If you're here, odds are you want SugarCRM to send follow-up emails for you—automatically, reliably, and without needing a developer every time marketing changes their mind. This guide is for CRM admins, marketers, or anyone who's been voluntold to set up automated email follow ups in Sugarcrm. We'll walk through what works, what to avoid, and how to actually get those messages out the door without pulling your hair out.
Why bother with automated follow-ups?
Manual follow-ups don’t scale. If you want leads or customers to get timely, on-brand messages—whether it’s a welcome, a reminder, or a nudge to move them down the funnel—automation is your friend. The trick is getting the templates and workflows set up so they run themselves, without turning into a black box that only IT can debug.
Before you start: What you’ll need
- Admin access to SugarCRM. Most of this requires admin rights.
- A working outbound email server. If SugarCRM can’t send email, none of this matters.
- Clear idea of the follow-up triggers. What event or action should send the email? (New lead, status change, case update, etc.)
- Your email copy and images ready. Don’t try to write it inside SugarCRM—it’s clunky. Prep your text and assets first.
Step 1: Set up your outbound email server
If SugarCRM can’t send mail, you’re done before you start. This is in Admin > Email Settings.
- SMTP details: Enter your company’s SMTP server info (Gmail, Outlook 365, or your own).
- From address: Set a real address—don’t use noreply@ unless you want replies to go nowhere.
- Test it. There’s a “Send Test Email” button. Use it. If you get an error, fix it before moving on.
Pro tip: If your emails end up in spam, check SPF/DKIM records and your “from” address. SugarCRM can’t fix deliverability if your domain isn’t set up right.
Step 2: Create your email templates
Templates are under Emails > Email Templates. Here’s how to make them work for automated follow-ups:
- Click “Create” to start a new template.
- Name it clearly. (e.g., “Lead Follow-Up Day 1” or “Case Closed Thank You”)
- Subject line: Keep it short and specific. Personalization helps—use variables like
$contact_first_name. - Body: SugarCRM does basic HTML, but the editor is, let’s say, “old school.” You can paste HTML, but test it—layouts often break.
- Variables: Click “Insert Variable” to add fields like first name, last activity date, etc. Don’t hardcode info that should change per recipient.
- Attachments: Only attach if you really need to. Many recipients’ mail servers block or flag attachments.
- Set as “Available for Workflow.” This is critical—if you skip this, you can’t use it in automation.
What works: Simple templates with personalization and clear text.
What doesn’t: Over-designed HTML, embedded images, or anything that assumes perfect rendering in Outlook. Keep it simple.
Preview and test: There’s a preview, but it’s not great. Send yourself a test email using a real record to see how variables fill in.
Step 3: Map out your automation logic
Before building anything in SugarCRM, sketch out the flow:
- What triggers the follow-up? (e.g., new lead, deal moves to a stage, support case closes)
- Who gets the email? (Lead, contact, account owner, etc.)
- Timing: Immediate? Delayed? Recurring?
- Exceptions: Should anyone not get it? (Existing customers, certain regions, etc.)
Don’t skip this. SugarCRM’s workflows are powerful but can get messy fast if you’re unclear on triggers or conditions.
Step 4: Build a Process Definition (SugarBPM)
If your SugarCRM includes SugarBPM (most paid versions do), this is the way to automate. Go to Admin > Process Definitions.
4.1. Create a new Process Definition
- Module: Pick the module where the trigger lives (Leads, Contacts, Cases, etc.).
- Start Event: Define what kicks off the workflow (record creation, field update, etc.).
4.2. Add conditions
- Criteria: Only continue if certain conditions are met (e.g., Lead Source = Web, or Status = New).
- Avoid over-complicating—start simple and add complexity only after you see it working.
4.3. Add the Send Message step
- Action: Drag in the “Send Message” or “Send Email” node.
- Template: Select the template you made earlier.
- Recipient: Define who gets it—the record’s related contact, assigned user, or a static address.
4.4. Set up timing (optional)
Want a delay before sending? Add an intermediate “Wait” event (e.g., send 2 days after status change).
4.5. Save, deploy, and test
- Activate the process.
- Test: Create a record that meets your criteria and see if the email fires. Check for errors in the Process Management queue.
Honest take: SugarBPM is powerful but not always intuitive. Document what you build, and keep your logic as simple as possible. If you stack too many conditions or branches, debugging is a pain.
Step 5: (Alternative) Use Legacy Workflows
If you’re on an older SugarCRM or don’t have SugarBPM, use Admin > Workflow Management.
- Create Workflow: Pick the module, set the trigger (on create, on update).
- Conditions: Set your “if” statements.
- Actions: Choose “Send Email” and pick your template.
- This tool is less flexible than SugarBPM—fine for simple “if X, then send Y” automations, but not for complex logic.
Step 6: Monitor, adjust, and avoid messes
Automation isn’t “set and forget.” Common gotchas:
- Emails not sending? Check email queue (Admin > Email Queue) and Process Management for errors.
- People getting too many emails? Your logic might be too broad—tighten up your triggers and add “do not email” rules.
- Templates breaking? Test every variable with real data. Don’t trust previews.
- Unsubscribes: SugarCRM isn’t a full-blown marketing platform. If you need real unsubscribe management, use a dedicated email tool (Mailchimp, etc.) or custom logic.
Ignore: Fancy template builders or “premium” add-ons that promise drag-and-drop magic. They often break or don’t play nice with SugarCRM’s automation.
Quick reference: What to do when things break
- Error messages: Check Admin > System Logs—SugarCRM’s errors are often cryptic, but better than nothing.
- Emails in queue, not sending: Your SMTP settings might be off, or the server is blocking the mail.
- Variables not filling: You probably used a field that doesn’t exist on the record. Double-check variable names.
- No emails at all: Make sure your process or workflow is enabled and that records actually meet the trigger conditions.
Summary: Keep it simple, iterate often
SugarCRM can automate a ton of follow-ups, but it’s easy to overthink or overengineer. Start with a single, clear template and a basic workflow. Test it with real data. Once it works, build out from there. Document what you do, and don’t be afraid to scrap and restart if something gets tangled. Automation should save you time, not create a new headache—keep it simple, watch how it performs, and improve only when you really need to.