E-Mail Settings when using Gmail


Some email providers (such as gmail) have specific settings which much be set in order to allow third-party applications (such as Rx-Universe) access to send emails using their services.

  1. First, gmail must have two settings enabled to allow Rx-Universe the ability to send emails:
    Two-step authentication must be ON
  2. You must set up an App password for Rx-Universe


Setting Up E-Mail in Rx-Universe

To enable sending emails from Rx-Universe, access "Setup", "System Settings", and then the "E-Mail" tab.  On this screen, you will enter the address of your smtp server, as well as the "reply-to" email address, and the login credentials to use the smtp server (if required).  In the example below, settings are shown for using a gmail-based email address (the omics.com email addresses are gmail addresses "behind the scenes"):

For gmail, set up the screen similar to the above - make sure to check the "Use 2017 Email program" option, and to set the SMTP address as above, including the :587 at the end.  The return email address should be YOUR address, as should the SMTP User Name.  For the SMTP password, see the next steps for setting up your gmail account for use with Rx-Universe.

Enabling Two-Step Authentication

Two-step authentication is a method whereby gmail will send an authentication code to a cell phone or other device.  This is used periodically to ensure that the person accessing the email account has access to this secondary device (ie that you are the person that owns the email account).

Sample screens are provided as of November 2017 - screens are, of course, subject to change by gmail.

Access your gmail account through a browser.  Click the round circle on the top right of the gmail screen (the circle will contain your initial or picture), then select "My Account":
        

Select "Sign-in & security", and scroll down to the "2-step Verification" option:

If it is already on, you need do nothing else.  If it is not on, click the 2-Step Verification option and follow the instructions to activate it.

Adding an App Password

Immediately underneath the 2-Step Verification option is "App password" - click that option.

You will see a screen similar to the following (you may not have any app passwords configured; in the example shown, there is one option set for an email client):

Click the "Select app" box, and choose "Other (Custom name)".  When prompted for the name of the app, enter "Rx-Universe" and then click "Generate":

You will be given a password for Rx-Universe specifically: you will need to copy the password given on the following screen:

and then paste that password into your Rx-Universe system, in the smtp password field on the E-Mail tab of System Settings:

Note: If it still does not work, try manually typing in the password, as pasting with the spaces may cause issues.

You can now use the "Test Email" button to try sending a test email to an email account. 

If you see a message saying the sending failed, double-check your settings. If it still fails, for in-depth troubleshooting, there is a batch file created called EMAILnn.BAT, in the Rx-Universe root folder, where nn is the station number of the workstation.  Running this batch file from the command line can often reveal other messages returned by either your operating system, or the email provider.