MessageHub: Email Inbox Configuration

  • Updated on Jan 30, 2025
  • Published on Oct 21, 2024
  • 8 minute(s) read

Email remains one of the most reliable and widely used channels for communicating with customers. With MessageHub, you can integrate your email account into a MessageHub inbox, making it easier to manage conversations, collaborate with your team, and provide timely responses. This article explains how to set up an Email inbox in MessageHub.

Requirements

  • An active ClickFunnels account

  • The MessageHub App

  • Access to the email account you want to connect

Understanding the Email Inbox

The Email Inbox in MessageHub allows businesses to integrate their email accounts to manage and respond to customer emails directly within the platform. Before proceeding to set up an email inbox, it’s important to understand how it works and what to expect:

How Does the Email Inbox Work?

The Email Inbox integrates with your email accounts, enabling all incoming and outgoing emails to be managed directly within MessageHub. This allows you to organize and respond to customer emails from a single location, streamlining workflows and improving team collaboration

Configuration Methods

Depending on the type of email account you’re connecting, there are two configuration methods available:

  • Email Forwarding: Ideal for Gmail and Microsoft accounts, email forwarding enables you to direct incoming messages from your email provider to MessageHub. This method is easy to set up and requires minimal configuration.

  • IMAP/SMTP: Best suited for custom email addresses or advanced setups. IMAP synchronizes incoming messages, while SMTP handles outgoing emails ensuring full control and reliability over email delivery.

We’ll go into more detail about these methods later in the guide, helping you choose the best option based on your setup.

Key Features and Benefits

  • Centralized Management: Manage all email conversations in one place without switching between platforms.

  • Custom Sender Information: Configure email addresses to show your brand name or agent name when sending messages.

  • Agent Collaboration: Assign conversations to specific agents.

  • Seamless Replies: Customers interact with your emails the same way they would in any other email thread. On your side, replies are logged and tracked in MessageHub.

What Happens After Integration?

Once your email inbox is connected:

  • Incoming Emails: All incoming messages will appear in your MessageHub Conversation tab. Learn more about Managing Conversations in MessageHub.

  • Outbound Communication: Outgoing messages sent from MessageHub are automatically synced with your email provider.

  • Customer Experience: Customers continue emailing your business as they always have. There’s no disruption to their experience, but you benefit from streamlined internal workflows.

Adding an Email Inbox in MessageHub

  1. Open the MessageHub app from the left-side menu in your ClickFunnels Workspace.

  2. Navigate to Settings ⚙ > Chat Inboxes and click the Add Inbox button in the top-right corner.

  3. From the list of available inbox types, select Email

  4. On the Select your email provider screen, choose Other Providers to proceed.

  5. Enter a Channel Name (e.g., "Support Inbox") and the Email Address you wish to use, then click Create Email Channel.

  6. Assign agents to the inbox by selecting their names from the dropdown menu and clicking Add Agents.

  7. Once the inbox is set up, you'll see a forwarding email address generated by MessageHub. Copy this address to configure email forwarding in your email provider settings, or proceed to make further configurations by clicking More settings.

Customizing the Email Inbox

The email inbox in MessageHub can be customized to align with your business branding and operational needs. This customization ensures smooth communication between your team and your customers. To access the customization options for an email inbox, follow these steps:

  1. In MessageHub, navigate to Settings > Chat Inboxes.

  2. Click the Settings ⚙️ icon next to your Email Inbox.

  3. Use the tabs at the top of the page to configure various aspects of your email inbox.

Settings

The Settings tab allows you to configure the basic details and functionality of your email inbox.

  • Channel Avatar: Upload an image, such as your business logo, to represent the inbox. This avatar appears in emails sent to your customers.

  • Inbox Name: Specify a name for the inbox to help your team identify its purpose (e.g., "Support Inbox" or "Sales Inbox").

  • Enable Channel Greeting: Turn on or off automatic greetings sent when customers first send an email to the inbox.

  • Enable CSAT: Enable or disable Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys that are sent to customers after a conversation is resolved.

  • Help Center: Attach a Help Center to this inbox if you have one set up.

  • Sender Name Style:

    • Friendly: Shows a personal sender format, such as "Jane from Your Business."

    • Professional: Displays the sender's name as "Your Business."

Click Update to save your changes after editing the settings.

Collaborators

The Collaborators tab allows you to manage agents and configure conversation assignment for this inbox.

  • Use the dropdown menu to add agents who will have access to the inbox. Once an agent is added, their name will appear in the list.

  • To remove an agent, click the "x" icon next to their name and select Update to save your changes.

  • Toggle Enable Auto Assignment to allow conversations to be automatically assigned to the added agents.

  • Set an Auto Assignment Limit to define the maximum number of conversations that can be assigned to an agent at one time.

Click Update after making any changes to apply the settings.

Business Hours

The Business Hours tab allows you to set the availability of your email inbox.

  • Enable or disable business availability for the inbox by checking the Enable business availability for this inbox box.

  • Add an Unavailable Message for Visitors to display outside of business hours. Use the text editor to customize the message as needed.

  • Select the appropriate Timezone for your business from the dropdown menu.

  • Configure Weekly Hours by checking the days you are available and setting the specific hours. For all-day availability, check the All-Day box next to the relevant day.

  • Leave any unavailable days unchecked to mark them as Unavailable.

Click Update business hours settings after making any changes.

Configuration

The Configuration tab allows you to connect your email inbox to MessageHub using one of two methods:

  • Forward to Email: Redirect emails from your email provider to the unique address generated by MessageHub.

  • IMAP Configuration: Use IMAP to enable MessageHub to retrieve emails directly from your email server.

Each method suits different operational needs and preferences. For step-by-step instructions on setting up these options, refer to:

Setting Up Email Forwarding

Email forwarding is a simple way to redirect emails from your existing email provider to MessageHub, ensuring that your team can manage all customer inquiries from one central location. This process does not require advanced technical skills and can be completed in just a few steps using the forwarding tools provided by most email providers.

Here’s how you can set up email forwarding effectively:

  1. In the Configuration tab, locate the Forward to Email section. Copy the forwarding email address displayed here. This is the unique email address that MessageHub will use to receive forwarded messages.

  2. Open the settings for your email provider (e.g., Gmail, Outlook, or a domain-specific provider).

Gmail

  1. Log in to your Gmail account and click on the gear ⚙️ icon in the top-right corner.

  2. Select See All Settings from the dropdown menu.

  3. Navigate to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.

  4. Scroll to the IMAP Access section and select Enable IMAP.

    • Click Save Changes to confirm this setting. Gmail might prompt you to verify your identity. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the verification process.

  5. Click Add a Forwarding Address and paste the forwarding email address you copied from MessageHub.

  6. Gmail will prompt you to verify the forwarding address. Click Next, then Proceed.

    Note

    You’ll receive a confirmation email in MessageHub.

  7. Return to MessageHub and check the Conversations tab for the email from Gmail. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm the forwarding address.

  8. Once verified, return to Gmail settings and enable the forwarding option.

    • Under the Forwarding section, ensure the status is set to Forward a copy of incoming mail to [MessageHub address].

    • Choose whether to keep a copy of forwarded emails in your Gmail inbox.

Domain-Specific Providers

  1. Log in to your domain provider’s dashboard (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap).

  2. Navigate to the email management section.

  3. Look for the Forwarding settings under your email account.

  4. Add the forwarding email address from MessageHub as the recipient for all incoming emails.

  5. Save your settings, and check MessageHub’s Conversations tab for a verification email. Complete the verification process if required.

    Important

    The steps for setting up email forwarding may vary depending on your domain-specific provider. If you encounter any issues or need further guidance, refer to your provider’s support documentation or contact their customer support team for detailed instructions.

Configuring IMAP and SMTP

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) are essential for ensuring that your email inbox in MessageHub works seamlessly. IMAP enables MessageHub to receive emails, while SMTP allows it to send emails. This configuration ensures two-way email communication between your email provider and MessageHub.

Here’s how you can configure IMAP and SMTP for your email inbox:

  1. Navigate to the Configuration tab in the inbox you are setting up.

  2. Scroll down to the IMAP section and check the box for Enable IMAP configuration for this inbox.

  3. Fill in the following details:

    • Address: Enter your email provider’s IMAP server address (e.g., imap.gmail.com for Gmail).

    • Port: Use the port number provided by your email service (e.g., 993 for Gmail with SSL/TLS encryption).

    • Login: Enter your full email address (e.g., yourname@example.com).

    • Password: Use your email account password or App Password if your provider requires one for security.

    • Enable SSL: Ensure the SSL checkbox is selected for secure communication.

  4. Click Update IMAP Settings to save the configuration.

SMTP Configuration (For Sending Emails)

SMTP allows MessageHub to send emails from your inbox. To enable SMTP functionality, ensure that IMAP is configured first. Here’s how to set it up:

  1. In the same Configuration tab, locate the SMTP section and check the box for Enable SMTP configuration for this inbox.

  2. Fill in the following details:

    • Address: Enter your email provider’s SMTP server address (e.g., smtp.gmail.com for Gmail).

    • Port: Use the appropriate port (e.g., 465 for SSL/TLS or 587 for STARTTLS).

    • Login: Enter your full email address (e.g., yourname@example.com).

    • Password: Use your email account password or App Password if required.

    • Domain: Leave this blank unless your email provider explicitly requires it.

    • Encryption: Select the appropriate encryption method (SSL/TLS or STARTTLS). Most providers recommend SSL/TLS but check your provider’s settings if you’re unsure

    • Authentication: Choose "Login" for most providers.

  3. Click Update SMTP Settings to save the configuration.

    Troubleshooting Notes

    • Ensure you use the correct IMAP and SMTP server addresses and port numbers as specified by your email provider.

    • For Gmail users:

      • Enable IMAP in Gmail by navigating to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP > IMAP Access.

      • Generate an App Password if your account has 2-Step Verification enabled.

    • Double-check that SSL/TLS is enabled to avoid errors.

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