Set up custom SMTP sending

Custom SMTP Server Configuration

Want to use your own email server with Tallyfy? You’re in the right place. This guide walks you through setting up custom SMTP - from initial configuration to testing everything works properly.

Requirements

Before configuring custom SMTP in Tallyfy, ensure you have:

• Administrator access to your Tallyfy organization
• SMTP server details from your IT department or email service provider
• Authentication credentials for your SMTP server
• Verified that your email server allows third-party application connections
• Confirmed your organization’s email security policies permit this integration

Benefits of custom SMTP

Here’s why organizations love using their own SMTP server with Tallyfy:

• Improved deliverability - Emails from your domain get through. No more spam folder surprises.
• Tracking - Access server logs for all outbound emails sent through Tallyfy
• Consistent branding - Keep your company’s email reputation and formatting intact
• Security compliance - Sensitive email traffic stays within your existing security framework
• Existing configurations - Your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records? They work perfectly here.
• White-labeled communications - Every workflow email appears from your domain (not ours)

Email Reply Limitation

There’s one trade-off with custom SMTP - emails won’t be “replyable” for comments. When users hit reply on a task notification, that response won’t automatically appear as a comment in Tallyfy. The email goes to your inbox instead.

Single Account Limitation

Tallyfy needs a single central email account for all outgoing emails - something like “tallyfy@company.com”. Individual user email accounts aren’t supported yet. Plan accordingly.

Required SMTP information

Gather these details before proceeding with configuration:

Parameter	Description	Example
SMTP Server Host	Your mail server address	smtp.company.com
SMTP Port	Port for mail submission	587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL)
Username	Account for authentication	tallyfy@company.com
Password	Authentication credential	Your secure password
From Email	Sender’s email address	workflows@company.com
From Name	Display name for sender	Company Workflows
Encryption Method	Security protocol	TLS or SSL

Configuration steps

Ready to connect your SMTP server? Let’s do it:

1. Sign in to Tallyfy with administrator credentials.

2. Navigate to Settings > Organization Settings.

3. Select the Email Configuration tab.

4. Click the Custom SMTP option.

5. Input your mail server address into the SMTP Server Host field.

6. Enter the appropriate port number into the SMTP Port field.

7. Provide the authentication username in the Username field.

8. Enter the account password in the Password field.

9. Specify the sender email address in the From Email field.

10. Set the display name for outgoing emails in the From Name field.

11. Select the appropriate Encryption Method from the dropdown (TLS or SSL).

    

12. Click the Test Connection button to verify settings.

13. After successful testing, click Save Changes to implement.

Testing SMTP configuration

Smart move - test your settings before going live. These external tools help verify everything’s configured correctly:

Microsoft Remote Connectivity Analyzer

Microsoft’s official tool gives you the most thorough SMTP check:

1. Visit the Outbound SMTP Email test ↗
2. Enter your SMTP server details and credentials
3. Run the test to verify connectivity and authentication
4. Review detailed results for any connectivity issues

Wormly SMTP Tester

Need something quick? Wormly’s tool takes 30 seconds:

1. Navigate to Wormly’s SMTP server test ↗
2. Enter your server hostname and port
3. Complete the test to verify basic connectivity
4. Check for open ports and server responsiveness

MXToolbox Diagnostic Tools

MXToolbox goes deeper - it checks your entire email infrastructure:

1. Visit MXToolbox SuperTool ↗ or MXToolbox Diagnostics ↗
2. Enter your domain or server information
3. Run various tests to check SMTP configuration, DNS records, and blacklist status
4. Review detailed reports on email infrastructure health

GMass SMTP Tester

Worried about authentication? GMass specifically tests your credentials:

1. Access the GMass SMTP test tool ↗
2. Enter your complete SMTP configuration including credentials
3. Test the connection to verify authentication works correctly
4. Confirm that message sending completes successfully

External Tools

These testing tools are third-party services not affiliated with Tallyfy. Be careful with your credentials - maybe create temporary test accounts if you’re concerned about security.

Verifying successful configuration

Configuration looks good? Time for the real test:

1. Navigate to a process template in Tallyfy
2. Launch a test process with yourself as an assignee
3. Check that you receive the task notification email
4. Verify the email appears from your configured address
5. Examine email headers to confirm it was sent via your SMTP server

Troubleshooting SMTP issues

Common problems and solutions

Issue	Possible Causes	Solutions
Connection timeout	Firewall blocking traffic	Open outbound ports for SMTP traffic
Authentication failure	Incorrect credentials	Verify username and password format
SSL/TLS errors	Wrong encryption setting	Try alternative encryption method
Rate limiting	Too many connections	Increase server limits or optimize email volume
DNS resolution failure	Incorrect server hostname	Verify the SMTP host address
Rejected messages	Malformed headers	Check “From” address matches authorized sender

Additional troubleshooting steps

Still having issues? Work through these checks:

1. Network connectivity

• Your firewall must allow outbound connections from Tallyfy to your SMTP server
• The SMTP port (587 or 465) needs to be open for outbound traffic
• Test basic connectivity using telnet or similar tools

2. Authentication issues

• Make sure the SMTP account has permission to send email
• Check if your mail server accepts the authentication method you’re using
• Multi-factor authentication can interfere - you might need an app password

3. Rate limits and volume

• Your SMTP server’s rate limits need to handle Tallyfy’s email volume
• High-volume senders should consider implementing sending queues

4. DNS and email security

• Your SPF record must include your SMTP server’s IP address. Period.
• DKIM and DMARC configurations need to be correct (if you use them)
• The “From” address domain has to match the authenticated domain

Best Practice

Once everything’s set up, send test emails to Gmail, Outlook, and other providers. You’ll catch any deliverability issues before your team notices.

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