Email Setup

IntuitivePM uses SMTP to send email notifications, including Virtual Colleague reports, email verification links, and account-related communications. You can configure SMTP at two levels: the platform level (system-wide) and the company level (per-workspace).

How Email Works in IntuitivePM

IntuitivePM supports two layers of SMTP configuration:

Level	Who Configures It	Used For
Platform SMTP	Platform administrator (system settings)	Email verification, password resets, system notifications, fallback for companies without custom SMTP
Company SMTP	Company admin or owner	Virtual Colleague reports, branded notifications, company-specific communications

When a Virtual Colleague sends an email, the system checks for company SMTP settings first. If the company has configured its own SMTP, that configuration is used. If not, the system falls back to the platform-wide SMTP settings.

Company SMTP Configuration

Step 1: Open Email Settings

Navigate to Settings > Company > Email (or Settings > Integrations > Email).
You will see the SMTP configuration form.

Step 2: Enter SMTP Details

Fill in the following fields:

Field	Description	Example
SMTP Host	Your email provider’s SMTP server address	`smtp.gmail.com`, `smtp.office365.com`
SMTP Port	The port for your SMTP server	`587` (STARTTLS) or `465` (implicit TLS)
SMTP Secure	Whether to use implicit TLS (port 465)	Auto-detected based on port
SMTP Username	Authentication username (usually your email address)	`notifications@acme.com`
SMTP Password	Authentication password or app-specific password	`xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx`
From Email	The sender email address	`notifications@acme.com`
From Name	The sender display name	`Acme PM` or `IntuitivePM`

STARTTLS Auto-Detection

Automatic TLS configuration

You do not need to manually configure TLS settings. Just enter the correct port and IntuitivePM handles the rest. Port 587 uses STARTTLS (upgrades to TLS), port 465 uses implicit TLS (encrypted from the start), and other ports use the SMTP Secure toggle.

IntuitivePM automatically selects the correct security mode based on your SMTP port:

Port 587 — Uses STARTTLS. The connection starts unencrypted and upgrades to TLS. IntuitivePM sets secure: false and enforces the STARTTLS upgrade with requireTLS: true.
Port 465 — Uses implicit TLS. The connection is encrypted from the start. IntuitivePM sets secure: true.
Other ports — Uses the value of the SMTP Secure toggle.

Step 3: Test Your Configuration

Click Send Test Email to send a test message to your own email address. The test email includes:

The IntuitivePM branded header with the Metatron’s Cube logo.
A confirmation message: “If you’re reading this, your SMTP configuration is working correctly!”
Your SMTP server and port for verification.

If the test fails, check the error message for details. Common issues include incorrect credentials, blocked ports, or missing app-specific passwords.

Step 4: Save

Click Save to store your SMTP configuration. The settings are cached for 10 minutes to avoid reconnecting to the SMTP server on every email.

Branded Email Templates

All emails sent by IntuitivePM use a consistent branded template:

Header — Dark background with the Metatron’s Cube logo, “IntuitivePM” title, and “by Hypernovi” subtitle.
Rainbow accent line — A 3px gradient line separating the header from the body.
Body — White background with the email content.
Footer — Light background with contextual footer text (e.g., “Sent by Sprint Analyst via IntuitivePM”).

The logo is embedded directly in each email as an inline attachment (using CID), so it displays reliably across Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and Yahoo without relying on external image hosting.

Virtual Colleague Email Settings

Each Virtual Colleague can use either the company SMTP or a custom SMTP configuration:

Option	Behavior
Use Company Email (default)	The colleague sends email through your company’s SMTP settings. The “From” address and name come from your company configuration.
Custom SMTP	The colleague has its own SMTP host, port, username, password, and email address. Useful if you want a colleague to send from a different address (e.g., `qa-bot@acme.com`).

To configure a custom SMTP for a colleague:

Navigate to Virtual Colleagues and select the colleague.
Open the Messaging tab and select Email.
Toggle Use Company Email off.
Enter the custom SMTP details.
Click Send Test Email to verify.
Save your changes.

Common SMTP Providers

Gmail requires an App Password

If you use Gmail with 2-factor authentication enabled (which is the default for most Google accounts), your regular password will not work. You must generate an App Password and use that as the SMTP password.

Provider	SMTP Host	Port	Notes
Gmail	`smtp.gmail.com`	587	Requires an App Password. Regular passwords do not work with 2FA enabled.
Microsoft 365	`smtp.office365.com`	587	Uses your Microsoft 365 credentials.
Amazon SES	`email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com`	587	Requires SES SMTP credentials (not IAM credentials).
SendGrid	`smtp.sendgrid.net`	587	Username is `apikey`, password is your SendGrid API key.
Mailgun	`smtp.mailgun.org`	587	Requires verified domain and SMTP credentials from Mailgun dashboard.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
”SMTP is not configured”	No SMTP settings have been saved. Enter your SMTP details and save.
Authentication failed	Check your username and password. If using Gmail, ensure you are using an App Password.
Connection timed out	Verify the SMTP host and port are correct. Check that your network allows outbound connections on the SMTP port.
TLS handshake failed	Ensure you are using the correct port (587 for STARTTLS, 465 for implicit TLS).
Test email sent but not received	Check your spam folder. Verify the “From Email” address matches an authorized sender for your SMTP provider.
Logo not showing in email	The logo uses CID inline attachment. If it is not displaying, your email client may be blocking images — click “Show images” in the email client.

Next Steps

Configure Slack messaging for Virtual Colleagues in Slack Integration Configuration.
Set up Teams notifications in Teams Integration Configuration.
Learn about Virtual Colleague messaging channels in the Messaging Setup guide.