Email Delivery

Operately requires email functionality to send notifications, invitations, and password reset emails. This guide explains how to configure email delivery for your self-hosted installation.

Email delivery options#

Operately supports two methods for email delivery:

1. SendGrid API (recommended for simplicity)
2. SMTP (compatible with most email providers)

SendGrid API configuration#

SendGrid is a reliable email delivery service that’s easy to set up and scale.

Prerequisites#

1. Create a SendGrid account
2. Verify your sender identity (domain or single sender)
3. Generate an API key with mail sending permissions

Setup steps#

1. Create an API key:

   • Log in to your SendGrid dashboard
   • Go to Settings > API Keys
   • Click Create API Key
   • Choose Restricted Access
   • Grant Mail Send permissions
   • Copy the generated API key

2. Configure Operately:

   Add the following environment variables to your operately.env file:

   OPERATELY_SENDGRID_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   

3. Restart Operately:

   docker compose restart
   

SendGrid best practices#

• Domain authentication: Set up domain authentication for better deliverability
• Reputation monitoring: Monitor your sender reputation in the SendGrid dashboard
• Suppression management: Regularly clean your suppression lists
• Analytics: Use SendGrid’s analytics to track email performance

SMTP configuration#

SMTP is a standard protocol supported by most email providers including Gmail, Outlook, AWS SES, Mailgun, and others.

Common SMTP providers#

Provider	SMTP Server	Port	Security
Gmail	smtp.gmail.com	587	STARTTLS
Outlook	smtp-mail.outlook.com	587	STARTTLS
AWS SES	email-smtp.region.amazonaws.com	587	STARTTLS
Mailgun	smtp.mailgun.org	587	STARTTLS
Custom	your-mail-server.com	587/465	STARTTLS/SSL

Configuration steps#

1. Gather SMTP credentials:

   • SMTP server hostname
   • Port number (usually 587 for STARTTLS or 465 for SSL)
   • Username and password
   • Security method (STARTTLS, SSL, or none)

2. Configure environment variables:

   OPERATELY_SMTP_HOST=smtp.your-provider.com
   OPERATELY_SMTP_PORT=587
   OPERATELY_SMTP_USERNAME=your_username
   OPERATELY_SMTP_PASSWORD=your_password
   OPERATELY_SMTP_SECURITY=starttls  # or 'ssl' or 'none'
   

3. Restart Operately:

   docker compose restart
   

Provider-specific guides#

Gmail#

1. Enable 2-factor authentication on your Google account
2. Generate an App Password
3. Use the app password as your SMTP password

OPERATELY_SMTP_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
OPERATELY_SMTP_PORT=587
[email protected]
OPERATELY_SMTP_PASSWORD=your_app_password
OPERATELY_SMTP_SECURITY=starttls

AWS SES#

1. Verify your domain or email address in AWS SES
2. Create SMTP credentials in the AWS SES console
3. Choose the appropriate region endpoint

OPERATELY_SMTP_HOST=email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
OPERATELY_SMTP_PORT=587
OPERATELY_SMTP_USERNAME=your_ses_username
OPERATELY_SMTP_PASSWORD=your_ses_password
OPERATELY_SMTP_SECURITY=starttls

Mailgun#

1. Add and verify your domain in Mailgun
2. Get your SMTP credentials from the domain settings

OPERATELY_SMTP_HOST=smtp.mailgun.org
OPERATELY_SMTP_PORT=587
[email protected]
OPERATELY_SMTP_PASSWORD=your_mailgun_password
OPERATELY_SMTP_SECURITY=starttls

Testing email configuration#

After configuring email delivery, test that it’s working correctly:

1. Send a test email:

   • Log in to Operately as an administrator
   • Go to Settings > System Configuration
   • Find the Email section
   • Click Send Test Email
   • Check that you receive the test email

2. Test user invitation:

   • Try inviting a new team member
   • Verify they receive the invitation email

3. Check server logs:

   docker compose logs | grep email
   

Troubleshooting#

Common issues#

Authentication failed:

• Double-check your username and password
• Ensure 2FA and app passwords are configured correctly
• Verify your SMTP provider allows the connection

Connection timeout:

• Check firewall rules allow outbound connections on the SMTP port
• Verify the SMTP hostname is correct
• Try increasing the timeout value

Email not delivered:

• Check spam/junk folders
• Verify sender reputation with your email provider
• Review email provider logs for bounce/rejection reasons

SSL/TLS errors:

• Ensure the security method matches your provider’s requirements
• Try different ports (587 for STARTTLS, 465 for SSL)
• Check if your provider requires specific TLS versions

Security considerations#

• Use app passwords: Never use your main account password for SMTP
• Enable encryption: Always use STARTTLS or SSL when available
• Limit permissions: Use email service accounts with minimal required permissions
• Monitor usage: Regularly review email sending patterns and limits
• Rotate credentials: Periodically update API keys and passwords