Configuring email for Tasks and Content

An email is sent to notify users when a task (such as approving a content block or submitting a form) was performed or needs to be performed. This section explains how to enable Microsoft’s SMTP service to allow this email notification in Ektron.

NOTE: To learn about email notification for Web Alerts, see Administering Web Alerts.

To process email, Ektron uses CDOSYS. Using Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) and the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) standards, CDOSYS enables Windows applications to route e-mail and USENET-style news posts across multiple platforms. CDOSYS lets authors create and view sophisticated emails using HTML and data sources.

NOTE: If the SMTP server that processes email does not find CDOSYS installed, it tries to use CDONTS as a mail server protocol.

Setting up the SMTP server

Setting up the SMTP Server

For CDOSYS to work, set up the SMTP server on your Ektron server or a remote system that sends and receives email. Generally, it is good practice to run SMTP on a server separate from your Web server. However, your Web server must relay the email messages to your SMTP server.

NOTE: To access an SMTP server on a local or remote system, consult your organization's email administrator.

Local—Before setting up an SMTP server locally, install IIS. SMTP server settings on a local system are something like this:
```
“ek_SMTPServer" value=“localhost”
“ek_SMTPServer" value=“127.0.0.1”
“ek_SMTPServer" value=“myname”
```
Remote—Set up an SMTP server on a remote system. The SMTP server on a remote system are something like this:
```
“ek_SMTPServer" value=“smtp.example.com”
“ek_SMTPServer" value=“example.com”
```

After setting up the SMTP server, configure it as described in Verifying for Relay through the SMTP Server.

Verifying for relay through the SMTP server

Verifying for Relay through the SMTP Server

NOTE: The WWW and SMTP components of IIS must be installed on the Web server that hosts Ektron.

To verify that your Ektron Web server’s IP address supports relay through your SMTP server:

On your SMTP server, access your Internet Services Manager in the Administrative Tools.
In the IIS Management Console, select the SMTP virtual server.
On the Action menu, choose Properties.
The SMTP properties window opens.
Click the Access tab. The access properties appear.
In the Relay Restrictions section, click Relay....The Relay Restrictions window opens.
Ping your server to get its IP address. Add it to the list of approved servers.
NOTE: For more information, see “Configuring SMTP Virtual Server Relay Restrictions” from this Web page: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/
WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/
58f05ef9-55a3-42b3-9f57-27fdc8723b8a.mspx?mfr=true

Configuring SMTP settings

Configuring SMTP Settings

Next, configure Ektron to use SMTP.

Open the siteroot/web.config file.

Move to the section of the file that has these settings. (See Managing the web.config File.)

<!-- SMTP Server configuration -->
<add key="ek_SMTPServer" value="localhost" />
<add key="ek_SMTPPort" value="25" />
<add key="ek_SMTPUser" value="" />
<add key="ek_SMTPPass" value="" />

Set the ek_SMTPServer value.
Set ek_SMTPPort to the port your system will access to retrieve email. In most cases, the port is set to 25. If that is not the case, see your System Administrator.
Set ek_SMTPUser to the username that is set up for the SMTP Server to send and receive email. Typically, the username takes the form of an email address, such as "ek_SMTPUser" value="[email protected]".
This retrieval of email is based on how basic authentication is set up for you, though you do not need a username when using a local SMTP server. Check with your System Administrator for details.
If you are using a remote system for accessing email, you must provide an authenticated username before you can send or receive email.
Set the "ek_SMTPPass" value to the password that is set up for the SMTP server to send and receive email. This password is based on the basic authentication. By default, Ektron only accepts passwords in the encrypted form.
To encrypt the password, Ektron provides a password encrypting tool.
1. Open C:\Program Files\Ektron\CMS400\Utilities
2. Run EncryptEmailPassword.exe. The Encrypt Utility dialog appears.
3. Enter your SMTP password in the Text field.
4. Click Encrypt. The screen displays an encrypted password in the Encrypted field.
5. Copy the encrypted password and paste it into the web.config file after "ek_SMTPPass" value=.

SMTP error messages

SMTP Error Messages

When submitting a form or a content block in an approval process, if you get an error message listed below, it is generated by the SMTP server on which you set up the mail system, not by Ektron.

The Transport failed to connect to the server. [CBR SendMail R1] [CBR R65] [DIO R 36]
The server rejected one or more recipient addresses. The server response was: 550 5.7.1 Unable to replay for [email protected] [CBR SendMail R1] [CBR R1] [DIO R36]

Automatic email notification

Automatic email Notification

Ektron's automated email system sends email to proper users when an action has been, or needs to be, performed. The email is stored in and retrieved from the database. Each email consists of one string for the subject and one for the body.Ektron does not support HTML email, but the messages are fully customizable.See Also: Customizing Ektron email.

Email is generated when any of the following actions takes place.

Submitted to be published—email sent to next approver
Submitted to be deleted—email sent to next approver
Published to Web site—email sent to author
Declined to be published or deleted—email sent to author

To be notified of these actions, the following criteria must be met:

Valid system email address
Enabled email notification
User email address
User email notification enabled

These values are set in the Edit User screen. See Also: Managing Users

The Tasks feature also has automatic email notification. See Task Email Notification.

Customizing Ektron email

Ektron can send email notification to users, informing them that actions have either taken place or are requested of them. For example, a content contributor receives an email that his content has been published. These emails are stored in resource files, where each email consists of one string for the subject and one for the body. Each message is called in the presentation layer by its message title.Ektron does not support HTML email, however the message text is fully customizable.

The body of an email can include variables, located between @ symbols. Ektron replaces these variables with the information for that instance of the email. For example, @appContentTitle@ in the following sentence is replaced with the email’s title.

Before: The content “@appContentTitle@” has been deleted.
After: The content “Home Page Content” has been deleted.

You can customize these emails, move the variables, add text, rewrite and reorganize.

Before: “@appContentTitle@” has been deleted from the XYZ Web site.
After: “About Us” has been deleted from the XYZ Web site.

Carriage Return/Line Feeds are represented by @appCRLF@. These cause the email to move down one line. For example:

Before: The content was approved.@appCRLF@Thank you!
After: The content was approved.
Thank you!

email variables

email Variables

The list shows variables you can use to customize email messages. When the email is sent, the corresponding description replaces the variable.

@appApprovalList@—The current approval list that the content block must pass through.
@appChangeDateTime@—The date and time changes will be updated on the Web site.
@appComment@—Displays the comments for the content block.
@appContentLink@—The link to the content block on the Web site.
NOTE: You must be logged in to see the changes.
@appContentTitle@—The title of the content block.
@appCRLF@—A carriage return.
@appDeclinerFirstName@—The first name of the user who declined the content block.
@appDeclinerLastName@—The last name of the user who declined the content block.
@appDeletionDateTime@—The date and time the content will be deleted from the Web site.
@appEmailFrom@—The address of the email sender.
@appEmailTo@—The address of the email recipient.
@appFolderPath@—The location of the content block in theEktron folder tree.
@appPassword@—Displays the account password for ResetPassword and RequestResetPassword message types.
@appSubmitterDateTime@—The date and time the content block was submitted.
@appSubmitterFirstName@—The first name of the user who submitted the content block.
@appSubmitterLastName@—The last name of the user who submitted the content block.

Default Ektron email messages

Default Ektron email Messages

Approved Content Awaiting Go Live Date
Message Title: email subject: content changes approved.
Message Text: Content changes have been approved.
Approved Content Published Immediately
Message Title: email subject: content has been changed.
Message Text: Content changes have been made.
Decline Approval Request
Message Title: email subject: approval request declined.
Message Text: Content approval request declined.
Deletion of Content Approved
Message Title: email subject: content deletion approved.
Message Text: Deletion of content has been approved.
Immediate Deletion of Content
Message Title: email subject: content has been deleted.
Message Text: Content has been deleted.
Send Approval Message
Message Title: email subject: request for approval.
Message Text: Request for content approval.

Sending instant email

Sending Instant email

In addition to automatic email, Ektron lets you email a user or user group from many screens. Your ability to do this is indicated by an email icon () next to a user or group name or on the toolbar. Screens in the following Ektron features support instant email.

Tasks
Approvals
Reports

When you click one or more user/group names then the toolbar's email icon, the email screen appears.

NOTE: The email software must be configured for your server. See Configuring email for Tasks and Content

When the email screen appears, the following information is copied from Ektron into the email.

To—User you selected to receive email. If the user does not have a valid email address, an error message appears. If you then insert a valid address, the email is sent. If you specify a group to receive the message, as long as one group member has a valid email address, all group members with valid addresses receive the email. You can edit and add recipients.
From—User signed on toEktron. You cannot edit this field.
Subject—If the email message is linked to content, its title appears. You can edit this field.
Body of message—If the email message is linked to content, a content link appears. You can edit this field.