SMTP Settings for GSuite/GMail

*** Please note that Google is retiring the ability to send via SMTP as from September 30th 2024 - you should look to moving to the new OAuth option. ***

If your organisation is using Google GSuite/GMail/Google Workspace as the email distribution method for benefit statements and P11Ds, you need to set up the email settings within the P11D Organiser.

This can be accessed from the the Admin menu - Admin> Email Configuration

You will now be presented with the setting screen - there are two tabs on here we will need to visit - Email and SMTP.

On the Email tab you will will need to select smtp.gmail.com from the email system drop down.

You will need to enter the User name and password will be the details for the account from which you want to send email. This will complete the setup. Should you so choose, you can enter information in the Sender name and Reply to boxes.

NOTE: Google automatically rewrites the From line of any email you send via its SMTP server to the default Send mail as email address in your Gmail or Google Apps email account Settings. You need to be aware of this nuance because it affects the presentation of your email, from the point of view of the recipient, and it may also affect the Reply-To setting of some programs - See later section on "Sending as a Different Account".

Google Less Secure Apps

Sometimes Google prevents sending from non-Google applications (Google call these 'Less Secure Apps') - this can lead to an error message similar to the one below:

If you run into issues it is worth checking that the account being used to send the mail has been set correctly. You can verify this setting by going to this Google Page which explains the process and then clicking on the Less secure apps link.

This will take you to a page where you can turn the setting to allow less secure apps on:

2 Factor Authentication (2FA)

If you go to the 'Less Secure App Access page and you are greeted with a message similar to the one below, this is likely to mean you (or your organisation) are using 2 Factor Authentication (the means you use an Authenticator app on your phone to enter a set of numbers to access your account). If this is the case, toy will need to set up an App Specific Password for the P11D Organiser to be able to use your Gmail/GSuite account.

You will need to visit this Google page to walk you through the process - you will see a page similar to that below, and you need to click on the link for How to generate an App password, and then the link for App passwords.

Once logged into Google, you will come to the App password screen. Here you need to click on the Select app drop down and choose Other (Custom name):

Enter P11D Organiser and click the Generate button:

You will then be presented with your password, you need to copy this or note it down (you can copy it including the spaces!) - then click Done.

You can then return to the P11D Organiser and use this as the password for the SMTP settings - (hint: you can paste into this cell using Ctrl+V):

You should now be all set to use the Send Test Email function.

If you encounter any errors such as LOSMTP is not an object then this will require .NET Framework 3.5 to be installed, please see the below article for instructions: 

Enabling .NET Framework 3.5

Sending as a Different Account

If you have access to another account you want to send mails from (eg payroll@exmaple.com), you need to configure the  GMail with the appropriate email address. Gmail allows you to 'Send mail as' by configuring the setting in the gmail setting area:

Once you have followed the procedure for adding the appropriate address, you will need to temporarily set the default 'Send mail as' option to the shared mailbox. In the example above, the account details entered into the SMTP settings of the P11D Organiser were for graham@p11dorganiser.uk, but we want to send as sales@p11dorganiser.uk, so that is made the default Send mail as address while sending P11Ds.

Sending Limits

Google can impose sending limits based on the type of account you have - it would be worth checking with your IT team in relation to the limits in place at your organisation. This is the Google page that relates to sending limits.