How to Configure Notifications, SMTP and Slack in CrmLeaf
All editions. Core feature - no add-on required. SMS and WhatsApp delivery requires the SMS add-on module. Mobile push notifications are delivered to the CrmLeaf mobile app.
Availability: All editions. Core feature - no add-on required. SMS and WhatsApp delivery requires the SMS add-on module. Mobile push notifications are delivered to the CrmLeaf mobile app.
Overview
CrmLeaf communicates with your team and your clients by email, by Slack, and by push notification to the mobile app. This article covers the four communication settings areas: notifications, SMTP with its test, Slack with its test, and push.
Configure SMTP first. Email underpins invitations, document sending and - because mobile push follows the email channel - the notifications your field users receive on their phones.
How It Works
Notification settings decide which events generate a message. SMTP settings decide how email leaves your account. Slack and push settings add extra channels. Mobile push is not a separate list of events: any notification a user would receive by email also pushes to their device.
Configure SMTP → Send test → Set notification preferences → Connect Slack and test → Configure push
- SMTP is per account. Email your account sends uses your own mail configuration and your own branding, so clients receive documents from your business rather than a generic sender.
- Both SMTP and Slack have a test. Use them - a failed test is far cheaper than a missed invoice.
- Mobile push follows the email channel. Any notification a user would receive by email also pushes to their device, with deep-link routing to the relevant screen based on the notification type. There is no separate mobile push toggle; it is governed by the user's email notification preferences.
- Modules raise their own notifications. Documented examples include task assignments and reminders, leave, expenses, vendor payments, recruitment events and schedule reminders, plus budget threshold alerts and budget approval requests, and notifications to eligible staff when a dispatch is awaiting assignment.
- Slack and Telegram are configured per company. Additional channels such as SMS and WhatsApp are provided by the SMS add-on module.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Configure the account's SMTP settings and send a test message.
- Set which notifications the account sends.
- Connect Slack and send a test message.
- Configure push notification settings for the mobile app.
This functionality is available only to Administrators. Individual users manage their own notification preferences on their profile.
Prerequisites
- The company profile is complete, because outbound email uses your company branding.
- SMTP credentials from your mail provider.
- Permission from your Slack workspace administrator, if you are connecting Slack.
- The CrmLeaf mobile app installed on a device, to verify push delivery.
For Administrators
Step 1: Configure SMTP
What to do: Enter your mail server configuration and Save. Complete every mandatory field before saving.
What to verify: No validation messages remain.
Step 2: Send the SMTP test
What to do: Use the test on the SMTP settings screen to send a test message, then check the inbox you sent it to.
What to verify: The test message arrives. Do not move on until it does - invitations, document sending and mobile push all depend on working email.
Step 3: Set notification preferences for the account
What to do: Review which notifications the account sends and Save. Switch off the ones that would create noise for your team, and keep the ones tied to approvals and deadlines.
What to verify: Trigger one real event, such as assigning a task, and confirm the recipient receives the notification.
Step 4: Connect Slack and test it
What to do: Enter your Slack configuration, Save, then use the test on the same screen.
What to verify: The test message appears in Slack.
Step 5: Configure push notifications
What to do: Complete the push notification configuration and Save.
What to verify: A user signed in to the CrmLeaf mobile app receives a push notification for an event they would also receive by email, and selecting it opens the relevant screen.
Step 6: Brief users on their own preferences
What to do: Tell users that their email notification preferences also govern what they receive as mobile push, because push follows the email channel. A user who switches off an email notification will not receive the corresponding push.
What to verify: A test user's push behaviour matches their email preferences.
Communication Channels
| Channel | Where it is configured | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Settings → SMTP and Settings → Notification | Per account, with a built-in test. Uses your company branding. | |
| Slack | Settings → Slack | Per account, with a built-in test. |
| Mobile push | Settings → Push | Follows the email channel; deep-links to the relevant screen. No separate per-event toggle. |
| SMS and WhatsApp | Provided by the SMS add-on module | Requires the add-on to be enabled for your account. |
Expected Result
Your account sends email through your own mail configuration with your branding, the SMTP and Slack tests both succeed, the notifications you want are switched on, and mobile users receive push notifications that open the right screen.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- There is no separate mobile push toggle. Push follows the email channel and is governed by each user's email notification preferences.
- Use the SMTP test before rolling CrmLeaf out. Invitations, document sending, payment reminders and push all depend on email working.
- Notification settings are held at Company level and apply across its Organizations.
- Add-on modules bring their own notifications. Budget threshold alerts and approval requests, for example, arrive only once the Budget module is enabled.
- SMS and WhatsApp require the SMS add-on module. Confirm it is included in your plan.
Common Scenarios
Example: clients receive invoices from your own domain. The Administrator configures SMTP with the company's own mail provider and sends the test. Invoices and payment reminders then reach clients from the business's own address, with the company's branding.
Example: keeping field staff informed. A dispatch is created as awaiting assignment and eligible staff are notified. Because push follows email, the assigned dispatch manager also receives a push notification on the mobile app that opens the dispatch directly.
Example: too much noise. A team complains about the volume of email. The Administrator reviews notification settings, switches off the low-value notifications, and reminds users they can refine their own preferences - which also reduces their push notifications.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| No email is being sent | SMTP is not configured or the configuration is incorrect | Complete SMTP settings and use the test until a message arrives. |
| The SMTP test fails | A mandatory SMTP field is missing or incorrect | Re-check the values with your mail provider and test again. |
| A user receives no notification for an event | The notification is switched off for the account, or in the user's own preferences | Check notification settings, then the user's profile preferences. |
| Mobile push is not arriving | The corresponding email notification is switched off for that user | Push follows the email channel. Enable the email notification for the user. |
| Slack messages do not arrive | Slack is not configured for the account | Complete Slack settings and use the Slack test. |
| Notifications for a module never appear | The add-on module is not enabled for the account | Enable the module, then re-check notification settings. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to configure push separately for every notification?
No. Mobile push follows the email channel, so any notification a user receives by email also pushes to their device.
Can a user turn off notifications for themselves?
Users manage their own notification preferences on their profile, and those preferences also govern their mobile push.
Is there a test for SMTP and Slack?
Yes. Both settings areas include a test. Use them before relying on the channel.
Can I send WhatsApp messages from CrmLeaf?
SMS and WhatsApp are provided by the SMS add-on module, which must be enabled for your account.
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