Introduction
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: These templates cannot be used if the user is set to use the MAPI protocol (see User Record Settings at the end of this document).
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 the details of 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.The first time this is clicked on, a prompted to enter a new password will appear. This password is stored in SYS_DATAINFO.EMAIL_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD. It is stored in encrypted form so it will not be seen it in the database.
Having created a password, the next stage is to create a list of SMTP servers.
Click the button marked with the red arrow.
Enter the name, address, port number and SSL Used – Yes/No of the chosen SMTP server.
Click Save. This will then revert to the previous screen.
Click new Users (yellow face) to add the credentials used by the SMTP server to send e-mails.
Enter the user's credentials.
Enter the details of the e-mail Sender – i.e. Accounts@yourcompany.com it must be a valid mailbox as your customers might reply to this address.
Enter the Name of the account. In the example above, the recipient would receive an e-mail from Accounts Department.
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.
Now select the SMTP Server from the list and then the user for that SMTP Server as previously set up.
Note: These details are now set as the defaults.Click Save.
User Record Settings
Firstly, decide which protocol will be used for the user: SMTP or MAPI.
Navigate to User Records window.
In the user records window, select the user record to change.
Click Options. An Options window is displayed.
Click Edit.
In the bottom right, choose the protocol to be used from the box.
Click Save. The window closes.
In the ribbon, click Email. There are now two outcomes depending if SMTP or MAPI was selected previously:
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'.