Path: Community Settings >> Email Settings >> General >> General
| What are General Email Settings? |
|---|
| General Email Settings are the community-level controls that determine the sender identity, delivery method, and branding of outgoing IdeaScale emails, including the From Email Address, Bounce Email Address, From Name, 3rd Party SMTP Service, and Custom Email Banner. |
These settings apply to all outgoing email communications sent from a community, including notifications, digests, and password reset emails. They allow sender details and delivery configuration to be aligned with the organization's branding and technical requirements, and include options to test deliverability and review how community members are subscribed to email communications.
Role Permissions
- Community Administrator: Configures the From Email Address, Bounce Email Address, From Name, 3rd Party SMTP Service, and Custom Email Banner, and runs the Deliverability Test.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
General
Deliverability Test
Email Subscribers
Digest Emails
Exceptions
Frequently Asked Questions
General
The General section includes the following fields:
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From Email Address: All emails are sent by default from noreply@ideascale.com, which is not a monitored inbox. A custom email address can be added to this field instead. Note: Adding a custom From Email Address requires setting up 3rd Party SMTP Service, coordinated with the organization's IT department, to ensure email delivery.
- Bounce Email Address: The email address to which bounced emails are sent.
- From Name: A name that appears as the sender on all emails sent from the community, in place of the default community name.
- 3rd Party SMTP Service: Switched on to support a customized From Email Address, connecting to an SMTP server over SSL. Once switched on, the SMTP Host Server, SMTP Port, SMTP Username, and Password fields appear. The Validate SMTP button confirms whether the information provided is correct and functioning; if an error is found, a View SMTP Error link becomes available. See Exceptions below for what happens if these fields are left incomplete.
- Custom Email Banner: Replaces the default IdeaScale banner. It can be set by uploading a file, selecting one from the custom email banner dropdown, or dragging and dropping a file into the designated area.
Uploaded images can be resized and repositioned using the resizer, then saved using the Save button.
Deliverability Test
To confirm that emails from the community are being delivered, the IdeaScale domain may need to be added to the organization's SPF records. The Community Administrator can switch on Deliverability Test to confirm the setup; results appear in the Email Delivery Reports, found under Settings >> Community >> Email Settings >> Email Logs.
Email Subscribers
The Email Subscribers section shows a dashboard view of how many community members are subscribed to each available email frequency option: Daily, Weekly, Real-time, or No Email. This allows the Community Administrator to review subscription behavior, monitor engagement trends, and decide whether to adjust communication frequency or encourage members to opt into specific notification cadences.
Digest emails
The Digest Emails section contains the Digest Email settings available at the community level, including the daily and weekly digest frequencies, schedule, and options to include or exclude specific content, such as private campaign ideas and the trending digest. These settings determine which activity is summarized and how often members receive digest summaries.
Exceptions
- Incomplete 3rd Party SMTP Fields: If SMTP Host Server, SMTP Port, SMTP Username, or Password is left blank while 3rd Party SMTP Service is switched on, IdeaScale does not send any notification emails to any user, including Password Reset emails, invitation emails, and other notifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if 3rd Party SMTP Service is switched on but its fields are left incomplete?
If SMTP Host Server, SMTP Port, SMTP Username, or Password is left blank while 3rd Party SMTP Service is switched on, IdeaScale does not send any notification emails to any user, including Password Reset emails, invitation emails, and other notifications.
Can the default sender address be changed without setting up 3rd Party SMTP Service?
No. A custom From Email Address requires 3rd Party SMTP Service to be set up, coordinated with the organization's IT department, to ensure delivery.
What email frequency options are available to community members?
Community members can be subscribed to Daily, Weekly, Real-time, or No Email frequency options, shown in the Email Subscribers dashboard.
Where can the results of the Deliverability Test be reviewed?
Deliverability Test results appear in the Email Delivery Reports, found under Settings >> Community >> Email Settings >> Email Logs.
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