What is the deal with Outlook being the only email provider now? (My Gmail still works!??)

I just upgraded to Accounts Premier V34, and came across the info regarding Outlook being the only email provider now. However my invoices still seem to be sending through Gmail (Google workspace). The way I read the documentation, it sounded like all other providers will no longer work (Yahoo/Gmail etc). Is this correct? Or am I lucky there are still some old settings retained in my Reckon (smtp etc that I obviously can't change anymore), that still allow my Gmail integration to work???

I have read other users have issues with only sending some types of forms, so we will see if my statements work also?

Seems crazy to me, why would they take away compatibility with one of the most common email providers in the world (Gmail)?

Comments

Rav

Hi @Andrew_8635213

To provide some context to this, its not so much related to Gmail specifically, but you're right, the webmail connection option has been removed in Reckon Accounts Business Desktop v34 as outlined in the release notes. This change was brought about due to the ongoing and increasingly complex authentication requirements introduced by webmail providers, with Gmail being one example. These frequent changes make it unsustainable for us to maintain a stable and reliable direct connection with those services which compromises the email functionality in Reckon Accounts.

Moving forward, Outlook Classic is the only supported method for emailing directly from Reckon Accounts Desktop. As you've mentioned your existing Gmail setup is still working which is due to your previous settings being cached and retained. If you do decide to alter or change your email setup under Edit ➡️ Preferences ➡️ Send Forms ➡️My Preferences, those cached settings will be discarded and you'll need to use the Outlook option.

Aussie_UnderCover

This is very disturbing. I just installed V34 today and came across this issue immediately. What are we supposed to do if we run Google Workspace for team schedules, communications, email and storage?

No matter whose issue it is,this should be worked around and gmail must be made compatible quick smart!

I would appreciate some suggestions as we do not use Outlook.

Note: I have been using Reckon for 23 years but I am getting very frustrated indeed.

Eric Murphy

You may want to read the admin's info again @Aussie_UnderCover. Nothing changes unless you change the email settings

Aussie_UnderCover

Yes, that very may well be true, but if we upgrade computers, no more luck!

Gmail is a global standard, I would think that Reckon could work around this issue.

Eric Murphy

I get the sense that you don't actually know what you're talking about. The email preferences are saved on your file, upgrading computers won't change that. There isn't an issue unless you change the email preferences

Andrew_8635213

Hi Rav,

Thanks for your reply. I realise it is not only Gmail that is affected, however that is the one we use, along with most people I know, not to mention over 50% over the world. I can understand you can't be "all things to everybody", but if you were needing to reduce the number of supported email providers (to theoretically save spending resources on the more "obscure" ones), then I do find it incredulous that Gmail doesn't make the cut.

Could you please enlighten me on the "frequent changes", that Google has made to cause it to be unsustainable to maintain compatibility? From my experience Gmail worked fine with Reckon for 6 or 7 years, until they made ONE change, a year or 2 back, where "less secure apps" no longer worked. Reckon did not have to make any changes themselves to work around this change. We just had to create an app specific password within Gmail, and it all worked again. To be fair, I do not fully understand how the January 2025 changes affect other users, as ours as continued to work fine since then. I can't even remember if we needed to change anything when this Google change came into effect. But my point still remains, it has worked as it should to date - so what recent changes have occurred that mean Reckon can't keep up with the times?

Eric, I find your reply a bit patronising towards Aussie_UnderCover. What is the "admin's info" you refer to? Maybe it would be helpful to provide a link? I have read all the documentation I can find, and have also scoured the community forums, but haven't come across anything that informs us to "be vigilant not to change your settings, and the status quo can remain". Neither have I read, that the email settings are saved in your company file. If this is an issue that likely affects a lot of users, surely this info should be easier to find.

As Aussie_Undercover rightly suggests, if we make any changes (fresh installation / unknowingly change our email settings), this cached info is likely to be lost. And we are stuffed. Forced to use a third party application, as an intermediary for Reckon to talk to Gmail. The fact it is a Microsoft product, is enough reason on it's own to avoid, but I won't go there.

Currently Gmail integration works as expected, so I don't understand the justification to get rid of it due to "frequent changes". If there had been a major recent change, maybe so. But it works now, so why not just leave it in for the meantime??? Even if Reckon did have to allocate resources to maintain compatibility with the world's largest email provider, then why not. Is it really that hard or expensive?

To be honest, this is beyond a joke. I'll tell you what is "unsustainable" for small businesses…. and that is to muck around with 3rd party applications just to make an integral function of an accounting software "work like it should". After other frustrations with Reckon over recent years, this is probably going to be the straw that broke the camel's back for us, and we will now look for alternative options (after 9 years with Reckon).

There sadly appears to be a pattern of reducing functionality, rather than it getting better. When we signed up to Reckon, it used to talk directly to our bank (ANZ, one of the biggest banks in NZ!), but then they decided it was too hard to maintain that compatibility. So now we have to download QIF files and upload them manually. This has come with it's own set of pitfalls, which seem to be a result of niggly bugs within Reckon.

Rant over. I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but it truly seems that Reckon is going out of their way to frustrate, and alienate their customers in recent years!

Aussie_UnderCover

Thank you for your support Andrew_8635213.

To be honest, I installed the update without any prior knowledge of the Gmail issue and only discovered it when I went to update the settings on a new computer and found that Gmail was no longer an option. The only reason I installed it was to remain STP compliant and for the super reporting changes.

I run a small business with 5 reckon users and reading all the paraphernalia that comes with an update is time that I don't have. I would have thought that a major change liked this would have been more widely advised rather then being right near the bottom this advice. It should have been listed on the covering email.

Due to this conversation, I have now reviewed the Update information and have a question for Rav:

"Changes on Webmail integration

A review of email integration was prompted by email providers transitioning to modern authentication methods to continue using their services. The webmail integration is the most impacted feature, and Reckon Accounts will no longer support it, leaving only Outlook (Classic) as the supported option.

After upgrading, your current email settings will be cached and will remain until users access the Send Forms preferences."

Does ''access the Send Forms preferences'' mean that if I change the content of an email, say the "Invoice" template, my Gmail settings will be removed?

Also, ''email settings will be cached". I am unsure if that actually means 'saved with my file' as Eric Murphy indicated, or cached elsewhere?

Rav

@Andrew_8635213

This change isn't related to Gmail specifically, but rather the changing nature of webmail services which we have no control over but can, and has, impacted email functionality for Reckon Accounts users.

To briefly touch on some of your points, you're right, first was the change in requirement around 'less secured apps' however that wasn't the trigger for app passwords, that came through later but nonetheless that was yet another change for Gmail.

As I mentioned though, this isn't singling out Gmail, there have been similar changes to other webmail providers such as Hotmail and Yahoo when it comes to sign-in, server/port details and authentication.

That’s the core reason for the decision to retire webmail support in Reckon Accounts Desktop v34 and move to Outlook integration only. It’s not about reducing functionality but about ensuring stability and avoiding situations where users are suddenly unable to send emails after a provider update that’s outside of our control.

I absolutely understand the frustration or confusion this might cause, particularly when Gmail is widely used, but as has been covered above, existing users who have connected to webmail in Reckon Accounts have been cached/retained and will continue to function (as you've already noticed). If you do decide to change your email connection in Reckon Accounts for whatever reason, the cached settings will be discarded and you will need to use the Outlook option.

Aussie_UnderCover

Hi Rav

Thanks for the last comment. Sorry if I'm thick, but can you please answer this question directly.

I want to edit some of my email templates in the Company Preferences tab but leave still retail my Gmail usage.

Does ''access the Send Forms preferences'' mean that if I change the content of an email, say the "Invoice" template, will my Gmail settings be removed?