IMPORTANT NOTICE - Reckon Accounts (Desktop) & Gmail

Rav

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING GOOGLE’S ‘LESS SECURED APP’ REMOVAL

In early March 2022, Google announced that users ‘would lose access to apps that are using less secured sign-in technology’ on the 30th of May 2022. This is the removal of support for the use of third-party apps or devices which asks users to sign in to their Google Account using only their Username and Password.

Currently, this was implemented by turning on the 'Less secured app access' feature to allow applications such as Reckon Accounts to send emails from a Desktop application.

This option is now being removed by Google.

Who does this affect?

Reckon Accounts (desktop) users who are using Gmail as an email Send Method. If you’re using Hotmail/Outlook, Yahoo etc, you will NOT be affected by this change.

 

What do I need to do to keep using Gmail functionality?

To continue using your Gmail email account with Reckon Accounts (Desktop) to send emails from eg. invoices, payslips etc you will need to use Google's App Password feature. Check out the help guide linked below which contains more info on this and a step by step walkthrough on how to setup Google's App Password to use in conjunction with Reckon Accounts.

https://help.reckon.com/article/kznwf55lct

Future enhancements will be developed to use more secure technologies like OAuth 2.0 that will further improve security.

If you have any questions or need help with the App Password process please drop a comment below.

ColonialWalls

Hi

I've been trying to do this today & I'm having trouble. The first step of "Signing in to Google" only gives me an option to change the password. There are no options to choose what is in the instructions.

I'm in need of help :(

Rav

https://community.reckon.com/discussion/comment/20629284#Comment_20629284

Hi @ColonialWalls

If you sign into your Google account via this link https://myaccount.google.com/ you should be able to access the steps and areas outlined in the article. Let me know how you get on.

https://community.reckon.com/discussion/comment/20629288#Comment_20629288

Hi @daviddc

The information outlined in the opening post above does not apply to the software you are using and is unrelated. I've split your earlier comment to its own discussion here including some info for you to try to resolve it. If you can get back to me on that separate discussion thread as this one is not related that would be great.

ColonialWalls

https://community.reckon.com/discussion/comment/20629290#Comment_20629290

Thanks Rav, but that's where I'm logging in to and I don't have the options as mentioned above.

ColonialWalls

Also, when trying the step regarding third party apps, I don't have the selection that is shown in the instructions either.

Rav

Hi @ColonialWalls

I've just gone through a bit of testing on a few browsers and devices; PC, Android phone, iPad, Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari etc and on each occasion was able to access the required areas of the Google account.

With that said, the screenshots you've provided are very helpful and they look quite a bit different to both the instructions in the guide and also what I see when I login to my own personal Google account (screenshot below).

Can I ask, do you have a regular Gmail email address or are you using some other Google email service eg. business email etc? Also, are you logging into your Google account on a PC or some other device?

ColonialWalls

We use a business email service via Google. I've tried on both PC & phone.

Rav

Right ok thanks for that @ColonialWalls. Can I just confirm when you attempt to send an email out from Reckon Accounts (desktop) right now, does it go through successfully for you OR do you encounter the error message below -

ColonialWalls

If I turn off the less secured app option, as Google will be changing to, I get that message.

Rav

Thanks for that. One other question, are you the admin or logged in as the admin of this business Google account?

ColonialWalls

Yes, logged in as admin.

Rav

Thanks @ColonialWalls

Having a chat with the Reckon Accounts product team in relation to this. Will come back to you.

ColonialWalls

Thanks so much. I don't want to go back to old school.

Kym

Rav

Hi @ColonialWalls, just getting back to you about this one.

The changes that Google are making to the 'Less Secure Apps' function does not apply for users of Google Workspace accounts which it looks like you have. This is also outlined in this support article from Google here.

The ability to continue using the 'Less Secure Apps' function will remain useable in Google Workspace accounts so in this instance, the process outlined in our help guide isn't something you need to worry about at this stage.

We'll update our article to better reflect this and avoid confusion.

ColonialWalls

Thanks for your help, Rav.

Kym