problems with sending e-mail from PowerChurch Online

[John Staudt]

Our e-mail settings that work from PowerChurch Plus 10.4 do not work in PowerChurch Online. Do we need to use PowerChurch's SMTP server?

I'm not sure if the errors are the same, depending on whether I'm trying to send an e-mail from the e-mail button on the personal profiles page or to send an individual contribution statement.

When using the e-mail button on the personal profiles page, I am getting to an Outlook express pop-up window that appears to be located on your server. The first time it opened, it asked me to put in SMTP settings, etc., and I have been unable to find any manner for changing the settings since. The e-mail is apparently remaining queued in your Outlook express program, but I cannot access the queue. Nor have I been able to modify settings that it would find acceptable.

When sending an individual contribution statement, it looks like it might be using my default PowerChurch settings (for the user/system), but it either tells me I need authentication turned on (which my SMTP server does not require if I am sending from home), or if I put in my authentication that would be used for my own e-mail account, I get an error message that it is invalid.

Is there some information you should be providing any regarding how to use the e-mail?

[Zaphod]

The email link from Personal Profiles just calls your default email client to send an email. In this case, it's calling Outlook Express on the server. We're working with the IDS guys to get this to work as expected.

For the bulk email, you *should* be able to use your SMTP settings provided by your ISP. I just tested the bulk email, and it's working properly. If your mail server requires authentication, make sure you specify that. Some ISPs have outgoing email set so that you can only send through their servers if you're actually connected to their network. If that's the case, since email would actually be originating from our servers, it may not work. We're working on a fix for that as well.

[John Staudt]

Some ISPs have outgoing email set so that you can only send through their servers if you're actually connected to their network. If that's the case, since email would actually be originating from our servers, it may not work. We're working on a fix for that as well.

This appears to be the case with my ISP -- a cable Internet connection. Should I be trying to find out how I might get remote e-mail access with my provider?

[jpike1445]

I am receiving the following error when I try to test my email connection in Powerchurch online

The requested name is valid, but no data of the requested type was found.

I am trying to use gmail
smtpATgmailDOTcomPORT 465

I have my authentication in and I'm using SSL authentification (although I've attempted all of them.

Anyone have any insight?

Thanks

[bjshear]

The email link from Personal Profiles just calls your default email client to send an email. In this case, it's calling Outlook Express on the server. We're working with the IDS guys to get this to work as expected.

For the bulk email, you *should* be able to use your SMTP settings provided by your ISP. I just tested the bulk email, and it's working properly. If your mail server requires authentication, make sure you specify that. Some ISPs have outgoing email set so that you can only send through their servers if you're actually connected to their network. If that's the case, since email would actually be originating from our servers, it may not work. We're working on a fix for that as well.

Any update on this? I have the same problem. This pretty much makes this product worthless. Some info would be nice.

[NeilZ]

The email link from Personal Profiles just calls your default email client to send an email. In this case, it's calling Outlook Express on the server. We're working with the IDS guys to get this to work as expected.

For the bulk email, you *should* be able to use your SMTP settings provided by your ISP. I just tested the bulk email, and it's working properly. If your mail server requires authentication, make sure you specify that. Some ISPs have outgoing email set so that you can only send through their servers if you're actually connected to their network. If that's the case, since email would actually be originating from our servers, it may not work. We're working on a fix for that as well.

Any update on this? I have the same problem. This pretty much makes this product worthless. Some info would be nice.

Why would this make the product worthless?? Everything else works, just problems with email, and something that can be (and probably already has been) fixed.

[bjshear]

It's not fixed to my knowledge. I am having the same problem.

Ok, maybe not worthless, but it's a very important and useful feature. The whole point of PC online is so that people can access it and use it anywhere. And send emails to lists ect.

[John Staudt]

If you are having trouble sending e-mail from PowerChurch Online, contact technical support -- a fix for problems with "bulk e-mail" have been in place since late April 2008, but as it involves using their outgoing e-mail server, they should be providing you the instructions.

As regards sending individual e-mails (by pressing the e-mail button on the personal profiles tab for an individual), that should have been working (at least on Windows installations) since the PowerChurch Online update in June of 2008. If you are on a different platform, contact technical support. On Windows, this assumes that your IDS client was installed on your computer at or after that same time period. If your IDS client is older, you should uninstall it, and then install the current IDS client following the instructions you have been given for the type of computer/browser you are using.

I also had to manually copy the additional file, as directed by technical support:

"If the mailto/http redirection doesn’t work, the client may not have installed properly. Copy “C:\Program Files\IDS LLC\IDS Client\IdsRCli.exe” into the “C:\Windows\” directory, and try again."

I've had no problems since.

[bjshear]

thank you for the great reply. I will do that.