Etrack Built in Email

eTrack Built in Email

eTrack BuiltIn Email Guide

Version 9

Revision 4

This document is protected by copyright law.Unauthorised reproduction or distribution of this document, or any proportion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under law.eTrack Products Pty Ltd will own all the intellectual property of the design and implementation of the contents of this document and all associated code and reports, regardless of any input and payment by any other party what so ever.

Disclaimer: eTrack Products Pty Ltd is not liable for any loss, damage, claim or consequential damage whatsoever. eTrack does not include email virus protection. The user is responsible for their own virus protection on their own email system that eTrack synchronises with.

Contents

Introduction

User Guide

Receiving Emails

Email Inbox

Finding Emails

Tabs

Filters

Sending Emails

Create an Email

Distribution Lists

Setup References and Categories before you send…

Send the Email

Send / Receive

Setup

Filestream

Access to Email Module

Access Security

Background Send and Receive (eTrackTasks)

Account Overview

Account Settings

Setup Account

Import Rules

Signatures

Deleting Emails

Attachments

Compressed files

Saving attachments

System filing of original Attachments

Introduction

This document is a reference manual for the Built in Emailmodule in eTrack designed to manage your business emails. It makes use of your existing project repository and filing system to automatically link emails to projects and file attachments on your server. eTrack Built in Email synchronises with your existing email system whether it is in the cloud or local, importing emails it recognises into eTrack where they are then managed.

The document is suitable for many industries. However, examples of use and screen shots are based on a building architect firm. For your industry some of the terminology, tree structure and screen shots may be different.

This document should be read in conjunction with the following:

eTrack Admin Guide for setup.
eTrack Handy Reference that describes terminology and basic functions.
The eTrack General User Guide covers all common tasks that users will undertake regularly such as filling in timesheets.

Project, Schedule and Resource Management Guide
Accounts and Invoicing Guide
Document and File Management Guide

For further help please visit and click Client Area and enter the password provided by eTrack. You can download the above Help Guides and there is an FAQ section. Please email if you require further help.

User Guide

eTrack Built in Email is available on the Mail tab that is visible if email has been enabled for your security group.

The Mail tab may be viewed in Vertical layout or Horizontal layout by toggling the Layout button at the top right of the screen.

The Accounts button is a shortcut to where you can set up your email account, import rules and signature (see Setup below).

Receiving Emails

Emails will be imported periodically by a background task from your existing email application according to the synchronisation settings and Import Rules in User Accounts (see Setup).To download emails on demand click Send/Receive button (top right).

Imported Emails will appear in the Inbox tab.While in your Inbox, Emails are private to you, the logged on user.

eTrack will automatically create Referencesfrom the email to the ‘From’ Contact, the ‘To’ Person and any item in the tree of a Type that has Type Setting #85 turned ON whose number matches text in the email Subject (see Setup).

Email Inbox

For each Email…

References:

a)Check that automatically created Referencesare correct.

b)To add a reference either clicktheAdd Reference… button and search for an item on the Find dialog ORdrag and drop an item from the tree to the Reference section of the email OR drag and drop the email onto a tree item.

c)Click the x to delete a Reference.

Optionally tick one or more Categories.
Optionallyclick the Private buttonat the top of the tab if you have an email you don’t want to share with other users.Even when filed no one else can see it.
To Reply, Reply All or Forward an email use the buttons across the top.The Send Email dialog will be displayed which will contain the content of the original email (see Sending Emails below).
An email can be Printed via the Print button at the top of the tab.
View an attachment by double clicking on it.
Optionally save the attachment in the eTrack tree (see Attachments section below).
Clear the Email from your Inbox

a)Click File at the top to move it to the ‘Filed’ tab.

b)Emails in the Filed folder are shared with all users unless you have clicked the Private button.

c)Click Delete at the top to move it to the ‘Deleted’ tab.

Note: eTrack may not be able to display certain images as some companies store their email images on a secure site using SSL ( in the URL) rather than embedding the images in the emails. This is common with automated emails and some newsletter/advertising mailouts.

Finding Emails

Tabs

The Inbox displays all imported emails – only you, the logged in user can see these.You cannot look at someone else’s Inbox.
The Filed and Deleted tabs will display those emails that have been moved there by clicking the File and Delete buttons respectively.
The Draft tab shows emails that are have been created but not sent
The Senttab shows emails that have been sent. While the ‘send’ is being processed the email will sit in the Outbox.
The Reference tab displays filed (except Private) emails that have a reference to the currently selected tree item.The Reference folder label reflects the item selected in the tree.

Filters

To filter emails in any tab by Category, click the required Categories next to the Search box at the top.Only emails that match all selected Categories are displayed.
To filter emails by a text string that appears in the subject and anywhere in the body of the email, enter the text in the box to the left of the Categories that says ‘Search Emails…’.The search is instant as you enter characters.Click the x to clear the search.
You can combine the text filter and Categories.

Sending Emails

Create an Email

To create a new email message use one of these methods:

a)Click New button on the Mail tab.

b)Click New button above the tree and select Email from the menu.

c)Right click an item in the tree and select Send Email.

Certain data will default on a new email message when created via right a tree item, based on the item selected in the tree:

a)If the selected tree item is a project (or any item under a project),the Subject will default to the Project Number.A Reference to the project is created (if the selected item is a Stage etc. under the project, a reference to that is also created).

b)If the selected tree item is a contact, the To address will default to the contact’s email address.

c)If the selected tree item is a document, the document will be attached to the email. Embedded documents are attached in PDF format.

A signature will be added to the email if selected in User Accounts Signature tab. You can have a different Signature defined for new and replied emails. Alternatively, you can select the signature to use from the Signature button in the New Email tab.
The email message will be saved in the Drafts subtab until you send or delete it.
Enter a Subject. Type your message, using the Editor functions as required.
Add recipients for To / CC / BCC:

a)Type a contact name; or an email address; or drag a Person, Contact or Distribution List (see below) from the tree.

b)Email address defaults to Work Email on the person Details tab.

c)The contact and email address is listed. ‘No email address’ will be displayed under the contact name if Work Email field is blank.

d)To delete, click on contact and click x

Click ‘Add Attachment’ button to attach a file to the email. There are options to browse to a file on your computer or server or to find a document in eTrack. Multiple attachments are allowed.
Optionally add references, select categories, set a Follow Up date or change the Access Security.
To send the email either click Send or Send & File. Both will send the email and save it in the Sent folder. Send & File will also put a copy of the email in the Filed folder.

Distribution Lists

A Distribution list is a group of staff and / or contacts that an email can be sent to. It allows you to add just one item instead of each recipient separately (similar to a Contact Group in Outlook). The email address used comes from the Email1 field of staff and contacts and Email field on Companies.

Distribution Lists can be created under Resource Groups, Contact Groups and Projects. Staff, Contacts (individual) and Companies can be added to a Distribution List using the Relate function via drag/drop/relate or the Find dialog > Relate button.

Distribution Lists are configured on request – please contact eTrack Support if you would like it added to your database.

Setup References and Categories before you send…

Add one or more References in the same way as described above for imported emails i.e.: via Add Reference button or drag and drop from the tree.

Note:Drag and drop from the tree only works if the Send dialog is outside the eTrack screen by either resizing the main eTrack screen or using a separate monitor.Use Alt+Tab to retrieve a Send Email dialog that has been hidden.

If the email was created by right clicking on a Project in the tree, then the Project will default as a Reference.
Click Categories to enable the Sent email to be filtered in the Sent folder.

NOTE: References and Categories can also be selected in the Sent folder later on.

Send the Email

You have two options to send the email.

a)Click Send. A copy of the email is saved in the Sent folder. You can file the email after it has been sent using the File button.

b)Click Send & File. This will combine the actions of Sending and Filing the email.

If you close the email without sending you will be prompted if you want to save it in the Drafts tab. Emails saved in the Drafts tab can be opened for further editing or to send by double-clicking the email.

Send / Receive

The Send / Receive button default action is to initiate the send and receive process. It also has a menu with these options

Send and Receive (in background) – same as clicking the button
Send All Outbox Now – sends all emails sitting in the Outbox. To use if eTrackTasks is not available.
Check Inbox Now – only checks for incoming emails. To use if eTrackTasks is not available.
Resynchronise – this is used to redo a full sync for instance if you have deleted past emails in eTrack and want to import them again.

Setup

This section is for Administrators to set global options and guide your users to setup their email accounts

Filestream

Filestream is a database feature that allows data to be accessed as though it is in the database but is stored on the file server. This feature is being utilised to store email messages as well as the attachments. The key advantage is that it keeps the database size small since filestream data is not counted thus allowing continued use of the free SQL Server Express that is capped at 10Gb. Refer to Appendix A for Setup.

Access to Email Module

For each security group that requires access, expand Setup/has Security groups (or eTrack Settings/has Security Groups) and tick security permission:#184 Access to Email Feature. If the Email icon doesn’t appear even though security permission 184 is enabled then please contact eTrack Support.

Enabling the security option means you agree to the Disclaimer:eTrack does not include a virus scanner.For the protection of your file server, emails that have attachments with the following extensions will not be imported:*.exe, *.cmd, *.js, *.scr, *.bat.

Access Security

An email message has a field called Access Security. A value between 1 and 5 can be entered (either typed or via the spin button). The same field exists on a person. If the email access security is less than or equal to the logged in user’s access security then the email is visible to that user on the Reference tab provided the email is not flagged as Private. All other emails are hidden. Who can edit the Access Security field is controlled by security group permission #207.

Background Send and Receive (eTrackTasks)

eTrackTasks.exe is a separate application that runs alongside eTrack.It has two modes of operation. Described here is the mode where it is launched by eTrack to sync and send emails in the background.The other mode (to run scheduled tasks) is described in the SETUP Install Guide.

Whenever eTrack needs to send an email or sync the inbox it will activate eTrackTasks.exe to execute this in the background so that you can continue to use eTrack at the same time.If there is a problem connecting to eTrackTasks a message is displaying to let you know.

Without eTrackTasks.exe, eTrack will still send and receive emails but while doing this eTrack cannot be used for other tasks– this will give the appearance of eTrack ‘freezing’ and you may think it has stopped working.

If you have multiple databases set up, when launched from eTrack, eTrackTasks connects to the same database that eTrack is connected to.

eTrackTasks automatically closes if it can no longer find eTrack, or if eTrack is closed.

Account Overview

eTrack provides effectively two types of email accounts (i) MAPI and (ii) IMAP / SMTP.

In eTrack the Outlook account type uses MAPI and all other account types use IMAP / SMTP.

The IMAP / SMTP account types connect to an email server whereas the MAPI account type connects to a local email account on the computer that has been setup using Outlook.

With the Outlook account type, all you need is to enter your email address.

With the Gmail account also just enter your email address - which is also re-entered as your user name, and password. (The email server connection details are publicly available and so eTrack has these in the code.)

The IMAP / SMTP and Exchange account types requires both incoming and outgoing email server details in addition to your email address, user name and password.

For staff that use Outlook and only use eTrack in the office, then the Outlook account type is a good choice. Note: there is a restriction with the Outlook account type that it connects to the default email account setup with Outlook. So if staff have multiple email accounts in Outlook and the email account to be used with eTrack is not the default account, then the Outlook account type should not be used.

For Staff that do not use Outlook or use eTrack with GoGlobal then an IMAP / SMTP account type is the better choice.

Account Settings

eTrack will import emails from your existing Email system. Which emails are imported is determined by the Import Rules you select. Each user needs to set up their own account.

When using local Outlook eTrack will register which computer you have set up your account – an email sync will only occur when you are logged into the same computer.

Setup Account

Click Email icon and click Accounts button.
Click Add Account button and choose an account type.

If Hosted by eTrack please see separate section ‘Hosted eTrack Setup’ on page 12.

For local installations of eTrack select an account type as follows:

Outlook – for Outlook running locally on your computerwithMicrosoft Exchange.LIMITATION: eTrack will only connect to the default account so if you have multiple accounts in your Outlook then you cannot choose any account other than the default one.If you have Outlook without Exchange,or using Outlook365 in the cloud select the generic Mail (IMAP/SMTP) account type.
Exchange – Use if using Microsoft Exchange and Outlook is not running locally on your computer. [OBSOLETE – DO NOT USE]
Gmail – Use for Google Gmail account.

NOTE: if eTrack fails to connect with your Gmail account and you have verified all the settings in eTrack are correct please go to your Gmail account settings and Turn On access for less secure apps. Gmail uses TLS security protocol.