Note: for setting-up your emails, see:
-- StaffCover: see Appendix 8 in the printed Manual
-- Options: see Appendix 2 in the printed Manual
Emails not going out:
Part 1. Have you had the emailing working previously, and it has only given the message today ?
If so, please try restarting Windows, and restarting StaffCover (or Options), and see if that helps.
Part 2. If on the other hand you have never had the emailing working, then the following advice should help ...we occasionally have schools report a problem sending their emails. The solution is usually one of the following:
1) Check your setup in StaffCover (on the "Cover slips" screen, click on "Emails" and then "Setup") ... or in Options (go to, for example, "Print -> Group Lists -> For Subject Heads", click on "Email" and then "Setup").
Typical settings would be something like this:
Host name: post.ispname.co.uk (or smtp.ispname.co.uk)
User name: myaccount
Reply email: me@myschool.co.uk
Password: unticked
2) Click "Advanced Settings" and ensure you have the correct settings on this screen.
3) If the above fails, try leaving the "User name" blank
4) ... or try specifying a different "Host name" / server if possible
5) If you are using "Start Transport Layer Security", tick this setting on the "Advanced Settings" screen
6) If your Server requires authentication, choose the required "Type" on the "Advanced Settings" screen
... and/or try entering the server password within the "User name:", so your "User name:" has the format "user:password@host.com" or simply "password" (for more details, search 'authenticating' in this KB)
7) On the same screen as 1), but change the value of "Pause between emails" to 4 secs
8) On the same screen as 1), but tick "New session every 5 emails"
9) On the same screen as 1), but change format to "Plain text"
10) Check that all the teacher email addresses you have entered are valid
11) Check your firewall settings, to make sure StaffCover (or Options) has permission to connect to the internet, send emails, etc.
12) Check with your IT manager that there are no restrictions on StaffCover (or Options) sending emails
13) Try closing any other programs that are running at the same time, in case they are affecting StaffCover (or Options)
14) Try it an another PC, to see whether the problem is with that specific PC, or system-wide.
15) If you are on the school network, can you try it from a stand-alone PC not attached to the network ?
16) Try it from home (eg: just sending cover slips to yourself, so as not to confuse colleagues) to see if the problem only happens on the school system
17) Has the StaffCover (or Options) emailing worked for you in the past ? If so, ask your IT manager if anything has changed in your email system / security since then.
18) Try changing the Port to another value (80 & 25 are ones that commonly work), via "Cover Slips -> Email -> Setup -> Advanced settings" and change the "Port" value.
19) Do you have a virus checker that could be stopping your emails from being sent ?
20) Does your email system require 'multi-factor authentication' ?
21) If you are using "Office 365" or "Microsoft Exchange" see the notes below.
One of these should either cure the problem, or give us a clue to where the problem lies.
Notes on "Office 365":
The usual format for an Office 365 school is along these lines:
Go to “Customize -> Emailing colleagues -> Email set-up for cover slips” and then use settings like these (the ones in orange need customizing to suit your school email):
On Setup Screen:
- Host name = smtp.office365.com
- User name = yourname@yourschool.co.uk
- Reply email = (this should be your email address, but note that Office365 often demands that this is the same as your User name)
Then click “Advanced Settings” and:
On Advanced Screen:
- Type = Login
- User name = yourname@yourschool.co.uk
- Password = mypasswd
- Enable TLS = Yes/ticked
- Port number = 587 (or 25 or could be different for you)
Notes on "gmail" in late 2024 onwards:
Due to security changes in gmail, you may need to change your SMTP settings in StaffCover.
Even then, the HTML file your teachers receive as a cover slip or timetable may no longer be readable within their gmail. Instead a teacher may need to download the attached file and then open it to read. But if instead they open it on their phone, they should be able to see the standard file.
Any questions, please ask.
Note on Testing:
You can test your Email settings, before sending out to your teachers, via:
"Customize Overview -> Emails -> Cover slip set-up" and tick "Send all emails to myself".
By the TimeTabler Team