Connect Your Email Provider
Before you can send a single email from Score CRM — whether it's a campaign or a journey — you need to connect an email delivery provider. This is the service that actually sends your emails to inboxes.
Think of it this way: Score CRM is the brain (it decides who gets what email and when), and your email provider is the delivery truck.
Supported Providers
Score CRM works with all the major email delivery services:
| Provider | How It Connects | Event Tracking | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SendGrid | API key | Yes (webhooks) | High-volume senders, reliable all-rounder |
| SparkPost | API key | Yes (webhooks) | High throughput, deliverability focus |
| Mailgun | API key | Yes (webhooks) | Developer-friendly, good for transactional + marketing |
| AWS SES | SMTP or API | Yes (webhooks) | Cost-effective at scale |
| SMTP.com | API key | Yes (webhooks) | Established sender infrastructure |
| OCI Mail (Oracle) | SMTP | Yes (basic) | Oracle Cloud users |
| Generic SMTP | SMTP credentials | Limited | Any SMTP server not listed above |
If you're just getting started and don't have a preference, SendGrid or Mailgun are great choices — easy to set up, solid deliverability, and good free tiers. If you're already using one of the providers above, just connect that.
Adding a Connection
- Go to SMTP in the sidebar
- Click + Add Connection
- Fill in the form:
Connection Settings
Provider — pick your email service from the dropdown. This determines which fields appear next.
Name — a label for your reference (e.g., "SendGrid Production" or "Mailgun Marketing"). You'll see this name when selecting a sender in campaigns and journeys.
From Name — the sender name recipients see in their inbox (e.g., "Acme Marketing").
From Email — the sender email address (e.g., "hello@yourcompany.com"). This must be verified with your provider.
For API-Based Providers (SendGrid, SparkPost, Mailgun, SMTP.com)
API Key — get this from your provider's dashboard. Make sure the key has mail-sending permissions.
For SMTP-Based Providers (OCI Mail, Generic SMTP)
| Field | What to Enter |
|---|---|
| Host | Your SMTP server address (e.g., smtp.example.com) |
| Port | Usually 587 (recommended) or 465 |
| Username | Your SMTP username |
| Password | Your SMTP password |
| Secure (SSL/TLS) | Leave checked (recommended) |
Active — checked by default. Uncheck to temporarily disable a connection without deleting it.
- Click Create Connection
All credentials (passwords, API keys) are encrypted with AES-256 before being stored. They're never saved in plain text.
Testing Your Connection
After creating a connection, test it before using it in a real campaign:
- Go to SMTP and find your connection in the list
- Click Test Connection (in the Actions column)
- Enter your email address
- Click Send Test
Check your inbox — you should receive a test email within a minute. If it works, your connection is ready to use.
If the Test Fails
| What You See | What's Wrong | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication failed | Wrong API key or credentials | Double-check your API key or username/password |
| Connection refused | Wrong host or port | Verify the SMTP host and port in your provider's docs |
| Connection timeout | Firewall or network issue | Check that the SMTP port is open from your server |
| Sender not verified | From email not set up with provider | Go to your provider's dashboard and verify your sender domain |
| Rate limited | Too many tests too fast | Wait a minute and try again |
Managing Your Connections
The SMTP Connections list shows all your connections with their status at a glance:
| Column | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Name | Your label for the connection |
| Provider | Which service (SendGrid, SMTP, etc.) |
| Host:Port | Server address (for SMTP connections) |
| From Email | Default sender address |
| Tracking Domain | Custom tracking domain if configured |
| Status | Active or inactive |
| Actions | Edit, test, or delete |
Editing a Connection
Click a connection to update its settings. You can change credentials, sender info, or toggle it active/inactive.
Deleting a Connection
You can delete connections you no longer need — but Score CRM won't let you delete one that's being used by an active campaign or journey. Deactivate those first.
Using Multiple Providers
You're not limited to one connection. Many teams use multiple providers for:
- Redundancy — if one provider has issues, your emails still go out
- Cost optimization — split volume across providers based on pricing tiers
- Domain routing — send Gmail recipients through one provider and Yahoo through another (some providers deliver better to certain mailbox providers)
When you create a campaign, you choose which connection(s) to use and how to distribute sends. See Delivery Settings for details on percentage splits, round robin, and domain routing.
What's Next
Your connection handles sending, but to get full visibility into what happens after (deliveries, bounces, complaints), you need to set up webhooks. Head to Event Webhooks to complete the setup.