In this article:
1. Introduction
2. How to Integrate an Email and Types of Emails
Scenario 1: Create and Integrate a Businessmap Email Address
Scenario 2: Integrate a Custom Domain Email Address
1. Introduction
With the Businessmap (formerly Kanbanize) email integration, you can transform your Board into a ticketing system and get all your emails as cards. Moreover, when you receive an email message, there are several actions that you can perform from the card itself:
- reply to the sender
- reply to All
- attach files
- your card is updated every time someone replies back and it holds the entire email thread
The email management is supported by a properly set workflow and scheduled reminders (business rules) with which you never forget to follow up or answer an email.
2. How to Integrate an Email and Types of Emails
To initiate the еmail integration, you have to access the Administration menu at the top right corner of your screen and select "Email Integration."
In the Email Integration panel, select Add new receiver to start the setup process.
The "Select Type of email" panel prompts you to choose the type of email you will integrate/hook to your board. There are two options:
- Scenario 1
Businessmap email address (1) — choose this option to create/add a new email receiver with a "kanbanize.com" domain. For example: helpdesk_yourdomain@kanbanize.com.
Important: Note that registering a new email address consumes an extra license seat.
- Scenario 2
Custom domain email address (2) — choose this option to add an email associated with your custom domain. For example, helpdesk@companydomain.com and set up a forwarder from your email client settings.
Scenario 1: Create and Integrate a Businessmap Email Address
Step 1: Checkmark the first option Businessmap Email Address in the "Select type of email" panel.
Note: Please agree to the license registration clause! Registering a Businessmap email address means that you are also registering a new user in the User Management that is subject to the Businessmap subscription model as such. This user will count towards the total number of users charged to the account. So, if you're paying for 15 users and you have 13 registered users, upon new email registration, you will have 14 registered users.
Step 2: A new panel opens, where you have to create your new email address. Add a custom identifier in the Add identifier field to make the email distinguishable.
Example: helpdesk_YourDomainName@kanbanize.com.
Step 3: Create a password for the new account. This password is only needed if you decide to log in to Businessmap with this email address, then select Next.
Note: The password field is not mandatory.
Step 4: When an email is sent to the email address you just created, a card will be created on a predefined board and location. Click the "Configure Default Location" button to specify where cards should be created using the Board Minimap.
Step 5: The Board Minimap lets you select a board from the dropdown menu (1) where emails will be delivered as cards. Upon board selection, you will immediately see a reflection of the corresponding board setup.
Use the mouse cursor to choose the exact board location (2) where cards/emails will be created as cards. Usually, this is the Requested column of the workflow.
When you complete the location setup, please click on "I'm Ready" to complete the integration.
Once you set up the email integration using the Businessmap email address, the automatic forward rules should work, and every time a new email is delivered to your integrated email address, it will be instantly created as a new card on the selected board.
Scenario 2: Integrate a Custom Domain Email Address
Step 1: Checkmark the second option from the Email Integration Panel. By choosing it, you will be able to add an email associated with your custom domain. For example: support@spacex.com
Click Next to proceed with the email selection.
Step 2: Use the dropdown list to select the corporate/private email address that you want to integrate into your board.
Important: Only users with the Account Owner role can see all available users in the dropdown menu. If you don't see the email address in the dropdown list, please, add it as a Businessmap user first. To add a new user, go to Administration → User Management Panel → Invite User.
Don't forget to assign the email address to the board where emails will be converted as cards.
Step 3: Use the Configure Default Location button to specify a board and position (column and swimlane) where emails will be delivered/converted to cards. You do this from the Board minimap.
Step 4: The Board Minimap lets you easily select a board from the dropdown menu (1) where emails will be delivered as cards. Upon board selection, you will immediately see a reflection of the corresponding board workflow.
Use the mouse cursor to point out the exact board section (2) where cards/emails will be stored. Usually, this is the Requested column of the board.
Click on "I'm Ready" to complete the process.
Step 5: One last step!
Set up an auto-forwarder to convert your emails to cards in Businessmap. The panel explains that you have to set up an auto-forwarder* from your selected company/private email to companyname_notifications@kanbanize.com.
* To set up an auto-forwarder, please open your email client settings → forwarding → enter the notification email address that you see in your own panel.
Note: In some cases, your email hosting provider might require a verification link to be provided to finalize the forwarder. To retrieve this link, please contact support at support@businessmap.io.
If you set it up like this, once an email is sent to your integrated email, the automatic forward rules will forward it to Businessmap and the email will be created as a card on the predefined board.
Important: If you want to not only receive emails as cards but also reply to emails from the Kanban card and keep your email thread in the Comment tab — please set up an SPF record on your corporate/private domain.
Note that you have to set up an SPF record only on custom domain email addresses (Scenario 2) and this action is not required for the Businessmap email address (Scenario 1).
Once you set it up, please contact us at support@businessmap.io. The support team will verify if the forwarder and the SPF record were set properly and make this email visible on your board, respectively cards.
Recommended articles:
- You can learn more about how to send an email directly from the card here.
- You can learn more about the generic email tracking scenario in Businessmap here.