending through our server has a higher deliverability rate, and you don't have to worry about your provider's settings and their ever-changing security protocols.
Our recommendation is to use our email server to send large studio-wide emails, statements, confirmations, etc. If you want your staff to be able to email individual parents or their classes, the SMTP setup works well.
Setting Up Email
Before we discuss setting up your email address, there are some basics you will want to understand first.
Email Type – Each Akada user has the capability to send an email from a main studio email address and the email address associated with their username.
Email Display Name – This field allows you to set the name that will appear in the “from” line of your recipient’s inbox. Instead of your email address, it will show your studio name or any other name you’d like.
Transactional Email Setup: Akada’s Transactional Email system allows you to send emails through our service from the “noreply@akadasoftware.com” address. This option will enable us to ensure that bulk emails with reports, such as statements, receipts, costume confirmations, etc., are sent without the security issues with many email providers.
From the home screen, click on the main menu (3 lines) in the top left corner of Akada.
Click the arrow beside Settings.
Select Email Setup.
In the Send Using section, use the drop-down and select “Transactional Email Service.”
Review and, if needed, update your Email Signature.
Select your default options:
Check the Re-Captcha box.
Save Changes.
*Note - The "group number" is irrelevant when using the transactional email system.
How will this appear to your customers?
All emails sent via the transactional email system will be sent from noreply@akadasoftware.com. However, as said before, your studio's display name will be in the recipient's inbox.
What if a parent replies? All replies will be sent to your studio’s email address.
Setting up Email Using My Provider’s SMTP Settings:
From the home screen, click on the main menu (3 lines) in the top left corner of Akada.
Click the arrow beside Settings.
Select Email Setup.
Use the drop-down menu to select the email address you’d like to set up.
Enter your email provider’s SMTP server*.
Enter your email user name.
Enter the password to your email account.
Enter your email provider’s outgoing port number.
Use the drop-down menu to choose whether to be notified or not.
Enter a test email address.
Enter the email group size (we generally recommend 25).
Enter your email signature.
If you want the main studio email address to be the default (instead of the user’s email), check the box.
Click Test Settings.
If the email is working correctly, you will receive a message the email was sent successfully. If you receive an error, double-check your settings.
Once the settings are working successfully, click Save Changes.
Repeat this process for each DanceWorks user you would like to be able to send emails from their own address.
*Note: For most email providers, you can do a Google search for their specific settings. “Email providers name outgoing email settings” usually returns pretty accurate search results. If you are not able to find them online, then you will need to contact your email provider.
2-step Verification and App-Specific Passwords – It has become common for email providers to require the use of 2-step verification with an app-specific password. Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail all require these additional steps. What this does is allow you to create a password that is specific to Akada through your email provider’s settings. Your email account will generate the password, and then you plug that password into the email password field in Akada. You’ll find step-by-step instructions below for specific email providers. You can click on the links for each step.
Gmail Free Account:
G Suite Email (formerly Google Apps):
Plug the newly generated password into Akada
Hotmail Free Account:
Plug the newly generated password into Akada.
Yahoo Free Account:
Plug the newly generated password into Akada.
*Be sure to format the app password precisely as they are generated. If they have spaces be sure to include them.