# Email Server Overview

Cloud Voice relies on an email server to deliver system messages to your users and administrators. This page introduces the pieces involved: the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server that carries the mail, the templates that shape each message, the daily sending quota enforced by your provider, and the sent logs you use to confirm delivery.

:::note
SMTP is the standard protocol mail servers use to hand off outbound email. You configure the email server once, and that single setting then applies to every automated message Cloud Voice sends.
:::

## Email server

A number of everyday Cloud Voice actions generate an outbound email, including:

- Welcome messages that invite users to the Cloud Voice App.
- Faxes forwarded to an email address.
- Voicemails forwarded to an email address.
- Event notifications, such as system alerts sent to the administrator.

To send these messages, you can rely on the built-in **default** SMTP server or connect your own custom SMTP server.

- To use the built-in option, see [Set up Default SMTP Server as an Email Server](/pbx/administrator-guide/set-up-cloud-voice-smtp-server-as-an-email-server/).
- To connect your own provider, see [Set up Gmail as an Email Server](/pbx/administrator-guide/set-up-gmail-as-an-email-server/) or [Set up Outlook as an Email Server](/pbx/administrator-guide/set-up-outlook-as-an-email-server/).

:::tip
The built-in default SMTP server works with no setup, so it is the quickest way to start sending mail. Choose a custom SMTP server when you want emails to come from your own domain or company mailbox.
:::

## Email template

Cloud Voice ships with a default template for each type of event email, and you can tailor these templates to match your own wording and formatting. For the steps, see [Customize Email Templates](/pbx/administrator-guide/customize-email-templates/).

:::note
A template controls the subject line and body of a notification, so customizing one is a good way to add your company name or a support contact. Any change takes effect on future emails of that type.
:::

## Email daily sending limit

When you send mail through a custom email server, keep in mind that most providers cap the number of messages an account may send in a single day. These limits protect the provider's infrastructure and guard your account against abuse.

Cloud Voice reads the current allowance directly from your email server. Once that daily cap is reached, no further messages can be sent through the server until the limit resets.

:::caution
This daily cap applies to custom email servers. When it is reached, Cloud Voice stops sending mail through that server until the provider resets the count, so welcome emails, voicemail-to-email, fax-to-email, and event notifications quietly stop going out. If users report missing notifications, check whether you have hit the limit before troubleshooting anything else.
:::

## Email sent logs

Cloud Voice keeps a record of the emails it sends so you can track whether messages reach their destination. When a delivery fails, the log includes the returned error message, giving you a starting point to diagnose the problem quickly. For details, see [Email Sent Logs](/pbx/administrator-guide/email-sent-logs/).