aNinja auto-saving mechanism for Emails and notes

aNinja auto-saving is a useful mechanism that saves your work automatically, every few seconds. So you don’t risk losing work if your laptop runs out of battery, you lose wifi signal, or the power flickers.

How does the auto-saving work

Auto-saving in aNinja is enabled by default for your Emails and notes.

When composing an Email or note in the lead view or in the template, it is auto-saved every few seconds to the auto-save directory on your computer.

So you can roll back to the changes only from the computer you were on. As it saves on the machine’s local storage.

Restore the auto-saved versions

  • Go to the Email or note, and click on the auto-save button on the left of the toolbar.

  • Choose what you want to restore.

aNinja auto-saving mechanism

  • It rolls back the version that was saved then.

Note! Attachments are not auto-saved. So if you attached a file and then deleted it, the auto-saving can not recover it for you.

Email parsing using Zapier

In this article, we show you how to automatically copy data from your emails and inject it into your aNinja account. This is called Email parsing.

And we’re going to expose this through Zapier.

*Requires Zapier Premium account.

Email Parsing

Email parsing is extracting data from an email using an email parser like Zapier Email Parser. Then connecting the email parser to a Zap to inject that data into your aNinja account.

As long as the emails are all laid out generally the same way, the email parser should be able to detect the data and copy it for you.

Parsing Emails

To parse an email, follow the below instructions:

1- Make a new Email Parser mailbox
  • Go to parser.zapier.com
  • Sign in with your Zapier account or make a new account.
  • Then, click either of the Create Mailbox buttons to add a new mailbox.
"Create Mailbox" button appears in the top right and lower left of Zapier's Email Parser set-up page.
  • Email Parser will then show you an email address like 2grb3sdr@robot.zapier.com.
The page reads "We're waiting... Send an email to 2grb3sdr@robot.zapier.com! Refresh page to look for new email."
  • Copy that address and keep it handy, because that’s where you’ll need to send emails to be parsed later on.
2- Send an email to the parser
  • Open your email app, and find an email like the ones you want to extract data from.
  • Forward this email to the email address you copied earlier (e.g. 2grb3sdr@robot.zapier.com)
  • And click Send.
3- Teach the parser how to read your email

Once Zapier Email Parser receives your email, it shows a text version of your email in the Initial Template box.

Zapier Email Parser page with sections for "Address" "Initial Template" "Body Source" and "Parser Engine"

All you need to do is indicate to the parser the data that you want to copy.

  • Select the text or field that you want the Email Parser to copy.
  • For each field you select, type a name for that field in the box, and click Save.

  • The Email Parser will replace the text with the name in curly brackets, like {{headline1}}.

    Text is highlighted and a dialog box appears, where the user types "Headline 1" and clicks "Save"
  • Repeat that for each field you want the email parser to copy and give each item a unique name.

  • Once that’s done, click the blue Save Address and Template button at the bottom, and your email parser is ready to work.

Want to make Email Parser more reliable?
  • Forward another similar email to the same address.
  • Then click View Emails beside your parser’s name in Zapier Email Parser’s Mailboxes list, to see all of the emails the mailbox has received.
Mailbox History page showing three emails received by the parser address
  • Click Show on one of the items to see the text of the email, with the text Email Parser selected in yellow.
Email text with some sections highlighted in yellow by Email Parser
  • If anything looks incorrect, click the Edit extra template link near the bottom.
  • Select the same text you originally wanted to copy from your emails.
  • Give it the same names, then save the new template.
  • You can repeat that multiple times to make your parser more reliable.
4- Automatically forward emails to the parser

The Email Parser you made is now ready to copy text from other similar emails. We need to send every new email that contains the data you want, to the email parser.

  • Set a filter in your email app to automatically forward messages that match the one you sent to Email Parser.
  • Typically, your notification emails will all have something in common; they come from the same sender and often have the same subject.

We’re going to show you how to set a filter in Gmail. If you use another email service, check your documentation to see if your app or service can automatically forward email messages.

To watch for those emails in Gmail, you’ll first need to add your email parser address to Gmail to automatically forward emails. Here’s how:

    • Open your Gmail Forwarding settings, Settings > Forwarding tab.

    • Click Add a forwarding address.

    • Enter your Email Parser e.g. 2grb3sdr@robot.zapier.com email in the text box and click next.

    • Check your email. Zapier should send you a confirmation email from Gmail. If you don’t see it, check the Email Parser app’s mailbox, it should have the email. Either way, copy the confirmation code, then paste it into the box back into your Gmail Forwarding settings.

    • Now you can have Gmail automatically forward emails to your email parser. First search for the email address and/or subject of the messages you’ll have the email parser process.

    • Click the tiny down arrow on the right of the search bar to see the full Advanced Search options.

    • Then click the Create filter button or link in the lower right corner. Have that filter forward the email to the email parser address you just added and you should be all set.

    • Every time you receive the email messages you want to parse, Gmail will send it along to the Email Parser.

5- Put your parsed email data to work

Now, you need to connect your Email Parser to Zapier’s app automations, which lets you send data from your emails to your aNinja account.

Follow instructions here to create a Zap and connect your Email Parser with aNinja:

https://help.aninja.com/knowledge-base/zapier-aninja-integration/

  • The Email Parser is the trigger event.
  • aNinja is the Trigger Action.
Set Up Action page with several Parse Outputs in the "Message" field.

Trigger Email action after a Delay duration

In this article, we’re going to show you how to set the trigger action to send lead info to an email address, after a delay that you define when a certain event has occurred.

Through aNinja Triggers, you can define which actions to programmatically trigger based on a specific event and condition. 

Setting the trigger Email action after a Delay

The trigger actions get executed based on a certain event that you select when you’re in the triggers feature:

  • Select the event that will cause the trigger to fire.
    • e.g. Lead created via Chatbot

  • Under Actions, click “+ add another action”

  • To set a delay before executing the trigger action, select from the action drop-down:

[Delay] Set delay duration in minutes for triggering event actions

  • And set the duration in minutes to a maximum of 5 minutes.

Trigger Email action after a Delay

  • Click “+add another action

  • To set the trigger to send the lead info to an email, select from the actions drop-down:

[Email] Send lead info to an email address (from: no-reply@aninja.com)

  • And indicate the email address to send to.

  • The delay action is useful in the case for example of a lead created via chatbot, to wait a few minutes as they’re still filling the chatbot info (email, phone, etc.) so that the data is available when the lead’s info is forwarded to the email.

Connect your Gmail with aNinja

Connect your Gmail with aNinja to start sending emails to your leads. It’s important to complete the 2 steps of the authorization for your email to sync properly.

Connect your Gmail with aNinja

  • On the left sidebar, click on Settings > Email Accounts
  • If you already have an email account saved and want to complete the authorization, click on the edit pen next to the email. Then go to step 2 —> Connect/Re-auth.
  • Otherwise, go ahead and create an email account. Click Add Email Account
Step 1
  • Fill in the following fields: Name and Emailconnect your email with aNinja
  • And hit save
Step 2
  • For Google Workspace, it’s required to whitelist aNinja before you continue.
  • Click Connect / Re-auth

Connect your Gmail with aNinja

  • Enter your email then hit NextConnect your Gmail with aNinja
  • Enter your password then hit Next
  • You will receive a security message “Google hasn’t verified this app”
  • Click AdvancedConnect your Gmail with aNinja
  • Then hit “Go to Security Nylas (unsafe)”Connect your Gmail with aNinja
  • Toggle all the checkboxes to allow Nylas to access your Google accountConnect your Gmail with aNinja
  • Lastly, click “Continue”Connect your Gmail with aNinja
  • Once set up, your Gmail account would show up running under the status.

Note! It is very important to complete the 2 steps for the email to sync properly.

Keeping a clean database

Bad data infiltrates every database in form of duplicate contacts, un-standardized lead data, and junk records. While you can’t always keep bad data from coming in, you can clean it up when it’s there.

In order to keep a clean database, you can sanitize your contact file before you import it, and perform a clean-up routine to the existing data.

Importing a correct data

Before you import contacts in a CSV/Excel file, check the following tips:

  • Provide correct email addresses to ensure the deliverability of your emails.
  • Provide correct phone numbers to ensure the deliverability of your texts and campaigns.
  • If possible, assign the mobile number to the primary phone number.
  • Ensure the uniformity of custom fields: don’t create multiple custom fields for identical data. This will lead to confusion over the correct custom field to keep updated, and over the Smartlists results.
    • e.g. on a first data import, custom field “Source”; on a second data import, custom field “Created through”, on a third “Origin”, on a fourth “From”. This creates 4 custom fields for one identical data.
  • Set the Global Setting rule: Do not add new Leads via API if Lead with similar email already exists (avoids duplicates)

Cleaning up the existing data

However, the bad data can still be cleaned up when it’s already there.

  • Remove duplicates
    • Go to Settings > Data Clean up
    • Choose the merging method (by email or by phone)
    • Repeat this task every now and then, depending on the volume of the incoming leads.
  • Prune inactive and junk contacts
    • Contacts with no emails and/or phone numbers are of no use in your database.
    • Leads who asked to stop receiving from you can crowd your database and preferably be deleted.

Keeping a clean database reserves more space for the correct data.

Reach us at support@aninja.com to assist you in merging duplicates.

Enabling IMAP in Yahoo mail

Enabling IMAP in Yahoo mail allows you to use IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) to sync your Yahoo Mail on aNinja app.

Overview of IMAP Protocol

IMAP is a protocol that allows you to download email messages from your Yahoo Mail server. It also allows you to access them with desktop email clients like Outlook/ Mac Mail and/or mobile email clients. So, you can configure Yahoo Mail on any standard IMAP email client using the IMAP and SMTP Server Settings.

Moreover, IMAP allows a two-way synchronization between the email clients and your Yahoo Mail account. It means that you can access the same account from multiple email clients.

Yahoo Mail IMAP Settings 

To access Yahoo Mail seamlessly in an email program, open the program’s new account section, and enter these settings:

  • Yahoo Mail IMAP server: imap.mail.yahoo.com
  • IMAP port: 993
  • IMAP TLS/SSL: yes
  • IMAP username: Your full Yahoo Mail address
  • IMAP password: Your Yahoo Mail password or app password
Yahoo Mail SMTP Settings
  • Yahoo Mail SMTP server: smtp.mail.yahoo.com
  • SMTP port: 465 (try 587 as an alternative)
  • SMTP TLS/SSL: yes
  • SMTP username: Your complete Yahoo Mail address
  • SMTP password: Your Yahoo Mail password

Enabling IMAP in Yahoo mail

  1. Sign in to Yahoo Mail.
  2. Go to your “Account security” settings.
  3. Turn on Allow apps that use less secure sign in.

Use 2-step with phone verification

You will receive a text or a call with a new code that you need to enter at sign-in.

  1. First, sign in to your Account Security page.
  2. Next to “2-Step Verification,” click Turn on 2SV.
  3. Then, click Get started.
  4. Select Phone number for your 2-step verification method.
  5. Lastly, follow the on-screen prompts to complete the process.

IMAP/SMTP Password in Yahoo mail

Follow these steps only if you have 2-Step-Verification enabled:

  1. First, position the mouse cursor over your name in the top Yahoo! Mail navigation bar.
  2. Then, select Account Info on the page that appears.
  3. Open the Account Security category.
  4. Select Generate App password under Account security.
  5. Click “Get started”
  6. Type your app’s name (aNinja)
  7. And click Generate password
  8. Use the generated password which is being displayed both in IMAP and SMTP sections in your email account settings.
  9. Lastly, click Done.

Enabling IMAP in iCloud mail

Enabling IMAP in iCloud mail allows you to use IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) to sync your iCloud Mail into aNinja app.

Overview of iCloud

Apple’s iCloud email is a great free service that is configured automatically on Macs and iDevices. If you work on multiple platforms or with non-Apple email programs, however, you’ll have to manually configure access.

Note that other forms of email, such as POP and Exchange, are not compatible with iCloud. So, make sure your email application or operating system supports IMAP email accounts.

iCloud Email IMAP settings

Email Settings Port Number
iCloud IMAP Incoming mail server:
imap.mail.me.com
993, requires SSL
143, non-secure
iCloud SMTP Outgoing mail server:
smtp.mail.me.com
587, requires SSL
465, non-secure
  • Configure IMAP settings for incoming mail
  1. First, enter the IMAP Server Name: imap.mail.me.com
  2. Then, set SSL to “Yes”
  3. Set the Port to 993
  4. And, se your full iCloud email address as your user name; for example: myname@me.com
  5. Lastly, enter your iCloud password, which is case-sensitive, in the password field
  • Set up your SMTP settings for outgoing mail
  1. First, enter the SMTP Sever Name: smtp.mail.me.com
  2. Then, choose “Yes” to SSL
  3. Set the Port to 587
  4. And, choose “Yes” to SMTP Authentication
  5. Use your full iCloud email address as your user name; for example: myname@me.com
  6. Lastly, enter your iCloud password, which is case-sensitive, in the password field

2 Factor Authentication in iCloud Mail

To generate and use app-specific passwords, your Apple ID must be protected with  two-factor authentication.

  • First, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Apple ID/ iCloud.
  • Then, click Password & Security under your name.
  • Lastly, hit Turn On Two-Factor Authentication.

Generating iCloud Mail App Password

If you wish to sync your iCloud email in aNinja, then you will need to generate an app password.

  1. Sign in to appleid.apple.com.
  2. In the Sign-In and Security section, click App-Specific Passwords.
  3. Click Generate an app-specific password or click Blue plus sign icon., then follow the steps on your screen.

After you generate your app-specific password, enter or paste it into the password field of aNinja.

Enabling IMAP in Zoho mail

Enabling IMAP in Zoho mail allows you to use IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) to sync your Zoho Mail on aNinja app.

Overview of IMAP Protocol

IMAP is a protocol that allows you to download email messages from your Zoho Mail server. It also allows you to access them with desktop email clients like Outlook/ Mac Mail and/or mobile email clients. So, you can configure Zoho Mail on any standard IMAP email client using the IMAP and SMTP Server Settings.

IMAP allows a two-way synchronization between the email clients and your Zoho Mail account. It means that you can access the same account from multiple email clients.

Zoho Mail IMAP Server Details

You can configure your Zoho Mail account on any standard IMAP client with the configuration details given below.

Incoming Server Settings (Personal users with an email address, username@zoho.com):

Incoming Server Name: imap.zoho.com
Port: 993
Require SSL: Yes
Username: username@zoho.com 

Incoming Server Settings (Organization users with a domain-based email address, you@yourdomain.com):

Incoming Server Name: imappro.zoho.com
Port: 993
Require SSL: Yes
Username: you@yourdomain.com 

Outgoing Server Settings: (Personal users with an email address, username@zoho.com):

Outgoing Server Name: smtp.zoho.com
Port: 465 with SSL or
Port: 587 with TLS
Require Authentication: Yes

Outgoing Server Settings (Organization users with a domain-based email address, you@yourdomain.com):

Outgoing Server Name: smtppro.zoho.com
Port: 465 with SSL or
Port: 587 with TLS
Require Authentication: Yes

User Name:  Enter your Zoho username or your complete Zoho Mail address. If your domain is hosted with Zoho, then your email address will be in the format you@yourdomain.com.

Email Address: Enter Your Zoho Mail address. If your domain is hosted with Zoho, then your email address will be in the format you@yourdomain.com.

Password: Enter your Zoho account password. You might require an Application-specific Password if Two-factor Authentication is enabled.

Enabling IMAP Access

To enable IMAP Access for your email account:

  1. First, log in to Zoho Mail
  2. Then, go to Settings 
  3. Navigate to Mail Accounts and click the respective email address from the left listing.
  4. Lastly, under the IMAP section, check the IMAP Access box.
    Enabling IMAP in Zoho mail

IMAP/SMTP password in Zoho mail

Follow these steps only if you have 2-Step-Verification enabled.

  1. First, log in to Zoho Accounts
  2. From the left menu, navigate to Security and click App passwords
  3. Then, click Generate New Password.
  4. You will have to give a name the name of your application for future reference. Enter the name and click Generate.
  5. Lastly, your password will be generated. And you can use it to log in from one application.

Note:

  • The device-specific password will be displayed only once and will not be displayed again.
  • When providing the password to your email clients, enter it without any spaces.
  • You can delete an application-specific password whenever you longer use that device or application or want to revoke access to that application.

Email Signature

When sending emails via aNinja or in any email account you use, you would want to include your signature at the bottom.

What’s an email signature?

It is a powerful way to convey your professionalism to your readers and give them the information they need to contact you. It is placed at the bottom of each mail, which helps leave a great impression and makes you stand out from your peers.

A good signature design should include the following elements:
  1. Avatar and/or company logo.
  2. First name and last name.
  3. Job title, department, and company name.
  4. Email address and telephone number.
  5. Company physical address.
  6. Social media icons.
  7. Banner (optional)
  8. Offer (optional)

Setting your email signature in aNinja

  • Login to your aNinja account.
  • Go to Settings > Email Accounts
  • Click on the edit pen next to your email/name
  • Type in your signatureemail signature
  • And hit Update
  • Now your signature will show at the bottom of each email you send via aNinja.

Enabling SendGrid for your Transactional Emails

Enabling SendGrid for your Transactional Emails allows you to send a large number of email sequences through aNinja without limitations and without worrying about spam filters marking your messages as spam.

Learn how to avoid your emails being marked as spam.

Email Services

By default, all emails go through the users’ email service (e.g. Gmail, Outlook…) using Nylas APIs. This is not recommended for bulk emails because the user is limited to the maximum number of emails allowed by his email service.

So, to be able to send bulk emails without limitations, we highly recommend using SendGrid.

Enabling SendGrid

1- Sign in to SendGrid

Or Signup to SendGrid if you don’t already have an account

  • Make sure you sign-up for the Essentials plan in Sengrid for this to work.
2- Create a SendGrid API key

Make sure to save your SendGrid API key immediately, as it shows one time, and if you lost it, you can’t retrieve it.

3- Authenticate your domain in SendGrid
  • This means that you are showing your email provider that SendGrid has your permission to send emails on your behalf.
  • After that, your recipients will no longer see the “via sendgrid.net” message on your emails. Which shows that the emails are coming from you. So, it is less likely that your recipients mark your emails as spam.
  • This increases your reputation with the Email Service Providers. And it’s less likely that they filter your emails and not allow them to be delivered to your recipients. Which increases your deliverability.
  • Lastly, SendGrid automatically attaches an unsubscribe link to the emails sent through it.

Please follow this link to authenticate your domain => https://docs.sendgrid.com/ui/account-and-settings/how-to-set-up-domain-authentication

4- Enable the Event Webhook in SendGrid

You’ve reached a step where you need to enable the event webhook in SendGrid.

5- Enable SendGrid on aNinja web app

  • And enable the rule: “Enable SendGrid for single and bulk email sequences”

  • Lastly, enter the SendGrid API key (don’t forget to click on the refresh button next to the input)Enabling SendGrid for your Transactional Emails
  • Once you’ve enabled SendGrid on your aNinja web app, all single and bulk email sequences will start being sent through the SendGrid service.

Our support team is happy to assist you with any questions you may have. Just leave us an email at support@aninja.com