Using CRM-NG SMTP with the CRM-NG family
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How CRM-NG SMTP works with CRM-NG and CRM-NG Marketing: the Email delivery setup step, campaigns, the failing-email warning and which plugin sends.
CRM-NG SMTP works on its own, on any WordPress site. If you also run CRM-NG and CRM-NG Marketing, it plugs into them so invoices, ticket replies and campaigns all go through the mail service you set up. This article explains how the pieces fit. It is for CRM-NG customers.
Which plugin sends your email
CRM-NG Marketing includes its own Email Delivery part, which you switch on under Settings → Modules → Email Delivery in CRM-NG. CRM-NG SMTP is the standalone version of the same job, with more mailers and tools.
Only one of them sends at a time:
- If CRM-NG SMTP is sending (it was installed on a site with nothing else sending, or you pressed Make CRM-NG SMTP send my email), CRM-NG uses it.
- If CRM-NG SMTP is in standby, the Email Delivery part keeps sending until you switch. See Switching from another mail plugin (hand-over).
CRM-NG Marketing follows whichever one is in charge automatically. You do not need to change any CRM-NG setting when you switch.
The Email delivery setup step
CRM-NG's setup includes an optional Email delivery step. It shows which mail service is in use ("Currently: …") and lets you set:
- Sender name
- Sender address
- Mail service — a list of the available mailers.
These fields write to CRM-NG SMTP's own settings when CRM-NG SMTP is sending. Choosing a service in this step does not connect it. Follow the links in the step to the Email Delivery screen (CRM-NG SMTP's Settings page) to enter the key or sign in, then send a test email.
If nothing is set up to send, the step says so and asks you to activate the CRM-NG SMTP Email plugin, or switch on Email Delivery, and then run the step again.
If your mail settings are fixed in wp-config.php with CRMNG_SMTP_ constants, the step shows "These settings are fixed in wp-config.php on this site, so they can only be changed there."* and does not change anything. See Securing settings with wp-config constants.
Campaigns
When CRM-NG SMTP is sending, CRM-NG Marketing campaigns go out through your configured mailer, the same as every other site email.
- Reports read CRM-NG SMTP's email log. The campaign reports and the Mail delivery health card count what the mail logger saw, including invoices, notifications and replies. Keep Enable local email logging on (CRM-NG SMTP → Settings → Email Log) so these numbers work. See Setting up the email log.
- Tracking. Campaigns use CRM-NG Marketing's own open and click tracking, set up in CRM-NG Marketing.
- Volume. Large campaigns can hit your mail service's limits. Choose a service suited to volume and consider Email rate limiting.
The "Outgoing email is failing" warning
CRM-NG watches for failed sends. When emails keep failing, a red bar appears across CRM-NG screens:
Outgoing email is failing.
It counts the emails that could not be sent and explains the impact: clients are not getting ticket updates, documents or account emails, and staff are not getting alerts.
Administrators see a link to fix the email settings; other staff are asked to tell an administrator. The setup step also flags "Recent emails have been failing."
To clear it:
- Find the error
Open CRM-NG SMTP → Tools → Debug Events, or the failed-send banner's View Error Log, and note the exact error.
- Fix the cause
Open the help article the banner links to, or follow Troubleshooting email delivery.
- Send a test
Go to CRM-NG SMTP → Tools → Email Test. When emails succeed again, the warning clears.
A common cause is an expired sign-in for an OAuth mailer such as Google. Reconnect the account on the General tab.
Without CRM-NG
None of this is required. On a site without CRM-NG, CRM-NG SMTP simply sends all WordPress email through your chosen service.