Email & SMTP Settings control how HiveCRM sends transactional emails, and let you customize the content of every system email template.
How to Open Email & SMTP Settings #
Go to Hive CRM → Settings → Email & SMTP.
Email Delivery Method #
Choose how HiveCRM sends outgoing email:
- PHP Mail — the default, uses your server’s built-in mail function. Simplest option, but more likely to be flagged as spam by some providers.
- Custom SMTP — authenticate with an external SMTP server for more reliable delivery.
- Brevo (Sendinblue) API — route transactional email through Brevo’s relay using your v3 API key and a verified sender email from your Brevo account.
After configuring a method, use Send Test Email to confirm delivery is working before relying on it.
System Email Templates #
HiveCRM has a built-in template for every system-triggered email (new lead added, task assigned, invoice paid, and so on — matching the triggers listed under Notifications Settings). Select a trigger from the list to edit its subject and body.
Templates support placeholders that are automatically filled in when the email is sent, including:
| Placeholder | Description |
|---|---|
{org_name} |
Your company/organization name |
{client_name} |
Client or contact full name |
{item_title} |
The record’s title (lead, deal, project, task, invoice) |
{inv_total} |
Invoice total with currency |
{inv_url} |
Public invoice view & online payment URL |
{est_url} |
Public estimate view & accept URL |
{portal_url} |
Client Portal login URL |
{login_url} |
Staff/admin login URL |
{user_login} |
Account username or email |
{staff_name} |
Assigned staff member’s name |
{start_date} |
Start date (project/task) |
{due_date} |
Due date / expiration date |
{budget} |
Project budget value |
Custom Email Templates #
Beyond the built-in system templates, you can create your own custom templates for use elsewhere in HiveCRM (for example manually sending a client an ad hoc email using a saved template). Give it a name, write the subject and body using the same placeholders, and save it.
Delivery Log #
HiveCRM keeps a log of recently sent emails, showing which delivery method (PHP Mail, Custom SMTP, or Brevo Relay) was used for each — useful for troubleshooting delivery issues.
