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Overview

Email in Knowlix is built around the activity feed, a communication thread attached to every record (opportunities, sales orders, invoices, projects, and more). From the activity feed, users send emails, log internal notes, post notifications, schedule follow-up tasks, and share attachments. All incoming replies are captured automatically and displayed alongside outgoing messages, giving every team member a complete communication history on each record.

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How Email Works in Knowlix

When you send an email from a record’s activity feed, Knowlix routes it through the configured outgoing mail server. Recipients receive the email and any replies they send are routed back into Knowlix using alias addresses, catch-all mailboxes, or forwarding rules. The full thread stays attached to the original record. Notifications vs. direct emails: Sending a direct email delivers the message to the recipient’s inbox. Sending a notification delivers it via Knowlix’s internal notification system, which may also trigger an email depending on the follower’s preferences.

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Outgoing Mail Configuration

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Hosted Knowlix

For hosted Knowlix environments, outgoing email works immediately with a default notification address in the format notifications@your-workspace.domain.com. No configuration is needed unless you want to send from your own domain.

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Custom Domain Setup

To send from your own domain, additional DNS configuration and server setup is required. This involves technical knowledge of DNS records and mail protocols. Options for outgoing mail with a custom domain:
  1. Use Knowlix mail servers with your domain - requires SPF and DKIM DNS records on your domain
  2. Use your own SMTP server - configure a third-party mail server (Microsoft Outlook 365, Gmail, Mailjet, etc.)
Note: Different mail providers have different sending limits. Verify provider limitations before configuring, especially for marketing campaigns. Bulk email platforms like Gmail and Outlook have lower transactional volume thresholds.

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DNS Authentication Records

To ensure your emails are delivered reliably and not flagged as spam, configure three DNS authentication records on your domain.

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SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

SPF declares which mail servers are authorized to send on behalf of your domain. Recipients’ mail servers verify incoming emails against this list. Adding an SPF record: Create a TXT record in your domain’s DNS settings. If your domain has no existing SPF record: 
v=spf1 include:_spf.knowlix.com ~all
If your domain already has an SPF record (you must have only one), add the Knowlix include to the existing record: 
v=spf1 include:_spf.knowlix.com include:_spf.existing-provider.com ~all
Verify your SPF record with an online SPF checking tool after adding it.

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DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

DKIM adds a cryptographic signature to outgoing emails that recipients can verify, proving the email was genuinely sent by your domain and was not altered in transit. Adding a DKIM record: Create a CNAME record in your DNS settings:
  • Name/Key: knowlix._domainkey.your-domain.com
  • Value/Content: knowlix._domainkey.knowlix.com.
For subdomains (e.g., marketing.your-domain.com), add an additional CNAME:
  • Name/Key: knowlix._domainkey.marketing
  • Value: knowlix._domainkey.knowlix.com.
Note: Some DNS providers automatically append your domain to the key field. In those cases, enter only knowlix._domainkey in the name field and the provider appends your domain automatically.

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DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication)

DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM to declare what happens when an email fails authentication. It also provides delivery reporting. Adding a DMARC record: Create a TXT record:
  • Name: _dmarc.your-domain.com
  • Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:postmaster@your-domain.com
Start with p=none (monitor mode) to collect reports without impacting delivery. Once authentication is verified, move to p=quarantine or p=reject for stricter enforcement.

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Configuring Outgoing Mail Servers

Go to Settings > Technical > Email > Outgoing Mail Servers (requires developer mode) to configure SMTP servers.

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Standard SMTP Server

Create a new server record with:
  • Server name - SMTP hostname (e.g., smtp.gmail.com)
  • Port - 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS/STARTTLS)
  • Security - SSL/TLS or STARTTLS
  • Username - the sending email address
  • Password - account password or app-specific password
  • From Filter - the email address or domain this server should handle
Click Test Connection to verify the configuration. From Filter usage: The From Filter tells Knowlix which server to use for a given sender. Set it to a specific email address for individual user servers, or to a domain for company-wide servers.

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Microsoft Outlook 365 via OAuth

Using OAuth with Outlook avoids storing passwords and uses Microsoft’s secure token-based authentication. Azure App Registration:
  1. In the Azure portal, go to App registrations and create a new application.
  2. Name it something recognizable (e.g., “Knowlix Mail”).
  3. Under supported account types, select Accounts in any organizational directory and personal Microsoft accounts.
  4. Set the redirect URL to https://[your-knowlix-domain]/microsoft_outlook/confirm.
  5. Register the app.
  6. Go to API permissions and add Delegated permissions for:
    • SMTP.Send
    • IMAP.AccessAsUser.All
  7. Under Users and Groups, add the users who will send email through Knowlix.
  8. Under Certificates & Secrets, create a new client secret. Copy the Value immediately (it is only shown once).
  9. Note the Application (client) ID from the app overview.
Knowlix Configuration:
  1. Install the Microsoft Outlook module from the module catalog.
  2. Go to Settings > General Settings and enable Use Custom Email Servers.
  3. Enter the Client ID and Client Secret from Azure.
  4. Save settings.
  5. Go to Outgoing Mail Servers and create a new server with Outlook enabled.
  6. Enter the Outlook email username and click Connect your Outlook account.
  7. Complete the Microsoft authorization flow.
  8. Test the connection. A green “Outlook Token Valid” status confirms success.
Single outgoing server configuration - Use a shared notification address for all system emails:
SettingValue
Outgoing server usernamenotifications@company.com
From Filternotifications@company.com
mail.catchall.domain system parametercompany.com
mail.default.from system parameternotifications
Per-user configuration - Individual users send from their own addresses: Each user gets their own outgoing server with their email as both the username and From Filter. A separate fallback server using the notifications address handles system-generated emails.

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Gmail via OAuth

  1. Create a Google Cloud project and enable the Gmail API.
  2. Configure the OAuth consent screen and create credentials for a web application.
  3. Set the authorized redirect URI to https://[your-knowlix-domain]/google_gmail/confirm.
  4. Copy the Client ID and Client Secret.
  5. In Knowlix, install the Google Gmail module.
  6. Go to Settings > General Settings, enable Use Custom Email Servers, and enter the Google credentials.
  7. Create a new outgoing mail server with Google OAuth enabled and connect the account.

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Mailjet

Mailjet is suitable for high-volume transactional and marketing emails.
  1. Create a Mailjet account and generate an API Key and Secret Key.
  2. In Knowlix, install the Mailjet module.
  3. Configure a new outgoing mail server using Mailjet’s SMTP settings with your API key as the username and secret key as the password.
  4. Verify sending domains in Mailjet’s dashboard for optimal deliverability.

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Configuring Incoming Mail Servers

Incoming mail servers allow Knowlix to receive emails and route them to the correct records automatically. Replies to messages sent from Knowlix, new customer emails, and support requests all come in through these servers. Navigate to Settings > Technical > Email > Incoming Mail Servers.

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IMAP/POP3 Configuration

Create a new incoming server record with:
  • Server type - IMAP (recommended for two-way sync) or POP3
  • Server address - mail server hostname
  • Port - 993 (IMAP SSL) or 995 (POP3 SSL)
  • Username - the email address to monitor
  • Password - account credentials
  • Default alias - the Knowlix module that processes incoming messages (CRM, Helpdesk, etc.)
Set the polling interval low enough for responsiveness without overloading the server. Every 5 to 15 minutes is typical for support inboxes.

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Outlook OAuth Incoming Mail

After configuring the Azure app with IMAP.AccessAsUser.All permissions:
  1. Go to Incoming Mail Servers and create a new server.
  2. Enable Outlook OAuth Authentication.
  3. Enter the Outlook email username.
  4. Click Connect your Outlook account and complete authorization.
  5. Test and confirm the server.

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Email Routing Options

Knowlix provides three methods for routing incoming emails to the correct records: Catch-all alias - A single address that receives all incoming mail. Knowlix parses the subject and recipients to match emails to records. Module-specific aliases - Dedicated addresses per module:
  • helpdesk@company.com for support tickets
  • sales@company.com for CRM leads
  • expenses@company.com for expense records
  • jobs@company.com for recruitment applications
Configure aliases per module under each module’s settings. DNS MX record - Point your domain’s MX records directly to Knowlix’s mail servers to route all incoming email through Knowlix.

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Domain Alias Configuration

The alias domain is the email domain Knowlix uses for auto-generated email addresses (bounce addresses, module aliases, reply-to addresses). Go to Settings > General Settings and look for the Alias Domain field. Enter your company domain. In multi-company setups, if one domain is configured, all companies share it.

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Email Activity Feed Usage

Sending an email from a record: Open the record and use the Send message field in the activity feed. Compose the message, add recipients (followers are added automatically), attach files, and send. Logging an internal note: Click Log note to add a private comment visible only to internal users. Notes appear in the feed but are not emailed to external contacts. Following a record: Click the Subscribe button or bell icon on any record to receive notifications when that record’s activity feed is updated. Managing followers: Click the follower count to view, add, or remove followers. Each follower’s notification preferences (email or in-app) are set per user in their profile.

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Troubleshooting Common Email Issues

Emails sent but not received: Check SPF and DKIM records using an online tool. Verify the outgoing server connection. Check if recipients are filtering for spam. Bounced emails: Bounced messages appear in the activity feed with a red indicator. Common causes include invalid addresses, full mailboxes, or temporary server unavailability. Replies not appearing in Knowlix: Verify the alias domain configuration and that incoming mail servers are polling successfully. Check that the reply-to address in outgoing emails matches a configured incoming server address. OAuth tokens expired: Outlook and Gmail OAuth tokens have expiration periods. Reconnect the mail server account when a token expires to restore sending capability. For Azure client secrets, set a calendar reminder before the secret’s expiration date to generate a replacement in advance.

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Best Practices

Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC before sending any email from a custom domain. Use a dedicated notification address for system-generated emails rather than a personal inbox. Monitor bounce rates in the first weeks after changing mail server configuration. Test incoming mail routing with sample emails before going live. Use Mailjet or a dedicated marketing email service for bulk campaigns rather than transactional SMTP servers. Your Knowlix: “Show me all bounced emails from this week” or “Which incoming mail servers are currently failing?” or “List all email aliases configured in the system” or “Who are the followers on this sales order?”