If you're sending a high volume of emails from Planhat, then we suggest you use our Email Automation Provider functionality via SendGrid (as opposed to using your Gmail or Outlook account). This is typically deployed for use cases where you share information at scale - emails that are automated and non-personal in nature (such as a newsletter).
In this article, we'll cover:
Note that this is an add-on service that is not part of all plans.
What is Email Automation Provider functionality?
You can send emails from Planhat, either manually via the email dialog (C as shortcut to bring up) or as part of automated email sequences (via Workflows).
When you are sending out a high volume of emails, you may prefer to send them via our Email Automation Provider functionality instead of the personal email client. This can be used to avoid breaking the technical Gmail/Outlook limits, but also to create a better customer experience by not spamming the customer with generic emails from the personal email account (which ultimately could reduce the open rates of "normal" personal emails).
We recommend using:
Personal emails (via our Gmail/Outlook integration) when it's of a personal nature, you expect to email back-and-forth, and the customer probably expects this email to have been sent manually
Email Automation Provider emails (via our SendGrid account) when you want to send a very high volume of emails (>2,000 per day is a technical limit for Gmail/Outlook, but even sending hundreds per day could erode the trust in your personal emails)
Using Email Automation Provider functionality means:
Email is sent via SendGrid, either from:
@planhatbot.com domain
Your own domain
You need to define a single email to receive replies to (👑 pro tip: set this email up as a Planhat user to sync back replies)
You have a higher daily limit of emails you can send
How do you set it up?
Email Automation Provider functionality is configured within the "Outbound Email" section of the "Settings" Global Tool, as shown below.
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📌 Important to note
To access the "Outbound Email" part of the "Settings" Global Tool, your Role needs the "Outbound Emails" workflow permission
You (as a Planhat user) cannot actually view/edit the two toggle switches shown at the top of the screenshot above; they can only be changed by a "Super Admin" (SA), i.e. a Planhat staff member. Please reach out to your CSM if you would like to enable this feature
All emails will go out via Planhat's SendGrid account, but you can decide whether the email domain will be Planhat's or your own, via the radio buttons shown in the screenshot above. (Note that the second toggle switch needs to be enabled by Planhat staff before you can select the "Your own domain" option.)
Send using Planhat's domain (@planhatbot.com)
Send using your own domain (e.g. @arrivato.com, or @apple.com)
1. Send using Planhat's domain
In this case, you only need to define the different Sender options. Each Sender will have a name (displayed in the inbox of the recipient) and a reply email address (where replies will be routed). The reply email address can be any email, including personal (e.g. hannah@arrivato.com) or a central inbox (e.g. success@arrivato.com).
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2. Send using your own domain
With this setup, emails will still be sent using Planhat's SendGrid account, but the domain will be yours. Therefore, for security purposes, you need to authenticate Planhat's usage of your domain by taking the DNS records and adding them to your domain's DNS settings.
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Limitations
There are some limitations to the service:
No dedicated IP address
No customisable bounce handling
The number of automated emails sent
Email Automation Provider (SendGrid) email usage limits are set by "Super Admins" (i.e. Planhat staff members) within the "Tenant Package Management" part of the "Settings" Global Tool.
There is a monthly limit to these emails, but not a daily limit (so theoretically you could send your entire monthly limit in one day).