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Contribs.org Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: bas60 on September 21, 2009, 04:36:27 PM

Title: processing emails automatically
Post by: bas60 on September 21, 2009, 04:36:27 PM
I'm not sure if this is the right forum.

One of my users has asked if it is possible to process emails automatically based on TO address.

Would like to do this at the Server - NOT USING OUTLOOK or other client!

Sales, Info and Orders emails to be saved to a MySQL database and two people need to be informed by email of the action!

Does anyone if this can be done - any pointers much appreciated.
 
Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: Stefano on September 21, 2009, 05:01:47 PM
no, thisi is not the right forum.. I'll ask moderator to move it to contribs section..

btw, IMHO, you need a crm application and, indeed, you need to give us more info.

Thank you
Stefano
Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: chris burnat on September 22, 2009, 12:22:49 AM
Moving to general discussion as requested.
Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: bas60 on September 22, 2009, 10:56:27 AM
I think I can do this with Outlook but outlook needs to be loaded and running so its a no go.
 
As I have no experience developing in Linux environment...

I found a couple scripts on Sourceforge.net but I don't want to break my SME Serve!

If anyone is able to write a script etc. to do this I would like to hear from them estimate cost & time scale.

Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: bas60 on September 22, 2009, 10:59:34 AM
To calrify :

emails coming into sales@, info@ and orders@ (ability to add / change) need to to saved to a MySQL database. An email is then sent by the script to one or several people informing that an email has been received and put into the database.


 
Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: janet on September 22, 2009, 11:14:22 AM
bas60

Validation of the email content will be important, so as to sort the data correctly to mysql fields. How do you intend to control what a user puts into an email message ?
 
If the emails were generated from a online web based form, then you have much more control of the input data, and even validation at data entry time. If this is the case then there are numerous Form generating software available, search eg php based etc.

Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: Stefano on September 22, 2009, 11:28:00 AM
bas60:

try vtiger (http://www.vtiger.com): it can connect to imap and store emails.. and much more
note: you need php5 and mysql5 to install it, so you'd better try SME8 or Centos5.3
Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: bas60 on September 22, 2009, 11:33:54 AM
No the emails can come from a variety of sources.

The idea is anything some to those email addresses gets put into a database.
Orders can arrive from webshop orders@ but exiting customers may send orders via email to sales@ !

Sales enquiry can arrive at either info@ or sales@

Once in a database appropriate response can be made - there is only one place a user will need to look for Order Acknowledgement, Notification of Delivery (products can 6 weeks to manufacture)

The database will be THE central place for customer communication in this way.
Looked at various CRM applications but either don't do enough or do far too much so it was decidfed to create wht is needed now and add to it !
Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: bas60 on September 22, 2009, 11:35:25 AM
Thanks Stefano, I'll take a look.
Title: Re: processing emails automatically
Post by: cactus on September 22, 2009, 12:18:02 PM
Perhaps maildrop might be a alternative, I use it for my e-mailaccount on my SME Server, see http://linux.die.net/man/1/maildrop .

You can create a .mailfiter document in your user directory and have the filter rules in there to filter your mail into the proper folders, I am not sure you can also invoke some scripts or commands to do other stuff with it, but since it is linux I guess things like that should be possible as well.

More on the filter rules can be found on http://linux.die.net/man/5/maildropfilter .