Answer
Various factors can lead to email errors; we recommend navigating to Company > Email and using the Send a Test Email feature to identify potential issues.
Most email errors (such as a socket error) are due to incorrect or missing SMTP server settings. You'll need to check with your email provider to ensure you have the correct Server Name, Port and Encryption details in Company > Email > SMTP Server Settings.
If the test email sends successfully, the issue likely lies outside of Lightning Payroll, and we are unable to assist with further troubleshooting. Please contact your email provider for additional support.
Authentication Errors
If the error message you're seeing mentions a 'username/password' or 'authentication' issue, it may be related to recent changes by email providers regarding the use of normal authentication for third-party applications sending SMTP emails. Many providers have tightened security and may now require app-specific passwords (commonly known as App Passwords) or other forms of authentication.
Ensure that the correct username and password for your email account are entered, and check with your email provider to see if they require updated security settings, such as two-factor authentication or app-specific passwords, for third-party apps.
Alternatively, you can enable the setting under Company > Email labelled "Have Lightning Payroll send emails for you, instead of using your own email provider?". This allows Lightning Payroll to send your emails from our support email address ([email protected]), bypassing the need for your own email provider.
