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Email Output (AWS SES)

The Email output allows you to send notifications via email using Amazon Simple Email Service (AWS SES). This is useful when you need formal, detailed notifications or when the recipient prefers email communication.

How It Works

When you create an Email output, Relaye connects to AWS SES using your credentials. When a notification is sent:

  1. Relaye formats the message according to your template
  2. The message is sent to AWS SES for delivery
  3. AWS SES delivers the email to the specified recipient(s)
  4. Relaye logs the delivery status

Email outputs support HTML formatting, attachments, and multiple recipients, making them suitable for detailed notifications and reports.

Prerequisites

Before setting up an Email output, you need:

  1. An AWS account
  2. Access to AWS SES (Simple Email Service)
  3. Verified sender email address(es) in AWS SES
  4. Appropriate AWS IAM credentials with SES send permissions

If you're in the AWS SES sandbox environment, you'll also need to verify recipient email addresses.

Setting Up Email Output

To set up an Email output:

  1. Go to the Outputs section
  2. Click New Output
  3. Select Email (AWS SES) as the output type
  4. Enter the following information:
  5. From Email: The verified sender email address
  6. To Email: The recipient email address
  7. Region Name: The AWS region where your SES service is configured
  8. Access Key ID: Your AWS access key
  9. Secret Access Key: Your AWS secret key
  10. Give your output a name (e.g., "Daily Reports")
  11. Click Save

Handling Attachments

If your input includes files or images, they can be sent as email attachments. Relaye automatically processes these and includes them in the outgoing email.

Note

Large attachments might affect delivery time and reliability. Consider linking to files instead of attaching them for large documents.

Setting Email Subject

The subject line for emails is automatically generated based on the sender information, but you can influence it through your template. The first line or heading of your template content is often used as part of the subject.

Testing Your Email Output

To test your Email output:

  1. Go to the output's details page
  2. Click Test
  3. Relaye will send a test email to the configured recipient
  4. Check the recipient's inbox to confirm receipt

Common Uses

Email outputs are frequently used for:

  • Detailed Reports: Send comprehensive reports that need formatting and structure
  • Formal Notifications: Deliver notifications that require a formal communication channel
  • Scheduled Summaries: Send daily or weekly summaries of events
  • Documentation: Deliver documentation or instructions that may need to be referenced later
  • Escalation: Provide a backup notification method for critical alerts

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

AWS Credentials Issues

If you're having trouble with AWS credentials:

  1. Verify your access key and secret key are correct
  2. Check that your IAM user has the ses:SendEmail permission
  3. Ensure you've selected the correct AWS region
  4. Verify that your AWS account is active and in good standing

Email Delivery Problems

If emails aren't being delivered:

  1. Check if your sender email is verified in AWS SES
  2. If in the SES sandbox, verify recipient emails are also verified
  3. Check your AWS SES sending quotas and statistics
  4. Verify that the recipient email address is correct
  5. Check for bounces or complaints in your AWS SES dashboard

Viewing Email Logs

You can view all outgoing email notifications by:

  1. Going to the Outputs section
  2. Clicking on your Email output
  3. Navigating to the Outgoing Logs tab

This will show you all sent emails, their status, and any error messages.

Best Practices

  • Use a consistent sender email to build recognition
  • Include your organization name in the sender email (e.g., alerts@yourcompany.com)
  • Keep email subjects concise and informative
  • Use responsive HTML design for better mobile viewing
  • Include plain text alternatives for better compatibility
  • Use professional formatting and branding
  • Include contact information or reply instructions
  • Be mindful of email frequency to avoid overwhelming recipients
  • Consider time zones when sending non-critical emails