Configure your agency email settings in eCourtDate to control inbound email handling, auto-replies, forwarding, and email formatting.

### Overview

Agency email settings let you customize how your agency sends and receives email communications through eCourtDate. You can set reply-to addresses, add carbon copy recipients, customize email headers and footers, configure auto-forwarding rules, and set up automatic replies to inbound emails.

- **What it does:** Provides centralized control over your agency's email communication settings, including reply-to addresses, CC/BCC options, templates, auto-forwarding, and auto-replies
- **Why it matters:** Properly configured email settings ensure your team receives client replies, maintains consistent branding, and responds to inbound emails efficiently
- **Who uses it:** Agency administrators and staff responsible for managing communication settings
- **Expected outcome:** A fully customized email setup that routes replies to the right people, applies consistent formatting, and optionally auto-responds to inbound emails

### Prerequisites

Before configuring agency email settings, make sure you have:

- Admin access to your eCourtDate agency
- At least one agency email address set up in the system
- Knowledge of the reply-to, CC, and BCC email addresses your agency wants to use
- Your agency's preferred email signature, header, and footer content (if applicable)

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Navigate to Agency Email Settings

1. Click **Admin** in the top navigation bar.
2. Select **Settings** from the dropdown menu.

![Admin settings menu bar eCourtDate platform](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/admin-settings.png)

3. Click the **Agency Emails** tab on the Settings page.

![Settings Agency emails on the eCourtDate platform](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/settings-agency-emails.png)

#### Step 2: Configure Reply To, Carbon Copy, and Blind Carbon Copy

1. Enter the email address where you want to receive inbound replies in the **Reply To** field.
2. Enter an email address in the **Carbon Copy** field to CC that address on all outbound emails.
3. Enter an email address in the **Blind Carbon Copy** field to BCC that address on all outbound emails.

![Reply to email settings on the eCourtDate platform](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/reply-to-cc-bcc.png)

#### Step 3: Customize Email Subject, Header, Footer, and Signature

1. Enter your preferred default email subject line in the **Default Subject** field.
2. Enter your email header content in the **Header** field.
3. Enter your email footer content in the **Footer** field.
4. Enter your agency's email signature in the **Signature** field.

![Email outline form](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/email-outline.png)

#### Step 4: Configure Auto-Forward for Inbound Emails

1. To auto-forward all inbound agency emails to a specific address, enter the address in the **Auto-Forward Inbound Emails** field.
2. To auto-forward emails only to specific user roles, use the **Auto-Forward Inbound Emails by User Role** field and select the desired roles (for example, "Officer").

#### Step 5: Set Up Inbound Auto-Reply

1. Locate the **Inbound Auto-Reply** section.
2. Enter the message you want automatically sent in response to all inbound agency emails.
3. Click **Save** to apply your changes.

![Inbound auto reply settings](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/auto-reply.png)

#### Step 6: Set a Primary Email (Optional)

If your agency has multiple email addresses, you can designate one as the primary email.

1. Locate the email you want to set as primary.
2. Click the **Primary** button to enable it.

![Primary button](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/primary-button.png)

#### Step 7: Change the Template Layout (Optional)

To customize the default email template with HTML formatting:

1. Locate the **Template Layout** field.
2. Select **HTML** from the dropdown to enable HTML template editing.

![Email template layout settings](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ecdassets/images/articles/template-layout.png)

### What to Expect

After saving your agency email settings, the changes take effect immediately for all new outbound emails. Inbound replies will be routed to the address specified in the **Reply To** field. Auto-forward rules will begin forwarding inbound emails to the designated addresses or user roles. Auto-reply messages will be sent in response to every inbound email your agency receives.

### Best Practices

- **Use a monitored reply-to address.** Set the **Reply To** field to an email address that your team checks regularly so client replies are not missed.
- **Keep auto-reply messages concise.** Write a brief, professional auto-reply that acknowledges the client's email and sets expectations for response time.
- **Review CC/BCC settings periodically.** Confirm that the addresses in your CC and BCC fields are still active and relevant to avoid bounced emails or unnecessary notifications.
- **Maintain consistent branding.** Use the header, footer, and signature fields to include your agency name, contact information, and any required legal disclaimers.
- **Test changes with a sample email.** After updating settings, send a test email to verify that the subject, header, footer, signature, and reply-to address all appear correctly.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I have multiple agency emails active at the same time?**
A: Yes. You can activate multiple agency emails. Use the **Primary** button to designate which email serves as the default for outbound messages.

**Q: What is the difference between Carbon Copy and Blind Carbon Copy?**
A: **Carbon Copy** (CC) adds the specified email address visibly to all outbound emails, so recipients can see it. **Blind Carbon Copy** (BCC) adds the address invisibly, so recipients do not see the BCC address.

**Q: Will auto-reply messages be sent for every inbound email?**
A: Yes. When configured, the auto-reply sends a response to every inbound email your agency receives. Keep the message professional and informative since clients will receive it immediately.

**Q: Can I auto-forward emails to multiple people?**
A: Yes. Use the **Auto-Forward Inbound Emails** field to specify an email address, or use the **Auto-Forward Inbound Emails by User Role** field to forward to all staff members with a specific role.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Clients are not receiving emails from your agency.
**Symptoms:** Outbound emails show as sent in eCourtDate, but clients report they never arrived.
**Solution:**

1. Ask the client to check their spam, junk, or promotions folder.
2. Have the client add your agency email to their contacts or safe senders list.
3. Verify that the agency email address is active and correctly configured in **Admin** > **Settings** > **Agency Emails**.

**Issue:** Auto-forward is not routing inbound emails to the expected recipients.
**Symptoms:** Staff members who should receive forwarded emails are not getting them.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the email address in the **Auto-Forward Inbound Emails** field is correct.
2. If using role-based forwarding, confirm the staff members have the correct user role assigned.
3. Check the recipients' spam or junk folders for forwarded messages.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Agency Emails](/how-to-manage-agency-emails)
- [Message Troubleshooting for Clients](/message-troubleshooting-for-clients)
- [Troubleshooting Automated Messages](/troubleshooting-automated-messages)
- [How to Configure Opt-in and Opt-out Compliance](/how-to-configure-opt-in-and-opt-out-compliance)