Frontline guide
Frontline sends common support replies from your own connected mailbox and sends risky conversations to your team instead. This guide walks through workspace setup, mailbox connection, SMTP/manual setup, docs, escalation rules, automation, and usage.
All current Frontline plans connect one support inbox. Scale is for one high-volume inbox with higher usage, docs, and storage limits.
OverviewFrontline needs three things to reply safely.
Frontline sends common support replies from your own connected mailbox. Before you turn it on, save the workspace details, connect the sending mailbox, upload the docs Frontline should rely on, and define when a person should step in.
Frontline uses AI and large language models to read incoming support messages, draft answers from your uploaded support docs and workspace settings, and send common replies from your connected mailbox when auto replies are on. AI can make mistakes, so you are responsible for keeping docs accurate, previewing common questions, and using step-in rules for sensitive requests.
Uploaded docs and customer messages are support context only. They cannot override Frontline safety rules, escalation settings, signature handling, or internal protections.
Set up workspace details
Start with the basics Frontline needs before mailbox testing or auto replies can work.
- Add your company name so replies and internal summaries have the right context.
- Enter the support inbox Frontline should handle, such as support@yourcompany.com.
- Set the escalation email where step-in alerts should go when a conversation needs a person.
- Save these settings first so the mailbox and status panels point to the right inbox.
Connect the sending mailbox
Pick the connection path that matches the provider hosting the support inbox Frontline should use. Your NoticeDock login can be a different provider from that support inbox.
- Microsoft 365 or Outlook: Microsoft OAuth remains the preferred path.
- Gmail, Google Workspace, and non-Microsoft providers: use SMTP/manual setup.
- Frontline will not send replies until the support mailbox is connected and status checks pass.
If the mailbox is hosted by Microsoft, use the Microsoft OAuth button where possible instead of SMTP/manual settings.
SMTP/manual setup guide
Use SMTP/manual setup when your support inbox is hosted by Gmail, Google Workspace, Yahoo, Zoho, Fastmail, iCloud, GoDaddy, Namecheap, Titan, or another provider that gives SMTP and IMAP settings. Frontline tests sending and inbox access before saving.
- Use the full mailbox email address as the username unless your provider says otherwise.
- Use an app password or SMTP password, not the NoticeDock password.
- Most providers use port 587 with STARTTLS or TLS. Some use port 465 with SSL.
- Microsoft inboxes should still use Microsoft OAuth where possible.
Gmail / Google Workspace
Recommended path: SMTP/manual setup with Google App Password.
- Required: 2-Step Verification must be enabled before App Passwords are available.
- SMTP server: smtp.gmail.com
- Port: 587
- Security: STARTTLS/TLS
- Username: full Gmail or Google Workspace email address
- Password: Google App Password, not normal Google password
- Note: Workspace admins may block app passwords or require policy changes.
Google App Password help 2-Step Verification App Passwords Workspace admin guidance
Microsoft 365 / Outlook
Preferred path: Microsoft OAuth button, not SMTP.
- SMTP/manual only: use this if Microsoft OAuth is not usable and the tenant allows authenticated SMTP.
- Server: smtp.office365.com
- Port: 587
- Security: STARTTLS
- Note: admin settings can block SMTP AUTH.
Authenticated SMTP submission Microsoft 365 SMTP setup guide
Yahoo Mail
- Server: smtp.mail.yahoo.com
- Port: 465 or 587
- Security: SSL/TLS
- Username: full Yahoo email address
- Password: Yahoo app password
Zoho Mail
- Server: smtp.zoho.com
- Port: 465 SSL or 587 TLS
- Username: full Zoho email address
- Password: Zoho password or application-specific password if 2FA is enabled
Fastmail
- Server: smtp.fastmail.com
- Port: 465 SSL or 587 STARTTLS
- Username: full Fastmail email address
- Password: Fastmail app-specific password
Fastmail IMAP, POP, and SMTP Fastmail server names and ports
iCloud Mail
- Server: smtp.mail.me.com
- Port: 587
- Security: SSL/TLS/STARTTLS
- Username: full iCloud email address
- Password: app-specific password
GoDaddy Professional Email
- Server: smtpout.secureserver.net
- Port: 465 SSL
- Username: full email address
- Password: mailbox password or app password if required
Namecheap Private Email
- Server: mail.privateemail.com
- Port: 465 SSL or 587 TLS/STARTTLS
- Username: full email address
- Password: mailbox password
Namecheap client settings Getting started with Private Email
Titan Email
- Server: smtp.titan.email
- Port: 587 STARTTLS or 465 SSL
- Username: full Titan email address
- Password: mailbox password
Proton Mail
Proton often requires Proton Mail Bridge or special SMTP/token support. Frontline runs in the cloud, so local-only Bridge settings may not work unless the mailbox can expose reachable SMTP/IMAP settings.
If Proton SMTP or IMAP is not available for the account, use Microsoft OAuth, Gmail or Google Workspace SMTP, or another hosted mailbox instead.
Custom domain / hosting email
Search your provider help center for SMTP settings or IMAP SMTP settings if you host email on a custom domain.
- Typical SMTP server: mail.yourdomain.com, smtp.yourprovider.com, or a provider-specific server
- Port: 587 STARTTLS or 465 SSL
- Username: usually the full email address
- Password: mailbox password or app password
- Note: cPanel, Plesk, GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Titan often show exact mail settings inside the mailbox account page.
Upload support docs
Upload concise FAQs, policies, troubleshooting notes, saved answers, support hours, refund rules, password reset steps, and step-in instructions. Supported files are TXT and Markdown, up to 10MB per file. After upload, choose Update answers so Frontline uses the latest files.
- Prepared answers stay available until you choose Remove docs.
- Reconnecting Microsoft or SMTP/manual setup does not remove uploaded docs or prepared answers.
- Remove docs is the action that clears both uploaded docs and prepared answers.
Videos, images, zips, archives, executables, audio, and spreadsheets are not supported.
Set escalation rules
Choose topics that need a person, such as refunds, billing, bugs, legal, security, or sensitive conversations. Add keywords for anything Frontline should never answer automatically.
Suggested replies can be included inside step-in emails, but Frontline is not a manual review queue for every message.
Turn on auto replies
Auto replies are enabled for new workspaces, but Frontline still waits until the mailbox is connected and answers are ready. You can pause or resume auto replies from the dashboard and use Check status after changing settings.
Review activity and usage
Processed shows messages Frontline reviewed. Auto-sent shows replies it sent. Escalated shows conversations sent to your team. Not sent shows messages blocked from automatic delivery.
The dashboard shows your current plan, conversations in the current window, support files, and support knowledge storage near the top of the Frontline page. Conversation usage uses a rolling 30-day window, so older conversations age out after 30 days.
Frontline warns at 80% and 95% of the monthly conversation limit. At 100%, automatic replies stop until usage falls back under the limit or the plan changes.
When Frontline setup needs a second pass
- If Microsoft inbox connection keeps failing, retry Microsoft OAuth before attempting SMTP/manual settings.
- If Gmail or Google Workspace SMTP is rejected, confirm 2-Step Verification, App Password availability, and the full mailbox email address.
- If replies are not using the latest docs, upload the corrected TXT or Markdown files and run Update answers again.
- If auto replies pause unexpectedly, check the mailbox status, answer readiness, and conversation usage near the top of the dashboard.