Email Configuration for IMAP and POP3

Email Configuration for IMAP and POP3

Zoho CRM supports email integration from any email service through IMAP and POP3 protocols, allowing for seamless synchronization and management of email communication within the platform. Additionally, Zoho CRM provides specialized email integration via API for Google, offering enhanced functionality and a more streamlined experience for users of these services. This integration facilitates better email management directly within Zoho CRM, enabling businesses to track efficiently and engage with their customers through their preferred email platforms.
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a vital email protocol designed to enable seamless integration of an email account with email clients like Zoho CRM. This integration ensures that all email-related activities are consistently synchronized and updated across a broad range of devices, such as desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. By leveraging IMAP, users can access and manage their email messages from any device, maintaining a unified and up-to-date view of their email communications within Zoho CRM, enhancing efficiency and productivity in managing customer relationships.

Zoho CRM recommends this configuration as users get real time email status and efficient email storage along with email backup with this configuration type.
Zoho CRM recommends this setup as it offers instant updates on email activities that are synchronized across devices like PCs, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets. It also ensures efficient email storage and backup. This approach leads to more effective and dependable email management.

POP3 

POP3 stands as an alternative email protocol designed to let users download email messages onto their devices. It operates by transferring emails from the server to a local device, subsequently removing them from the server. Nonetheless, there is an option for users to select keep messages on the server, which allows for the retention of emails even after they have been downloaded.

Zoho CRM enables users to integrate their email using POP3.

Once you set up IMAP or POP3, emails get synced and appear in the SalesInbox, organized into designated folders to make them easier to find.

Setting up IMAP or POP3 Account 

By default, all users with Standard or Administrator profiles can set up IMAP or POP3 accounts, unless the admin has disabled Email & Chat Settings in their profiles.

To set up IMAP or POP3 accounts:

  1. In Zoho CRM, navigate to Setup > Channels > Email > Email Configuration.
  2. In the Email sub-tab, click Get Started.
  3. Choose your Popular Email Service from the list.
  4. Under Choose the protocol to configure, select IMAP or POP Integration.
  5. Click Configure.
  6. Enter the Display name, Email address, and Password.
  7. Click Configure.
  8. In the Import Filter pop-up, click Import. You can skip this and do it later.
    Note: When setting up IMAP/POP configurations for SalesInbox using .xml or .dat files, you can import existing filters from your connected mailbox. This includes any filters you've already set up for different types of emails or specific addresses.
  9. In Email Sharing Settings, select the sharing permission from the drop-down list.
    You can choose between Private, Public, and Custom email sharing options.
    Note: The ability to edit this feature is not available to everyone automatically. It will only be editable if the admin grants the User Choice permissions to a user on the Admin Email Sharing page. Without this permission, users will not be able to make edits.
  10. In More From Address, the Default Address will display the email address entered in step 6.
  11. Click Add Email Address to enter more from addresses.
  12. Under Folder Mapping, select the folders from your custom mailbox to map with the appropriate folder in the SalesInbox.
    This option is only available for IMAP users. Folder mapping is only supported if the server of the integrated mailbox is non-standard.
  13. Click Server Details to view the incoming and outgoing server settings.
  14. The Server Details are automatically populated upon selecting one of the popular IMAP Integrations.
  15. Check Store sent messages on the server.
    Note that, this option will be displayed only if your SMTP provider does not provide an option to save sent emails by default.
    This option will only be available for IMAP users.
  16. Click Update. 
Notes
 NOTE: 
  1. Office 365, Outlook, and Gmail users can log in to their accounts using OAuth.
  2. SalesInbox will be enabled for all users who enable IMAP or POP integration in any email service.
  3. If the email integration is deactivated, admins will be prompted to choose if they wish to retain the folders, filters, and labels.

Setting up custom IMAP or POP3 accounts:

To set up custom email account using IMAP/POP3 configurations: 

  1. Navigate to Setup > Channels > Email > Email Configuration.
  2. In the Email sub-tab, choose Other Mail from the list.
  3. Under Choose the protocol to configure, select IMAP or POP Integration.
  4. Click Configure.
  5. In the Add POP/IMAP Integration page, enter the following details:
    1. Display Name: Enter a name for the mailbox.
    2. Email address/User Name: Enter the email address or user name you wish to configure.
    3. Password: Add the password for your email address used for configuration.
    4. If you have enabled two-factor authentication for the account, you must enter the app-specific password and not the regular password.
  6. Under Incoming Server Details
    1. Incoming server: Enter the incoming server of the email. For example, pop.gmail.com (for a Gmail account) or pop.zoho.com (for a Zoho Mail account) or pop.zylker.com for (zylker account).
    2. If you are not sure about this detail, check with your system administrator.
    3. Port: Choose a port number from 995 and 143.
    4. Mark in the Use SSL, if required.
  7. Under Outgoing Server Details
    1. Email Address: Enter the email address of the account you want to send emails from.
    2. Outgoing Server: Enter the outgoing server of the email. For example, smtp.gmail.com for a Gmail account.
    3. Port: Choose a port number from available ports, 465, 587, and 25.
    4. Use Secure Connection: You can choose a secure connection from SSL, TLS or no secure connection by choosing Never.
    5. Authentication Required: Choose if authentication is required for the server from Yes and No.
    6. Mark the box next to Store sent message on the server if you want to store the sent emails in your CRM account.
      Note that, this option will be displayed only if your SMTP provider does not provide an option to save sent emails by default.
      This option will only be available for IMAP users.
  8. Click Configure.
You have successfully integrated your email to Zoho CRM.

Modern OAuth based IMAP or POP3 authentication 

Users looking to connect their CRM account with email services like Outlook, Gmail, or Office 365 have the option to use the OAuth authentication method. This approach offers enhanced security for the integration process.

To integrate Outlook, Gmail or Office 365 with CRM:

  1. In Zoho CRM, navigate to Setup > Channels > Email > Email Configuration.
  2. In the Email sub-tab, click Get Started.
  3. In the Email Integration tab, from Popular Email Service, choose Outlook, Gmail, or Office 365.
  4. Under Choose the protocol to configure, select IMAP or POP from the drop-down.
  5. Click Configure.
    You will be prompted to log in to your Office 365, Gmail, or Outlook accounts.
  6. Sign in to your account using your email address and click Next.
  7. If you are already logged in, choose an account to sign in and click Configure.
  8. After successfully setting it up, you'll be taken to the Zoho CRM page for IMAP or POP setup. The synchronization process will complete shortly thereafter. 

Generating an app-specific password for email service providers like Zoho Mail and Yahoo 

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to email accounts provided by all major email clients like gmail, zoho mail, yahoo, outlook, office 365 etc. With 2FA activated, accessing the account requires not only the username and password but also a unique passcode sent to the user's registered mobile number. This additional step strengthens your email account security.

If you want to set up an email account with 2FA in Zoho CRM, you must use an app-specific password for IMAP configuration, not the standard account password. Below, you'll find steps to create an app-specific password for various well-known email clients.

For a Zoho Mail Account :

If you wish to configure your Zoho Mail account via IMAP/POP3 in Zoho CRM, and you have the 2FA service enabled for it, follow the instructions below to generate the app-specific password for your Zoho Mail account.

To generate app-specific password for Zoho Mail account :

  1. Sign in to your Zoho account.
  2. From the left menu, navigate to Security and click App passwords.
  3. Click Generate New Password.
  4. In the Application-Specific Passwords pop-up, enter the app name, such as Zoho Mail and click Generate.
  5. Copy the Application-Specific Password.
  6. You can delete a password if you no longer use the app or wish to remove access to the application.
Notes
Note:
  1. The device-specific password will only be displayed once and will not be displayed again.
  2. When providing the password in your email clients, enter it without any spaces.
  3. You can delete an application-specific password whenever you no longer use that device or application or want to revoke access to that application.

For Yahoo Mail Account:   

You can visit the Yahoo mail account support page by clicking here to learn how to set up an app-specific password for a Yahoo mail account.  

Viewing Emails in CRM   

After setting up the IMAP/POP account, you can see all email interactions with your leads and contacts directly in Zoho CRM under the Emails related list. This includes messages sent to both the primary and secondary email addresses of your leads and contacts. Within the records' related list, you have the option to organize emails by:
  1. Emails sent to CRM
  2. Emails from all IMAP shared users
  3. Emails from all POP shared users
  4. Emails by the user name
  5. Emails from all the above


Alert
Note: Users are not required to configure their own mailbox in order to view email conversations from the configured inbox of other Zoho CRM users in their organization.
This is especially useful in scenarios where email viewing access is needed by users with sensitive information in their email inboxes who do not wish to connect their inbox with Zoho CRM.

This change has been rolled out for all regions to all editions that have the email inbox configuration feature available. 

Taking Email Backup   

Admins have the capability to back up emails for CRM users within a duration of 6 months from the user’s deactivation or deletion, provided these users had set up their email accounts using POP3 or IMAP, and had their emails shared publicly with custom record-level and complete sharing privileges. These inactive users will be displayed under the Setup > Security Control > Zoho Mail add-on users tab.
To initiate a backup, admins can simply select the Backup Emails option next to the details of the respective user. It's important to note that if a user is deactivated from the CRM account without a prior backup of their emails, then those emails, whether sent or received by the user, will not be visible in the related list.

Notes
Note:
  1. Email backup for inactive users should be completed before six months from the date when the user was deleted or deactivated. Email data will no longer be retained beyond this six month period, and all data will be lost if a backup hasn’t been completed.
  2. Administrators can lock the email configuration of the users to prevent them from changing their email account settings to Private Account before their accounts are deactivated.
  3. For IMAP configuration based back up, the backing up account should be active till the completion of backup. Otherwise, backup will not work for IMAP.

 


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