Overview

By connecting your email to Bugalou, all incoming emails appear in your team inbox alongside WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger messages. Your team can handle everything from one place.

Connection options

Bugalou supports three ways to connect your email inbox. You can find all of them in the Channel Catalog (click "Channels" in the left sidebar):

• Gmail — connect via Google OAuth (recommended for Gmail users)
• Outlook / Microsoft 365 — connect via Microsoft OAuth
• IMAP/SMTP — connect any email server manually

Option 1: Gmail (recommended for Gmail users)

Step 1: Find Gmail in the Channel Catalog

Click "Channels" in the sidebar to open the Channel Catalog. Find the "Gmail" card (it has the "Popular" badge) and click "Connect".

Step 2: Authorize with Google

You'll be redirected to Google to sign in and authorize Bugalou to access your Gmail. Select the Gmail account you want to connect and grant the required permissions.

Step 3: Start using

After authorization, your Gmail account is connected. Incoming emails will automatically appear in your team inbox.

Option 2: Outlook / Microsoft 365

Step 1: Find Outlook in the Channel Catalog

In the Channel Catalog, find the "Outlook" card and click "Connect".

Step 2: Authorize with Microsoft

You'll be redirected to Microsoft to sign in with your work or personal Microsoft account. Authorize Bugalou to access your Outlook mailbox.

Step 3: Start using

Your Outlook account is now connected. Emails will sync to your team inbox.

Option 3: IMAP/SMTP (any email server)

For custom email servers, webhosting email, or other providers, use the IMAP/SMTP connection.

Step 1: Find IMAP/SMTP in the Channel Catalog

In the Channel Catalog, find the "IMAP/SMTP" card and click "Connect".

Step 2: Enter your server settings

You'll need the following information from your email provider:

• IMAP server — e.g., imap.gmail.com
• IMAP port — usually 993 (SSL)
• SMTP server — e.g., smtp.gmail.com
• SMTP port — usually 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL)
• Username — your full email address
• Password — your email password or app-specific password

Step 3: Test and save

Fill in all the required fields and test the connection. Once verified, save the configuration.

Email Campaigns (separate setup)

The email connection described above is for receiving emails in your inbox. If you also want to send email campaigns and automations, you need to configure an email campaign provider separately. Go to the "Email Campaigns" card in the Channel Catalog, which lets you choose between Resend or Microsoft 365 as your sending provider.

Tips

• Use a shared mailbox (e.g., support@company.com) rather than a personal email for best results
• For Gmail with 2-factor authentication, you may need to create an App Password. See our detailed email integration guide for help.
• Emails sync periodically — there may be a short delay for new messages
• You can connect multiple email accounts and filter by account in the inbox

Team Routing

After connecting an email account, you can assign a default team to this channel. All new incoming emails will automatically be routed to the selected team. Go to the email settings page and use the "Default Team" dropdown to select a team.

For more advanced routing, you can create routing rules that route conversations based on keywords, time of day, or other conditions. See Teams Management for a complete overview.