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E-mail over SMTP: connect and send

4 steps± 3 minVideoVerified 22 Oct 2026
  1. Step 1 · Open your development environment
  2. Step 2 · Connect the mailbox
  3. Step 3 · Send an e-mail from a workflow
  4. Step 4 · Run

Not every mailbox lives in Microsoft 365. With the connection E-mail (SMTP/IMAP) Flow sends from any mailbox that speaks SMTP — a hosting package, your own mail server. You fill in the server, port, security and an (app) password, test the sign-in and send an e-mail from a workflow. You need: your mail provider's SMTP details.

Watch the whole guide as a video4 steps in one film
Step 1 / 4

Open your development environment

In the portal, under Environments, click Development, and there Open. Flow opens in a new tab and you are signed in straight away.

  1. Click Development
Open your development environment · Click Development
  1. Click Open ↗
Open your development environment · Click Open ↗
Step 2 / 4

Connect the mailbox

Under Connections choose E-mail (SMTP/IMAP). Fill in your provider's SMTP server, port and security — usually 587 with STARTTLS or 465 with SSL/TLS; here a test mail server runs locally, without encryption — and the user name and an app password. Read and write, because sending changes something.

  1. Click Connections
Connect the mailbox · Click Connections
  1. Click Email (SMTP/IMAP)
Connect the mailbox · Click Email (SMTP/IMAP)
  1. In Name, type Mail · workshop@
  2. In **SMTP server ***, type 127.0.0.1
  3. In **SMTP port ***, type 59356
  4. In **SMTP security ***, choose None (local testing only)
  5. In **Username ***, type workshop@dewitbikes.com
  6. In **Password ***, type ••••••••
  7. In Sender name, type De Wit Bikes
Connect the mailbox · In Name, type Mail · workshop@; In **SMTP server ***, type 127.0.0.1; In **SMTP port ***, type 59356; In **SMTP security ***, choose None (local testing only); In **Username ***, type workshop@dewitbikes.com; In **Password ***, type ••••••••; In Sender name, type De Wit Bikes
  1. Click Read and write
Connect the mailbox · Click Read and write
  1. Click Save and test
Connect the mailbox · Click Save and test
Connect the mailbox · Connection works: signed in to the SMTP server.
  1. Click Cancel
Connect the mailbox · Click Cancel
Step 3 / 4

Send an e-mail from a workflow

Create a workflow and search the library for SMTP. Choose Send email, your connection, and fill in To, Subject and Message. An HTML version is optional. Line up and save.

  1. Click Add to General
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click Add to General
  1. Click New workflow
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click New workflow
  1. In Workflow name, type Service reminder
Send an e-mail from a workflow · In Workflow name, type Service reminder
  1. Click Add node
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click Add node
  1. In Search a node, type SMTP
Send an e-mail from a workflow · In Search a node, type SMTP
  1. Click Email · Send email
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click Email · Send email

Your bike was last serviced a year ago. Shall we plan a service?

Kind regards, The workshop`

  1. In Connection, choose Mail · workshop@
  2. In To, type customer@example.com
  3. In Subject, type Time for a service #1792645537
  4. In Message, type `Dear customer,
Send an e-mail from a workflow · In Connection, choose Mail · workshop@; In To, type customer@example.com; In Subject, type Time for a service #1792645537; In Message, type `Dear customer,
  1. Click the dot of ‘Event trigger’
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click the dot of ‘Event trigger’
  1. Click the dot of ‘Email · Send email’
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click the dot of ‘Email · Send email’
  1. Click the step ‘Event trigger’
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click the step ‘Event trigger’
  1. Click Align horizontally
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click Align horizontally
  1. Click Save
Send an e-mail from a workflow · Click Save
Step 4 / 4

Run

At the bottom you see that the mail was sent, with the Message-ID it got. If the server refuses a recipient, the result says so under refused.

  1. Click Run
Run · Click Run
Run · The mail was sent.
Run · The recipient in the run's data.

This guide was carried out step by step on 22 Oct 2026 by an automated test on Flow (version 3e563176).