This article focuses on the interaction between TMS and an SMTP email server. Many of the settings will require input from your local IT department as these will need to be set up on both the TMS side and the email server side.
The TMS email settings can be found in both WinTMS (“System”->”Maintain system preferences”->”Email” tab) and TMSWeb (“System preferences”->”Email”). These are the basic setting to allow TMS to communicate with the email server.
You can define the following settings:
SMTP settings
SMTP server – hostname or IP address of the email server
SMTP port – the port the email server listens on (usually port 25 or 587, occasionally 465)
From name – the friendly name emails are sent from. See the “Web” tab section for more information.
From email address – the email address emails are sent from. See the “Web” tab section for more information.
Authentication
SMTP account – account name used to log into the email server.
SMTP password – password used to log into the email server.
Connection security
Use a secure connection – enable this to use an encrypted connection to the email server.
Use STARTTLS – use opportunistic (optional) encryption (if supported by your email server).
Version – which encryption version to use or Negotiate to allow the system to choose on the fly.
The WinTMS Email settings tab also includes a “Test” button that can be used to ensure the above settings work.
The “Web” tab (WinTMS->”System”->”Maintain system prefences”->”Web”) includes one further setting that effects the way TMS sends emails – the “Sender address from” setting.
“User” mode – when in this mode, TMS will attempt to impersonate the sender by making the email appear to come from an employee or supervisor. Any emails which are unable to be impersonated will be sent in “SMTP address” mode. An example of this mode would be the email generated when an employee requests an absence; TMS will generate an email that appears to come from the employee that requested the absence.
“SMTP address” mode – when in this mode, TMS will always use the email address specified in the “Email” tab->”From email address” field. Examples of this mode would be any system email, such as Scheduled Messages or Return to Work notifications.
When using TMSWeb, you may find that some actions, while successful, have an additional “Email could not be sent” at the end of the success message. You can find further details about the failure by checking the Obtaining "500 internal server error" details page. As you do not receive an error ID, you will need to recreate the error and note down the exact time before checking the error logs.
This can be resolved by changing the settings on your email server to allow the “SMTP account” to send as any email address. Your IT department will need to make this change.