Email accounts
Package: BASIC
1. General
The Email accounts module enables the central management of email accounts and email communication directly in brainX. It serves the following purposes:
- Central email management: Emails from various email accounts can be retrieved and managed in one place.
- Communication in context: All email interactions with customers and prospects are displayed directly in the context of the respective customer record, making it easier to access the communication history.
- Team collaboration: Multiple team members can access the same email accounts, work on emails together, and respond to enquiries.
- Automation: Emails can be automatically assigned to specific team members or automated replies can be sent.
- Logging: All email interactions are logged so that the complete communication history can be traced at any time.
Incoming mail server
The incoming mail server (IMAP) is used to display the messages received by the email account. When an email is opened in the detail view, the message can be imported into brainX and linked to a record.
Outgoing mail server
The outgoing mail server (SMTP) is used to send messages from brainX.
An email account set up in brainX provides a live lookup on the mail server. The displayed emails are not stored in brainX but are retrieved directly from the mail server.
When emails are referenced to a record in the Email accounts module, a copy of the email is stored in the brainX database and is then available in the Emails module. Depending on the permission settings, these emails can also be accessed by other users.
The scope of functions of the IMAP access depends on the technical conditions of the respective mail server. Certain functions – such as synchronising folders, previewing messages, or moving emails – are only available if the mail server supports them.
A customer sends an enquiry by email. The responsible employee opens the email directly in the Email accounts module, links it to the corresponding organization record, and replies directly from within brainX. The email is then visible to the entire team in the Emails module and assigned to the customer record.
For an automation of the type send email, an email account is required for which the Automation allowed switch is active. The email account is set as the sender in the automation and automatically sends emails, e.g. when the status of tickets changes or after a new lead has been created.
2. Creating an email account
Every user can create any number of email accounts in the Email accounts module. Depending on whether an email account has already been created or not, the procedure differs slightly – but the process is identical.
For email accounts, authentication via an OAuth access key is possible. The integration currently only covers Microsoft 365 email accounts.
2.1. Creating the first email account
When the module is opened for the first time, the option to create an email account is offered directly.
Email accounts module - creating a new email account
Depending on whether a Microsoft or another email account is to be created, the further steps differ:
2.1.1. Microsoft
After clicking the button "Sign in with Microsoft", a notice window appears indicating the redirection to the Microsoft service.
Redirection notice
After clicking the button "Confirm", a separate browser window opens for signing in to Microsoft.
Microsoft sign-in
The sign-in process comprises the following steps:
- Entering the email address
- Entering the password
- Verification of the security information
- Prompt whether the user should stay signed in
- Confirmation of access for brainX
- Activation of notifications for incoming emails
If the user is already signed in to Microsoft on the device, the sign-in window is skipped. In this case, brainX automatically uses the existing Microsoft session and sets up the email account directly.
Example view of an email account in the Email accounts module
2.1.2. Other provider
brainX is not verified as an OAuth application with Google. Google limits unverified apps to a maximum of 100 authentications over the entire project lifetime. Once this limit is reached, signing in with a Google account is no longer possible.
For Google Workspace accounts (business accounts), a Google Workspace administrator can classify brainX as trusted in the Google Admin Console – in this case these accounts do not count towards the limit.
For Google Mail accounts, connecting via IMAP/SMTP with an app password is recommended.
After clicking the button "Other provider", the "Create new email account" popup appears.
"Create new email account" popup - basic settings and incoming mail server
"Create new email account" popup - outgoing mail server and signature
The popup is divided into four areas:
2.1.2.1. Basic settings
The following table describes fields whose function is not self-explanatory. All other fields are self-explanatory.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Show recipient line | Determines whether the recipient lines CC and/or BCC are displayed by default when creating an email |
| Blacklist for referencing | Comma-separated list of top-level domains whose email addresses are ignored during the record search when referencing (e.g. example.com ignores the address info@example.com) |
| Read receipt as default | When activated, a read receipt is requested by default for every email |
| Bulk email as default | When activated, every new email is marked as a bulk email by default |
| Set as default | Sets the email account as the default email account. The first email account created is automatically set as the default. Only one email account can be defined as the default at any time. If the default email account is deleted, the next email account in the list is automatically set as the default. |
| Notifications | When activated, new emails are displayed in the notifications |
| Show conversation | When activated, conversations (a message with all replies to it) are displayed grouped |
2.1.2.2. Incoming mail server
The following table describes mandatory fields as well as fields whose function is not self-explanatory. All other fields are self-explanatory.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Inbox active | Activates the receipt of incoming emails and the associated notifications |
| Encryption |
|
| Port | The port is entered automatically after selecting the encryption, and can be changed manually |
| Verify certificate | Can be deactivated if the server uses a self-signed certificate |
2.1.2.3. Outgoing mail server
The following table describes mandatory fields as well as fields whose function is not self-explanatory. All other fields are self-explanatory.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Reply-to address | Defines the default reply-to address; the recipient automatically replies to this email address instead of the sender address |
| Requires authentication | Specifies whether the outgoing server requires a login |
| Username | Can be left empty to use the data of the incoming mail server |
| Password | Can be left empty to use the data of the incoming mail server |
| Encryption |
|
| Port | The port is entered automatically after selecting the encryption, and can be changed manually |
| Timeout in seconds | Time span until the connection is dropped; default value: 30 seconds |
| Verify certificate | Can be deactivated if the server uses a self-signed certificate |
| Automation allowed | Enables the email account for sending emails in brainX Automations. Without this activation, the email account is not available for selection in the send email action within automations. |
*Mandatory fields: Name or IP address of the server, Email address of the sender, Name of the sender
2.1.2.4. Signature
In the Signature area, an editor for creating an email signature is available. The signature is automatically inserted when creating an email.
In addition to the general formatting functions, the editor also supports the insertion of tables as well as the configuration of the bullet style and the start value of numbered lists.
2.1.2.5. Additional settings
For security reasons, the use of an encrypted connection is recommended – both for the incoming mail server and the outgoing mail server.
Depending on the provider, the following additional details must be provided after saving:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Sent folder * | Is usually determined automatically; in rare cases a manual selection is required |
| Deleted folder * | Is usually determined automatically; in rare cases a manual selection is required |
| Keep copy | When activated, a copy of each sent email is stored in the Sent folder. Note: Some providers automatically store a copy – in this case a second copy would be created. |
*Mandatory field
2.2. Creating additional email accounts
Via the "Actions" button at the top right of the module, a flyout menu opens with the action "Create new email account".
Actions button
After clicking it, the "Connect account" popup opens.
Connect account popup
The further steps are identical to those in the section Creating the first email account.
3. Email account settings
3.1. Opening the email account settings
On mouseover of an email account in the side navigation, the following action icons are displayed:
- Settings (icon "cog") → opens the popup of the email account settings
- Delete (icon "trash can") → deletes the email account
- Default email account (icon "star") → sets the email account as the default email account
Opening email account settings
Email account settings popup - basic settings and incoming mail server
Email account settings popup - outgoing mail server and signature
3.2. Email account setting items
The popup with the settings items of an email account is divided into four areas:
The fields correspond to those during creation – see section Other provider.
3.2.1. Basic settings
In the Basic settings area, the "Re-authenticate" button is additionally available. Via this button, a re-authentication can be carried out for already created email accounts – e.g. after a password change.
3.2.2. Incoming mail server
The fields correspond to those during creation – see section 2.1.2.2. In addition, the following fields are available:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Sent folder * | Is usually determined automatically; in rare cases a manual selection is required |
| Deleted folder * | Is usually determined automatically; in rare cases a manual selection is required |
| Keep copy | When activated, a copy of each sent email is stored in the Sent folder. Note: Some providers automatically store a copy – in this case a second copy would be created. |
*Mandatory field
3.2.3. Outgoing mail server
The fields correspond to those during creation – see section 2.1.2.3.
3.2.4. Signature
The fields correspond to those during creation – see section 2.1.2.4.
4. Deleting an email account
An email account is deleted via the "trash can" icon on mouseover in the side navigation or via the "Delete" button in the popup of the email account settings.
After clicking, a confirmation popup appears. After clicking the "Confirm" button, the email account is permanently deleted.
If an email account is deleted that is used as the sender in Automations, a popup appears with the names of the affected automations. Before deletion, another email account with the Automation allowed switch activated must be set as the sender in these automations.
Emails that were sent or received via the deleted email account and are located in the Emails module are not deleted when the email account is deleted.
5. Usage
The Email accounts module is divided into four functional areas:
Functional areas of the Email accounts module
5.1. Functions
In the Functions area, the following elements are available:
- Picklist "Search criterion" → select search criterion: From, To, Subject, Content, Copy
- Input field "Search" → free-text search in the selected criterion
When searching in the email account, the "Clear search" button is available, with which the search can be reset. - Button "New message" → opens a popup for creating a new email
- Button "Actions" → opens a flyout menu with the actions
- Email → opening the Emails module
- Create new email account → creating a new/additional email account
5.2. Side navigation
The side navigation is divided into the following areas:
Each area can be expanded and collapsed separately via the "angle bracket" symbol.
5.2.1. Email accounts
All created email accounts are listed. The active email account is highlighted in bold. On mouseover, three action icons are displayed:
- Settings (icon "cog") → opens the email account settings
- Delete (icon "trash can") → deletes the email account
- Default email account (icon "star") → sets the email account as the default email account. If only one email account exists, this is automatically marked as the default email account.
5.2.2. Favourites
Folders can be moved from the "Further folders" area to the "Favourites" area via drag & drop and vice versa. If a folder contains unread emails, the number is displayed after the folder name.
Folders can be completely emptied via right-click and the "Empty folder" action. The emails are moved to the Recycle Bin of the email account. The process runs in the background and, depending on the number of emails, may take some time.
5.2.3. Actions
Via Actions, the emails of the opened folder can be filtered. The following filters are available:
- High-priority emails → shows all emails with high priority
- Flagged emails → shows all flagged emails
- Unread emails → shows all unread emails
- Local CRM drafts → shows all local CRM drafts
An active filter is removed again via the x icon.
Which filters are available depends on the provider of the email account and the authentication method.
5.2.4. Other folders
In the "Further folders" area, all email account folders are listed that have not been moved to the "Favourites". If a folder contains unread emails, the number is displayed after the folder name. Folders can be emptied via right-click and "Empty folder".
5.3. Email account list view
In the list view, all emails of the selected folder are displayed. The following functions are available:
- Emails can be moved into folders via drag & drop.
- With the Ctrl key (Windows/Linux) or Cmd key (Mac), several emails can be selected and moved together or have actions applied to them.
- Right-clicking opens a context menu with actions that correspond to those in the email reading pane.
- During the bulk linking of emails, "further references" can be set directly.
5.4. Email reading area
In the email reading pane, the email selected in the list view is displayed – including the email header, email body, and actions.
5.4.1. Actions in the email reading area
| Action | Functionality |
|---|---|
| Reply | Replies to the sender of the email |
| Reply all | Replies to the sender and all recipients |
| Forward | Forwards the email |
| Flag | Flags the email (the flag icon turns red); flagged emails can be retrieved via the Flagged emails filter |
| Opens the print dialogue of the operating system | |
| Link with records | Opens the Link with records popup for referencing the email. The suggestions in the Link with records popup show detailed information on mouseover. |
| Reload from server | Reloads the email from the server in the event of display problems |
| Delete | Moves the email to the Recycle Bin folder of the email account |
Actions in the email reading pane
Actions flyout menu
5.4.2. Email attachments
If an email contains attachments, this is displayed in the email header.
Email with attachment
Attachments can be downloaded individually or all together (the "Download all" action creates a zip file).
After clicking the "angle bracket" icon, a flyout menu opens. The available actions depend on whether the email has already been referenced:
Non-referenced emails
- Preview → shows a preview of the attachment in a popup (image attachments of the formats SVG and WebP can also be displayed in the preview)
- Download → downloads the file to the download folder of the operating system
Actions for an attachment in non-referenced emails
Referenced emails
- Preview → shows a preview of the attachment in a popup (image attachments of the formats SVG and WebP can also be displayed in the preview)
- create new document → opens the Convert attachment to document popup, in which it is defined which records the document should be linked to
- Download → downloads the file to the download folder of the operating system
Actions for an attachment in referenced emails
"Convert attachment to document" popup
5.4.3. Blocked content
If an email contains external images or content that is not loaded automatically for data protection reasons, brainX displays a corresponding notice in the email reading pane. Via the "Show images" button, the external content can be loaded manually.
The reloading of the content remains active as long as the email is held in the cache (usually one day). After a manual refresh of the email from the server or after the cache expires, the original state without external content is displayed again.
6. Practical examples
1 – Handling and referencing a customer enquiry in context
A customer sends an enquiry by email to the company. The responsible employee opens the Email accounts module, opens the inbox, and finds the email in the list view. In the email reading pane, the message is opened and referenced with the corresponding organization and contact record via the Link with records action.
From this moment, the email is stored as a copy in brainX and is visible to the entire team in the Emails module. The employee replies directly from within the Email accounts module via the Reply action – the reply is also logged. The complete communication history with the customer can thus be traced at the record at any time.
2 – Setting up an email account for automated email sending
The company wants to automatically send an email to the customer whenever the status of a ticket changes. For this, a dedicated email account – e.g. support@firma.de – is created in the Email accounts module.
When creating the email account, the incoming and outgoing mail servers are configured with the IMAP and SMTP access data of the provider. In the outgoing mail server area, the Automation allowed switch is activated. Subsequently, this email account is set as the sender in the corresponding automation of the type send email.
From this point on, brainX automatically sends an email via the configured email account whenever a configured status change occurs – without manual intervention.
3 – Transferring an email attachment directly as a document into brainX
A vendor sends a signed contract document as a PDF attachment by email. The employee opens the email in the Email accounts module, first references it with the vendor record via Link with records, and then clicks the angle bracket icon on the PDF attachment.
In the flyout menu, the create new document action is now available. In the Convert attachment to document popup, it is defined which records the new document should be linked to. After saving, the contract attachment is stored as a standalone record in the Documents module and can be retrieved directly at the vendor record – without manual intermediate storage.
7. Frequently asked questions
Are the emails I see in the Email accounts module stored in brainX?
No. The Email accounts module provides a live lookup on the mail server – the displayed emails are retrieved directly from the server and not stored in brainX. Only when an email is referenced via Link with records is a copy stored in the brainX database and made available in the Emails module.
Can I set up a Google Mail account as an email account?
In principle yes, but with restrictions. Since brainX is not verified as an OAuth application with Google, a limit of a maximum of 100 authentications over the entire project lifetime applies. For Google Mail accounts, connecting via IMAP/SMTP with an app password is recommended. For Google Workspace business accounts, an administrator can classify brainX as trusted in the Google Admin Console, whereby these accounts do not count towards the limit.
What do I need to consider if I want to delete an email account that is used in an automation?
When attempting to delete such an email account, a popup appears with the names of the affected automations. Before deletion, another email account with the Automation allowed switch activated must be set as the sender in each of these automations. Already sent or received emails in the Emails module are retained when the email account is deleted.
How can I link several emails to a record at the same time?
In the list view of the email account, several emails can be selected simultaneously with the Ctrl key (Windows/Linux) or Cmd key (Mac). The bulk linking can then be started, during which further references can also be set directly.
What is the difference between the Email accounts module and the Emails module?
The Email accounts module provides direct live access to the email accounts and enables reading, writing, and managing emails. The Emails module contains exclusively emails that have already been referenced and stored in brainX – i.e. copies of emails that have been assigned to a record.
Can I store an email signature in brainX?
Yes. In the Signature area of the email account settings, an editor for creating an email signature is available. The signature is automatically inserted when creating a new email.