In this video, you will see how the email scenario system in Business Central lets you route each document type to the right sender and attach files automatically.
Business Central has a built-in email scenario system. It lets you control exactly how emails go out. You link each document type to a specific email account. As a result, invoices come from the accounting team. Also, purchase orders come from the purchasing team. This guide covers the full setup: email accounts, email scenario assignments, file attachments, and email logs.
Setting Up Email Accounts
Before you assign email scenarios, you need at least one email account in Business Central. Go to the Email Accounts page to add them. There, you can set up as many accounts as your team needs.
For example, add a personal account for the current user. Then add a shared account like info@ for the company. You can also add accounts for each department – one for accounting, one for purchasing.
The choice matters. For example, when a customer gets an email from your own account, they reply to you. However, when accounting sends a posted sales invoice, replies should reach a shared inbox. That way, the whole team sees them – not just the person who sent the email.
Common accounts to set up:
- A current user account that uses whoever is logged in at the time
- A shared company account such as info@
- A department account such as purchasing@ or accounting@
After you add them, each account is ready to link to one or more email scenarios. You can also test each account directly from the Email Accounts page to confirm the connection works before you move on. This saves time and avoids failed sends later.
Email Scenario Assignments
Email Scenario Assignments is where the control lives. This page links each document type to a specific email account. Moreover, it applies the link at send time – so no one has to choose.
Assigning Scenarios to Each Account
To get started, open Email Scenario Assignments and click the account you want to work with. Then choose Assign Scenarios. A full list appears with every document type Business Central can email – sales quotes, reminders, service credit memos, purchase orders, and more. Pick the ones you want. Then save.
For example, you could route:
- Sales order confirmations – from the current user’s account, since the sales rep talks directly with the customer
- Posted sales invoices – from the shared info@ account, so replies go to accounting
- Purchase orders – from the purchasing account, so suppliers reach the right team
Also, you can update assignments at any time. In addition, you can link more than one document type to the same account.
Good starting points are invoices and credit memos. These go to customers, so a shared account makes sense. Then, purchase orders can go to a shared vendor account. Sales order confirmations can stay on the current user since the sales rep owns that relationship.
How the Email Scenario Assignment Works at Send Time
Once an email scenario is in place, BC applies it on its own. Open a posted sales invoice. Then choose Send by Email. The From field fills in with the right account. The recipient and body load as normal. However, the sender now reflects your setup – not whoever is logged in.
This helps in busy teams. Without it, a customer might get invoices from three different people in the same week. Instead, every posted sales invoice goes from info@, every purchase order goes from purchasing@. Furthermore, the setup stays the same no matter who runs the transaction.
Scenario Attachments
Set Scenario Attachments adds automatic file attachments to the email scenario system. Highlight a scenario in the Email Scenario Assignments list. A new option then appears in the ribbon: Set Scenario Attachments. This opens a file list linked to that scenario.
The Attach by Default Option
Click New to add a file. For example, upload a terms and conditions PDF. Once added, tick the Attach by Default box.
When that box is on, the file attaches to every email for that scenario. Open a posted sales invoice and choose Send by Email. The terms and conditions are already there next to the invoice PDF. No extra step is needed.
You can add several files to the list. Some go on as defaults. Others stay off so the user can pick them when needed via Add Files from Default Selection. This gives you control. Standard terms go out on their own. Optional files wait for the user to decide.
Also, each email scenario has its own list. Therefore, you can attach different files to invoices versus order confirmations.
Add Files from Source Document
When you write an email in BC, the option Add Files from Source Document pulls in files already on the customer record or on the document itself.
For example, if a customer has a barcode spec on their page, it shows up when you email them a sales order. Similarly, if someone saved a remittance advice on the sales order itself, that file appears too. You just pick it and it goes into the email – no searching needed.
Indeed, this is helpful when files build up on records over time. Instead of a follow-up email, you include everything at once. Consequently, the customer gets it all in one place.
Email Outbox and Sent Emails
BC keeps two useful email logs: Email Outbox and Sent Emails. Together, they give you a clear picture of what has gone out and what is still waiting, so nothing slips through unnoticed.
Email Outbox shows emails that are waiting to go out. If one fails – for example, the address is wrong – it shows up here. Then, you can fix it and resend right away. So, no email slips through. Also, you see the reason for each failed send.
Sent Emails shows all emails that went out. From here you can:
- Open the source document
- Resend the email as it was
- Edit and resend if needed
For instance, a customer says they did not get an invoice. You find it in Sent Emails and resend in seconds. There is no need to go back to the original document.
Wrapping Up: Why Email Scenario Setup Saves Time
The email scenario feature in BC is easy to use and very effective. Furthermore, it has been in the system for years – most users just have not found it yet. The setup is quick: add your accounts, link each document type, and pick your default files. After that, every email goes from the right account. The right files attach on their own. Also, your team gets a full log of what went out and when.
For more Business Central guides and tutorials, visit NAV SEAL Blog and watch more videos on our YouTube Channel.
