Configure and send email
The behavior of the email subsystem is influenced by a combination of administrator configuration, user configuration, and user choices. This article is divided into sections for administrators and users to make it easy to find relevant information.
Both administrators and users set the behavior of the email subsystem.
[Administrator] Email parameters page
Email configuration for the environment
On the Email parameters page, administrators can configure the high-level email behavior for the environment from the Configuration tab.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Batch email provider | Specifies which email provider will be used to send emails that are sent by processes in a batch or non-interactive manner. The Microsoft Graph and Exchange providers will use the account that's associated with the batch process. Note: Microsoft Graph is available in Dynamics 365 Finance version 10.0.38 and later. |
| Attachment size limit | Specifies the maximum size of a single email that can be sent via the email subsystem. |
| Email expiration in days | Specifies the number of days before the status of an unsent message is set to Expired. A value of 0 means that the default period of 30 days is in effect. |
The Email history section serves two purposes. First, it provides an entry point to the Email history page, where administrators can review all sent emails and also any errors that prevented an email from being sent. Second, it lets you configure how long email history is maintained. By default, the last 30 days of email history are retained. You can adjust this period by changing the value of the Number of days to retain email history field to a non-zero number. If you set the value to 0 (zero), the default number and behavior are used.
The Email throttling section enables non-interactive email providers (such as the batch email provider) to adhere to a per-minute sending limit. This feature can help prevent some errors if the system tries to send more emails than the provider allows. Specifically, if an email can't originally be sent because the per-minute sending limit has been reached, the send attempt for the email will be deferred for up to one minute. After ten deferrals, the system will try to send the email regardless. You can remove the per-minute sending limit from a provider by resetting the per-minute email sending limit field to 0. The sending limits for the Office 365 SMTP email provider is automatically set according to the Exchange Online sending limits. Manual configuration is required for all other email providers.
Note
Use of the Email throttling feature isn't recommended for the Microsoft Graph and Exchange email providers, because they have their own throttling mechanisms. Therefore, you should ensure that the per-minute email sending limit field is set to 0 for both those providers.
Send email with Microsoft Graph
For customers who use Office 365, Microsoft Graph is the recommended email provider for Dynamics 365 finance and operations apps. This email provider replaces the deprecated Exchange email provider.
You must have the following permissions to set up the Microsoft Graph integration:
- You must be a system administrator in the application to link the Dynamics 365 finance and operations environment to Microsoft Graph.
- You must be an administrator for your Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) account. If you aren't the administrator, an administrative user must perform the first part of the configuration for you.
One-time registration process
To create an app, follow these steps.
Sign in to the Azure portal by using an Azure tenant admin account.
Note
The user who completes this procedure must have Admin rights for the tenant to register applications.
Go to Azure Active Directory > App registrations > New application.
Enter the following values:
- Name – Enter the name of your app.
- Supported account types – Enter only accounts that are directly in this organization (single tenant).
Select Register.
Make a note of the Application (client) ID value. You will use this value to connect to the Microsoft Graph service from your finance and operations environment.
Important
Be sure to capture the Application (client) ID value before you continue.
To add permissions, follow these steps:
Select Manage > API permissions > Add a permission > Microsoft APIs > Microsoft Graph.
Select Application permissions, and enable Mail.Send.
Note
By default, the app should include the User.Read delegated permission for Microsoft Graph. If that permission is missing, you must add it from the delegated permissions.
Select Add permissions.
Select Grant admin consent for to allow emails to be sent.
To create a client secret, follow these steps:
- Select Manage > Certificates and secrets.
- On the Client secrets tab, select New client secret.
- Enter a value in the Description and Expires fields, and then select Add.
- Make a note of the Secret value value. You will use this value to connect to the Microsoft Graph service from your Dynamics 365 finance and operations environments.
Important
Be sure to capture the Secret value value before you continue.
Restrict mailboxes
Administrators can modify mailbox access. For more information, see Limiting application permissions to mailboxes.
Configure Microsoft Graph in Dynamics 365 finance and operations apps
- In Dynamics 365 finance and operations apps, open the Email parameters page.
- On the Microsoft Graph settings tab, in the Application ID field, enter the Application ID value that you captured when you created the new app in the previous procedure.
- In the Application key field, enter the Secret value value that you captured when you created a client secret in the previous procedure.
- Select Save.
Exchange email provider (Deprecated)
On the Email parameters page, an administrator can select Exchange as an interactive email provider and as the Batch email provider. This mail provider will use the current user's Exchange Online account to send emails. When it's used as the Batch email provider, the batch account will be used. No additional configuration is required.
If troubleshooting is required, ensure that it's possible to sign in to the current user's account, and that emails can be sent from that account to the intended recipients.
Note that the Exchange mail provider has the following limitations:
- It isn't supported for external users, because those users won't have Exchange accounts on the system tenant.
- It's available only in Microsoft-managed environments.
Send email by using SMTP
On the Email parameters page, note the following settings on the SMTP settings tab.
Server information
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Outgoing mail server | The host name of the desired Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server.
|
| SMTP port number | Typically, the port number should be set to 587 for secure transport. |
| SSL required | Determines whether secure transport is used. Typically, this is Yes, except for internal or troubleshooting scenarios. |
Note
If you are running into issues from too many emails being sent in a short period of time, it is recommended to utilize the Email throttling feature mentioned in the Configuration tab section above. If that doesn't resolve the issue, you may consider adding the appropriate IP addresses from the outbound IP safe list to your DNS SPF record authorizing Dynamics 365 finance and operations to send emails from your domain. For more information, see Outbound IP safe list.
Authentication
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Authentication required | Determines whether a user name and password are needed to send emails. |
| User name and Password | If authentication is required, specify the appropriate mail account to send email from. All users need to provide the SMTP account Send As and Send On Behalf Of permissions to enable the ability to send SMTP mail. You can configure Send As permissions in the Microsoft 365 admin center (portal.office.com/Admin) at Users > Active users > User > Edit mailbox permissions > Send email from this mailbox. For more information, see Enable sending email from another user's mailbox in Microsoft 365. |
Note
Finance and operations apps don't support multifactor authentication or Modern auth (OAuth 2.0) for SMTP. The Microsoft Graph email provider can be used if a more modern integration is desired. Administrators might have to re-enable Basic authentication to allow for SMTP AUTH. For more information, see Enable or disable SMTP AUTH. Note that the deprecation of Basic authentication for Exchange online only impacts the use of Office 365 SMTP servers. Other SMTP servers that still support basic authentication won't be impacted by this Office 365 deprecation.
[Administrator] Email distributor batch process
Email that is sent directly from the server, without user interaction, via SMTP is sent by the Email distributor batch process. That batch process must be started to process the email queue. To start the process, open the Email distributor batch pane (System administration > Periodic tasks > Email processing > Batch) and turn on Batch processing.
If the Microsoft Graph or Exchange provider is used, then the user account associated with the batch process (usually admin) will be the sender.
[Administrator] User email
The default send from address for each user is pulled from the Email field on the Users page (System administration > Users > Users). Administrators can override this send from default if needed using the Sender email field on the Options page.
[User] Email provider selection section on the Options page
The Options page can be opened via Settings > User options. The Email provider selection section is on the Account tab.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Email provider ID | Allows the user to select the email provider that should be used when sending an email. Selecting an option here is the equivalent of selecting Do not ask again in the How would you like to send email dialog box. Selecting the blank option Prompt for which email provider to use will cause the How would you like to send email dialog box to display when an email is going to be sent. |
| Sender email | Allows the administrator to provide an email address override for the user in the From field of the email. By default, the email alias that is associated with the user account is used as the From field in new emails, but this user option email address will override that. When sending email via SMTP, the user needs to have appropriate Send As and Send On Behalf Of permissions configured in Exchange or on the SMTP server. NOTE: You can configure Send As and Send On Behalf Of permissions in the Microsoft 365 admin center (portal.office.com/Admin) at Users > Active users > User > Edit mailbox permissions > Send email from this mailbox. For more information, see Enable sending email from another user's mailbox in Microsoft 365. |
[User] How would you like to send email dialog box (optional)
When an email is going to be sent, the user will see the How would you like to send email dialog box that will list the available options for sending email.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Use an email app, such as Outlook | Provides the user with a generated email (.eml) file. |
| Use Exchange email server | Uses the Exchange Online server associated with the tenant. The Exchange mail provider is currently not supported outside the public cloud, including on-premises environments. |
| Use the system email client | Opens the Send email composition dialog box and then sends the resulting email via SMTP. |
| Do not ask again | If this field is not selected, the next time an email is sent the most recently selected option will be used and the dialog box will not open. |
[User] Send email dialog box (optional)
The Send email dialog box is opened to allow the user to edit the contents of the email that will be sent. Some of the following fields will be pre-populated in this window.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| From | Populated from the Email field on the Options page. |
| To, Cc, Bcc, Subject, and Body | Populated with values specified by the process that initiated the sending of the email. These fields can be edited as needed by the user. |
| Attachments list | May be populated with attachments specified by the process that initiated the sending of the email. This list can be edited as needed by the user. |
When the email is ready to be sent, the Send button will cause the email to be sent via SMTP.
Usage scenarios to verify if email is configured correctly
Send mail via a local mail client
Email workflows that are enabled via the SysEmail framework can generate email messages (.eml files) that contain attachments. You can then send these messages via Microsoft Outlook or another email client.
- In Microsoft Edge, navigate to Accounts receivable > Customers > All customers.
- Select US-008 Sparrow Retail.
- Click Collect > Customer balances > Collections to open the Collections page.
- Click Communicate > Email > Statements to contact.
- Click OK to accept the default values in the dialog box.
- If you're prompted for the mail option to use, clear the Do not ask again check box (you can change this option from the User options page), select Use an email app, such as Outlook, and then click OK.
- If you're using Microsoft Edge on your computer, open the email (.eml) file that is generated. If you're using Microsoft Edge on the VM, copy the file to your computer, and open it there.
- Note the email address in the To field and the generated workbook attachment.
Send mail via SMTP
Email workflows that are enabled via the SysEmail framework can also be created in a simple email dialog box and then sent via Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).
Go to the Email parameters page.
Click SMTP settings.
Set the Outgoing mail server to the desired SMTP server:
- For Microsoft 365 production (including *.onmicrosoft.com accounts) use smtp.office365.com. (Find this setting via outlook.office.com, at Settings > Mail > POP and IMAP.)
- For Outlook/Hotmail use smtp-mail.outlook.com.
Set the user name and password to an appropriate email account and password.
Leave SSLRequired turned on, and leave SMTP port number set to 587.
Click Save.
In Microsoft Edge, navigate to Accounts receivable > Customers > All customers.
Select US-008 Sparrow Retail.
Click Collect > Customer balances > Collections to open the Collections page.
Click Communicate > Email > Statements to contact.
Click OK to accept the default values in the dialog box.
If you're prompted for the mail option to use, select Use the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance email client, and then click OK.
To receive the test message, change the To address to your email address.
Ensure that the account specified in the SMTP settings is able to Send As and Send On Behalf Of your email account. The easiest way to ensure this is to use your email account in the SMTP settings.
Enter a subject and body for the message.
Click Send. The message should be delivered in one to five minutes.
[Administrator] Workflow email notifications
Workflow email configuration is a collection of related settings that work in conjunction.
Workflow email notification setup
Verify email settings:
- Go to System administration > Setup > Email > Email parameters.
- Verify that SMTP is enabled.
- Set the SMTP mail server settings.
Verify that the email batch process is running:
Go to System administration > Periodic tasks > Email processing > Email distributor batch.
Enable the Batch processing option.
Optionally, adjust the recurrence of the email process:
- Select No end date to adjust all recurrences of the email batch process.
- Adjust the count.
- Adjust to run every minute if needed.
Verify workflow notification system email templates:
- Go to System administration > Setup > Email > System email templates (for system-wide templates).
- Verify that the Sender email field is set and valid.
Verify workflow notification organization email templates:
- Go to Organization administration > Setup > Organization email templates (for organization-specific templates).
- Verify that the Sender email field is set and valid.
Verify that the user can receive email notifications:
Go to Settings > User options.
Go to the Account tab.
- Set the Email provider ID (for example, SMTP).
- Optionally, set a Sender email override if the default send from address should not be used for the current user.
Navigate to the Workflow tab. Set the option to send notifications in email to Yes.
Verify that the workflow system will send email notifications:
For each workflow that should have a notification, open the workflow properties in the workflow editor.
Click Basic settings. Adjust the email template for the workflow notifications.
Click Notifications.
- Enable the events for which a user should be notified.
- Set the recipient of the workflow notification for each event notification that is enabled.
On a workflow approval element for which a user should be notified:
- Go to Properties.
- Enable the events for which a user should be notified.
- Set the recipient of the workflow notification for each event notification that is enabled.
Workflow email notification testing
The testing for email notifications is to simply trigger the notification and then check for it.
Submit a workflow that has been set up for email notifications.
Check the workflow history to make sure that a workflow work item was assigned to the expected user.
Check the status of the pending email notification in System administration > Periodic tasks > Email processing > Batch email sending status.
If the email fails to be sent, make sure that the SMTP mail account can be opened.
Check for the email notification in the appropriate inbox.
Troubleshooting
Common issues with sending email
There are some standard processes that can help you troubleshoot the configuration of email settings.
| Verify email settings, and send a test email. |
|
|---|---|
| Verify that the email batch process is running. |
|
| Review the status of batch emails. |
|
| Review any errors on the Email history page. |
|
| Verify that all email accounts have appropriate Send as permissions. | In the Microsoft 365 admin center, verify that all user mail accounts that will be used to send emails have Send As and Send On Behalf Of permissions for the configured SMTP account. For more information, see Give mailbox permissions to another user in Microsoft 365. |
| Verify user mailboxes. | Consider signing in to the affected (or all) user mailboxes to verify that they are valid and can be accessed by using sign-in. |
Specific Microsoft Graph/Exchange email issues
Explanation This issue might indicate an invalid or incorrectly set up mailbox in Office 365. Fix To fix this issue, make sure that the specified user exists in Office 365 and has appropriate permissions.
To find the affected users, follow these steps:
- Open the Email history page.
- Add a filter for Failed emails to the Email status field.
- Make a note of the value in the Email sender field. This field shows the user that Exchange is indicating isn't a valid or correctly permissioned user in Office 365.
"(404) Not found" error when email is sent via Exchange
Explanation This issue indicates that no mailbox exists for the user account in Exchange. Fix To fix this issue, make sure that the specified user exists in Office 365 and has appropriate permissions, or use alternate user accounts that have valid Exchange mailboxes.
To find the affected users, follow these steps:
- Open the Email history page.
- Add a filter for Failed emails to the Email status field.
- Make a note of the value in the Email sender field. This field shows the user that doesn't have a mailbox in Exchange.
Specific SMTP email issues
If you continue to experience issues when email is sent via SMTP, you may be running into one of the specific errors below. If not, consider entering the SMTP account information in a tool such as SMTPer.net to verify that the SMTP server and account are valid and working correctly.
SMTP emails fail to be sent with "Recipient addresses in single label domains not accepted"
Explanation An email failed to be sent because a recipient is using a single-label domain, but Office 365 doesn't support single-label domains. Single-label domains are Domain Name System (DNS) names that don't contain a suffix such as .com, .corp, .net, or .org. For example, contoso is a single-label domain. However, contoso.com, contoso.net, and contoso.local aren't single-label domains. Fix Specify alternate addresses for email recipients that aren't single-label domains. SMTP emails fail to be sent with "Mailbox full"
Explanation An email failed to be sent because at least one recipient's mailbox is full. For more information, see Error (554 5.2.2 mailbox full) when sending email to mail-enabled public folders in Office 365. Fix Use an alternate address for the recipient, or contact the recipient by using alternate means before you try again. SMTP emails fail to be sent with "Authentication unsuccessful, the request did not meet the criteria to be authenticated successfully"
Explanation An email failed to be sent because additional criteria are required to successfully authenticate the SMTP user account. These additional criteria might be required because multifactor authentication (MFA) is configured. However, finance and operations apps don't currently support MFA. Fix Adjust the user account configuration as appropriate in Office 365 before you try again. For more information, see Fix issues with printers, scanners, and LOB applications that send email using Microsoft 365 or Office 365. SMTP emails fail to be sent with "Authentication unsuccessful, SmtpClientAuthentication is disabled for the Mailbox"
Explanation An email failed to be sent because SMTP client authentication is disabled for the SMTP user account. Fix Enable SMTP client authentication for the user account in Office 365 before you try again. For more information, see Enable or disable authenticated client SMTP submission. SMTP emails fail to be sent with "If your SMTP server doesn't support authentication, please clear the SMTP user name and password"
Explanation This issue is related to migration from the .NET SMTP mail client (which is now obsolete) to MailKit per Microsoft recommendations. This migration causes a change in the way that SMTP user names and passwords are handled in situations where the mail server didn't support authentication. Previously, if an SMTP user name was provided, but the server didn't support authentication, the .NET SMTP mail client ignored the provided user name and password, and continued without authentication. This behavior led some customers to incorrectly believe that they were using an authenticated mail server. In MailKit, authentication is required if a user name is provided. This requirement will trigger an error for mail servers that don't support authentication, and emails will fail to be sent. Fix The user must go to the Email parameters page (System administration > Setup > Email) and clear the User name and Password fields on the SMTP settings tab. SMTP emails fail to be sent with an "5.7.57 SMTP" error, or an indication that either you aren't authenticated or authentication is required
Explanation The mail server is indicating that the SMTP user credentials aren't valid. Fix Verify that the SMTP user credentials are correct. SMTP emails fail to be sent with "Microsoft.Dynamics.Ax.Xpp.Security.CryptoEncryptionException: Encryption error occurred with exception"
Explanation The SMTP password is encrypted by using a key that is specific to a single environment. This error typically occurs when the password can no longer be decrypted after database migration between environments. Fix Clear and reenter the SMTP password on the SMTP settings tab of the Email parameters page. SMTP emails fail to be sent with "Client does not have permissions to send as this sender"
Explanation This issue is usually caused by incorrect setup of the Send As permissions for the email account. Fix Ensure that the email account has appropriate Send As permissions. For more information, see Verify that all email accounts have appropriate Send As permissions earlier in this article.
Frequently asked questions
Where do workflow email templates come from?
The email templates will be sourced from either system email templates or organization email templates depending on whether the workflow is a system-level (not company specific) or organization-level (company specific) workflow.
What email limits apply when using Microsoft Graph, Exchange, or SMTP?
The system communicates with Microsoft Graph, Exchange, or an SMTP server like a typical email client, so standard behavior and limits apply. For example, standard Exchange Online receiving and sending limits apply.
Additional resources
Troubleshoot the Office integration
Configure email functionality in Microsoft Dynamics AX [AX 2012]