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Snapshot Survey: Removal of MAPI option for Email Management

This is the second of a series of snapshot surveys about features within Sage CRM.

Sage wants to better understand how customers use each feature and how we can update CRM to better shape the product around a business's needs.

Sage is considering removing MAPI as an option for Sage CRM 2022 R2.

Within Sage CRM the MAPI protocol is one of the options for Mailbox access that can be configured for the Email Management.

https://help.sagecrm.com/on_premise/en/2022R1/Administration/Content/Administrator/EM_EmailAddressOptions.htm

Please answer the question below and use the response area to provide additional commentary.

  • Can I ask why you are looking to drop MAPI support in CRM 2022 R2?  The majority of our clients are running some form of Exchange (either on-premise or Office 365) and in that case MAPI is obvious choice.  The Email Management functionality is something which it not implemented that often as clients prefer the to use the Outlook Plug-in to file emails as it gives the end user visibility of where the email is being filed to.

    In a previous post it states

    "Sage is currently redesigning its Email Management features for Sage CRM 2022 R2 due to be released end of July 2022.  This redesign will remove all dependency on browser plugins."

    What exactly does this mean?  I remember when the Outlook plug-in did not file emails (versions 5.7 and earlier if I remember correctly, it was quite some time ago). The Outlook plug-in was purely there for calendar sync.  When the ability to file emails via the Outlook Plug-in was introduced it was a greatly received feature.  The Outlook plug-in is a feature used by ourselves and the majority of our clients.

  • We don’t use email management, so the remaining questions are irrelevant. We us the Outlook Lite Plugin. We’re really hoping that Email Management is not the future solution for recording email Communications. It’s very ‘legacy’ and modern users expect something much slicker. 

  • in reply to Will Ingleby

    Don't forget that the Email Management system can be used in addition to the Outlook Plugin.

    Emails received to a user's inbox would be filed by the plugin. but the EMS would be used to handle leads from a website to create new leads (much prefer this method over Web-to-Lead as you don't need to expose CRM to the outside world if you don't need to), or if a customer emails support@ and have it automatically create a case and email back the reference number.

    How else would you handle automated inbound emails for Leads or Cases? Reliance on a user to file emails can lead to emails being missed 

    A lot of 'modern' systems have some kind of handling of inbound emails for these kinds of situations. So would definitely be a hindrance for it to be completely removed. 

    Personally I think the Outlook plugin is very limited and would love for it to be a bit more feature rich (e.g. being able to create new people if they don't exist in the database). But then there is always Accelerator from CRM Together

  • in reply to Matthew Shaw

    Thanks, yes of course email management has its uses for automated filing, but the vast majority of our CRM customers rely upon the spontaneous filing of emails, and do expect users to be able to apply their own discretion in deciding which emails to file (and how). 

  • Please can we keep the thread focussed on the use of the MAPI protocol and whether it's continued support is required.  This is specifically about Email Management Server Options (sagecrm.com) NOT the Outlook Plugins. 

  • in reply to Sage CRM

    The Email Management Server is not something we routinely implement. In most situations we are able to file emails into CRM by using other methods which are more intuitive for the client.  One situation where we do implement it is where clients are not using Exchange. In this case we create a shared mailbox which can be read by EMS to file emails.  In that situation we generally only have POP3 or IMAP available on the email server so MAPI is irrelevant.

    If however you are looking to implement EMS as the primary method of filing emails into CRM then MAPI becomes more relevant.  When connecting to an Exchange server MAPI is the native protocol, not POP3.  In fact many Exchange servers do not have POP3 enabled. It is standard practice to reduce the surface area for attack by enabling the minimum number of protocols required.  

    EMS can be useful where automated processing of emails is required. Examples are creating cases and leads from inbound emails.  However CRM ships with only two usable templates, communications and support.  If these templates do not contain the required functionality then they must be modified with JavaScript, and not every Sage CRM consultant has development skills.

    As discussed above a previous post states:

    "Sage is currently redesigning its Email Management features for Sage CRM 2022 R2 due to be released end of July 2022.  This redesign will remove all dependency on browser plugins."

    With a redesign of EMS in what situation is it envisaged that EMS will be implemented?

  • in reply to Sage CRM

    …OK, but the wider picture is important for context. What options are going to be available around email long term may impact how important the MAPI question becomes. If Email Management becomes the only means of filing emails, then MAPI is more important (otherwise all you’re left with is POP3). 

  • in reply to Sage CRM

    OK.  To be crystal clear.  The functionality of the Outlook Plugins is irrelevant to this discussion.  The replacement of the Outlook Plugin functionality is irrelevant to this discussion.  If you want to discuss the Outlook Plugins and what will replace them then please discuss that elsewhere under one of the blog articles.  This question is ONLY about whether MAPI is needed for the Email Management Service aka Advanced Email Manager.  

  • in reply to Sage CRM

    As requested my reply above makes no mention of the Outlook plug-in and simply states

    "If however you are looking to implement EMS as the primary method of filing emails into CRM then MAPI becomes more relevant. "

    So, as things currently stand the removal of MAPI from the Email Management Server would be an inconvenience.  The majority of situations where EMS is implemented MAPI is irrelevant as we are communicating with an email server other than Exchange. 

    However, if the current situation changes and we are implementing EMS more frequently, for example if it becomes the primary method of filing emails into CRM, then MAPI will be critical.  POP3 is not a appropriate way to connect to an Exchange server in many circumstances.

  • The following questions are meaningless because we don't utilise email management. The Outlook Lite Plugin is what we use. Email Management is not the future answer for documenting email communications, and we sincerely hope that it is not. It's quite 'old,' and newer people are used to much sleeker interfaces. 

  • in reply to william cleck

    Hi William

    As per my earlier comment, the Email Manager is not a replacement of the Outlook Plugin, it is for the automation of handling of generic emails (e.g. support@ or sales@ type email accounts) rather than any individual's mailbox

  • in reply to Matthew Shaw

    Many years ago when I first started to implement and support Sage CRM (version 5.8) the Email Management feature was used as a way of filing emails into CRM.  At the time it was referred to as File IT if I remember correctly.  The Outlook plug-in did exist but it was there for synchronisation of calendar only (and maybe contacts, I can't remember).  It was only with later releases of Sage CRM that the Outlook plug-in was enhanced so that it could also file emails.  This was a massive improvement as using the Email Management feature was a 'clunky' way to file emails.

    Sorry to stoke the fire again but the following quote from a previous post to me indicates that the plan is to go back and use Email Management as the primary way to file emails, presumably dropping support for the Outlook plug-in altogether.

    "Sage is currently redesigning its Email Management features for Sage CRM 2022 R2 due to be released end of July 2022.  This redesign will remove all dependency on browser plugins."

    If I am completely misinterpreting this then please correct me.  I hope that I am completely wrong and that the Outlook plug-in will continue to be part of Sage CRM in future releases.  A large proportion of the system I support implement the Outlook plug-in so that emails can be easily filed from Outlook into Sage CRM.  This feature is not a 'nice to have' but is seen by many to be a critical piece of functionality within the application.

    I am fully aware that Email Management allows records like Leads and Cases to be created automatically from emails.  This is different functionality from that of the Outlook plug-in.  But Email Management can be used as a replacement for the Outlook Plugin (in situations where Outlook is not available it is) and there is concern that Email Management will be used as a replacement for the Outlook Plug-in.

  • in reply to AlisonA

    I would refer you my earlier answer https://www.sagecity.com/sage-global-solutions/sage-crm/f/sage-crm-announcements-news-and-alerts/181667/snapshot-survey-removal-of-mapi-option-for-email-management/462218#462218

    This question is ONLY about whether MAPI is needed for the Email Management Service aka Advanced Email Manager.