Set up email

Before you start

• This guide assumes you can sign in to your mail provider’s admin settings and create an app password or an API key there; if you do not look after your company’s email, do this together with the person who does. What to ask them for is in Hand the technical setup to whoever helps you with IT.
• You are signed in as an administrator, and you know your own password. Saving these settings asks you to confirm it.
• Access to your mail provider’s admin or security settings (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, SendGrid, Mailgun, Amazon SES or another provider).
• A sending credential from that provider. This is usually an app password or an API key, not your normal login password.
• The address you want emails to come from, such as a no-reply address on your domain.

Connect your mail service

1. 1

   Step 1: Open the email settings

   In the left menu, open Security & ComplianceSecurity Settings. In the settings list, choose “Email / SMTP”.

2. 2

   Step 2: Pick your provider

   Under “Provider preset”, choose your provider. Zonitix fills in the server, port and security setting for you. If yours is not listed, choose “Custom / other” and copy the details from your provider’s help pages.

3. 3

   Step 3: Get your sending credential

   Click “Show me how” in the blue hint box. It lists the exact steps for your provider and links to the right page in their settings. For Gmail you need 2-Step Verification turned on before Google lets you create an app password.

4. 4

   Step 4: Fill in the sign-in details

   Enter the “Username”. For most providers this is the full mailbox address. For SendGrid it is the word apikey, which is filled in for you. Paste the credential into the field below it; its name changes with your provider, for example “App Password” or “API key”.

   The credential is stored encrypted and never shown again. Later, leave this field blank to keep the one already saved.
5. 5

   Step 5: Set who the emails are from

   In “From address”, enter the address people will see, for example a no-reply address. If you leave it blank, the username is used. Your provider must allow sending from this address.

6. 6

   Step 6: Choose who gets alerts (optional)

   Under “Notification recipients”, enter addresses in “IT recipients” (for stuck onboarding runs and setup steps that need a person) and “HR recipients” (copied when onboarding completes). Separate several addresses with commas.

Save and send a test

1. 7

   Step 7: Send yourself a test email

   Under “Send a test email”, type your own address in “Send test to” and click “Save & send test”. This saves your settings first, then sends the test.

2. 8

   Step 8: Confirm it is you

   A “Sudo Mode Required” window appears, because this is a sensitive change (Sudo Mode is the app’s name for asking for your password again). Enter your password and click “CONFIRM PASSWORD”, or use your passkey if one is offered.

3. 9

   Step 9: Check your inbox

   Look for an email whose subject ends in “email test”, titled “Your email is working”. Check your spam folder too. If you changed the notification recipients, click “SAVE SETTINGS” at the bottom of the page as well.

What you should see

If something goes wrong

The test fails with an authentication or login error

You most likely used your normal login password. Gmail and Microsoft 365 need an app password, SendGrid needs an API key, and Amazon SES needs its own SMTP credentials, not your AWS keys. Click “Show me how” and follow the steps for your provider. For Microsoft 365, authenticated SMTP must also be enabled for the mailbox.

"SMTP is not configured. Enter host, username and password (or save them) first."

One of the three is missing. Fill in the server, username and credential, then try the test again.

The test fails with a message about TLS or a secure connection

Zonitix refuses to send your credential over an unencrypted connection. Use port 587 with “SSL/TLS (port 465)” switched off, or port 465 with it switched on, and check your provider supports it.

It says "Test email sent" but nothing arrives

Check spam and quarantine. Make sure the From address is one your provider lets you send from. With Amazon SES, your account must be out of the SES sandbox to email any recipient.

Nothing saves, or the save is cancelled

Saving needs you to confirm your password in the Sudo Mode Required window. If you close that window, nothing is saved.

Still stuck? See When something goes wrong, or Contact Zonitix support.

Where next

• Add your admins
• Onboard your first hire
• Check and adjust MFA
• Brand your instance
• Which emails Zonitix sends, and how to stop or change one