[Ver 2017.1] Gmail functionality still broken. Why hasn't this been fixed?

Another version has been released and Sage 50 is still not using Google's preferred OAuth2 authentication to send forms through Gmail.

Is there a reason why they're not fixing something that most email apps have been doing since 2015? Sage knows the issue exists because the knowledge base instructs users to adjust their Google account settings to "allow access to less secure apps." I'm not sure why this is such a low priority issue considering functionality with the world's most popular email service is broken.

  1. Customers shouldn't have to make their Gmail accounts more vulnerable as a workaround to enable functionality that is broken due to poor programming practices.
  2. Customers that use G Suite (Google for apps for business) do not have access to change critical account settings like the aforementioned unless they're an administrator.
  3. While customers can use a third-party app like Thunderbird as a workaround, this isn't feasible when they have more than one company file. Each different company will end up using the same default email address in the third-party app.


If there's anyone reading this that can bring this to the attention of someone at Sage who is capable of providing an answer or initiating the proper solution kindly do so.

I'm at the point where I'm starting to research a replacement for Sage 50, and I'd rather not because I'm generally satisfied with the rest of the product.

  • We're on version 2018.0 now and Gmail "webmail" functionality is still broken since it was introduced in version 2016.x. Obviously not enough Sage 50 customers use this improperly implemented feature for Sage to find it worth correcting.

  • in reply to ivxn

    Do the steps outlined for the Thunderbird email client allow SMTP access?  http://kb.mozillazine.org/Using_Gmail_with_Thunderbird_and_Mozilla_Suite

    "Using a password is just as secure as OAuth2, except for the possibility for somebody to use Tools -> Options -> Security -> Passwords -> Saved Passwords to view your saved password. This is really just an attempt to increase use of OAuth2, which supports their business plan by supporting logging into third party web sites such as Facebook or Twitter without exposing the users password. After a while some other email providers such as Yahoo have started doing the same thing to encourage people to use their apps or webmail (instead of a 3rd party email client). "

    If not, would installing (free) Thunderbird be an option?

  • in reply to RandyW

    Thunderbird isn't an option as I outlined in the above bullet #3 - when you have more than one company file that each have different email addresses, it's not a feasible solution.

    That's one person's opinion from Mozillazine, which is at odds with how Thunderbird actually works, because it accesses Gmail using OAuth2 by default.

    The fact is, OAuth2 has been the standard authentication mechanism for 5 years now with Gmail. Sage 50 introduced the webmail feature in 2016 and they introduced it using a deprecated authentication mechanism. Anyone with a Gmail GSuite (business) account that does not have admin rights cannot use the webmail feature because SMTP access cannot be enabled without admin privileges. There are many use-case scenarios where you may have an employee using Sage 50 and sending out statements of accounts, etc, but you don't want to give them the password to the AR email, nor do you want to install a 3rd party app that (Thunderbird) essentially gives them access to the entire email account.

    Considering at least 2 or 3 of the Sage 50 tiers are aimed at small-to-medium businesses that would likely have GSuite accounts... this is a huge oversight by Sage.

    Sorry if my post sounds harsh, it's not directed to you.