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Emailing with Gmail

Need to send emails from PDS using your Gmail account? Here's how!

As of September 2024, if you want to send PDS emails from a Gmail account, you need to use the PDS Email app option. This option uses the Gmail OAuth 2.0 API Method that Google recommends as the more secure way to connect apps to your account.

If you have previously set up an App Password for emailing, you'll want to replace that with the new option and authorize access to Gmail instead. The method you use is set up in your Email Setup window.

Authorize Access to Gmail

If you want to use Gmail within PDS using the OAuth 2.0 API Method, you must give PDS access to the Gmail account you want to send from. This method is preferred over using an App Password.

  1. On the File menu, click Setup > Email & Text Setup.
  2. On the Email Server Setup tab, select Use the PDS Email app.
  3. Click Authorize Access.
  4. Read the information about this authorization. If you understand, click OK to continue.
    Your browser window opens.
  5. Sign in or select the account you use for Gmail.
  6. Read the information, then click Continue.
    If you need to review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, they're available in this Help Center.
  7. The next screen may look different depending on your Google account setup. Either:
    • Select the checkbox to allow access for PDS to send email from this account, then click Continue.
    • If your account is managed by your work organization, you will not see the checkbox. To give permission, click Allow.
  8. After you authorize PDS, you can close your browser and return to the program.
  9. If the authorization was successful, a message displays. Click OK.
    The Gmail account name displays so you can easily reference which account is being used for PDS emails.
  10. Click Save.

Once you've authorized access, you can send emails using this account through PDS.

Set Up an App Password for Emailing

Attention: App Passwords are no longer recommended. Instead, Google recommends using the OAuth method for the most secure access to your account. To use this method, see Authorize Access to Gmail.

If you use a Gmail account to send emails from your PDS program, you must set up an App Password with Google. This is a security feature, required by Google, that ensures your Gmail account is used safely. For more information about App Passwords, see this Google help topic.

Note: If your office shares one Gmail account to send emails from PDS, you only need to set up one App Password for that account to use in all your PDS programs. If different staff use their own Gmail account for their own instance of PDS, each person needs to set up an App Password.
  1. Turn on 2-Step Verification.
    1. Log in to your Google account.
    2. Go to the Security section: https://myaccount.google.com/security.
    3. Under "How you sign in to Google", click 2-Step Verification. Enter your password to continue.
    4. Click Get Started, and follow the on-screen steps.
  2. Set up an App Password for Gmail.
    1. Log in to your Google account.
    2. Go to the Security section: https://myaccount.google.com/security.
    3. Under "How you sign in to Google", click 2-Step Verification. Scroll down, and click App passwords. Enter your password to continue.
      Note: If you don't have this option, it might be because 2-Step Verification is only set up for security keys, your account is through an organization that doesn't allow this, or Advanced Protection is enabled.
    4. Click Select app, and select Mail. Click Select device, and select the device you use for PDS, such as Windows Computer or Mac.
    5. Click Generate.
      Your new App Password displays as the 16-character code in the yellow bar.
    6. Copy your App Password to your computer's clipboard, then click Done.
  3. Enter the App Password into your PDS Email setup.
    1. Open your PDS program.
    2. On the File menu, click Setup then open your Email setup window.
    3. Select Use an Email Server Password or Gmail App Password.
    4. Confirm that your Email Server (SMTP) and Port are correct, and ensure that Server Requires Authentication is selected.
    5. Confirm that your Account Name (your Gmail address) is correct.
    6. For Password, paste your App Password from your computer's clipboard.
    7. Click Save.
    8. Repeat this for any other PDS programs you send emails out of. If you're using the same Gmail account in other programs, you can use the same App Password.

Now, you can send emails from your PDS programs.

App Passwords do not expire on a regular basis. However, if you change your Google password, you must set up a new App Password at that time.

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Last updated: September 17, 2024