Email Notification in Koha! How to configure Email Notification in Koha 20.11 with postfix?

Here is the steps to configuring Koha 20.11 & postfix for sending notices/slips through email.

1. First install postfix
            #sudo apt-get update
            #sudo apt-get install postfix

    
    Click on OK.

   Tab and select No configuration.

2. Copy the configuration file
    # cp /usr/share/postfix/main.cf.debian /etc/postfix/main.cf

3. Install the other required packages.

    #apt-get install libsasl2-2

    #apt-get install libsasl2-modules

    #apt-get install ca-certificates

4. Open the following file and add few lines.
    #vim /etc/postfix/main.cf

and add the following lines at the bottom of the page and save the file.

    relayhost = [smtp.gmail.com]:587

    smtp_sasl_auth_enable = yes

    smtp_sasl_password_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/sasl_passwd

    smtp_sasl_security_options = noanonymous

    smtp_tls_CAfile = /etc/postfix/cacert.pem

    smtp_use_tls = yes

5. Now create a new file to save the gmail password

   # touch /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd
   
  Add the following line with correct gmail id and password and save it

   
    [smtp.gmail.com]:587    sonam@gmail.com:yourpasswordhere

6. Change the permission of following file.

      #chmod 400 /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd    (note if you want to edit the password change                                                                          the permission to 700 and set back to 400)

7.  Next, to translate the /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd to Postfix lookup tables run the following command

   #postmap /etc/postfix/sasl_passwd

8. Now create aliases.DB run the following command

   # postalias hash:/etc/aliases

9. For certificate run the following command

    #cat /etc/ssl/certs/thawte_Primary_Root_CA.pem  >> /etc/postfix/cacert.pem

10. Restart the postfix:

    #/etc/init.d/postfix restart

11. To enable the email service in Koha run the following command;
   #koha-email-enable library   //where library is the koha instanace name

NOTE : To check if the postfix works, run the following command.

echo "Test Postfix Gmail LIBRARY" | mail -s "Postfix Gmail SMTP Relay" reciever@gmail.com

[If it doesn't work, allow less secure app setting in the senders gmail account setting]

13. For each patron category we have to enable the email notice option. For this go to

      Koha --> Administration --> Patron Categories --> Overdue Notice required  --> YES.

14. Next make necessary changes in Gobal System preferences: 

 Gobal System preferences --> Administration-->  KohaAdminEmailAddress,  provide koha admin email id from which the emails will be sent. 

 Gobal System preferences-->Patron  -->AutoEmailOpacUser --> send

 Gobal System preferences-->Patron  -->AutoEmailPrimaryAddress --> first valid

 Gobal System preferences-->Patron -->Enhancedmessagingpreferences --> Allow

15. Se the triggers to send the notice. To do this go to Koha --> Tools --> Overdue Notice/status triggers

     

16. Now to customize the notices you can go to Koha--> Tools --> Notices & Slips.

17. Now set up a cronjob to activate the scripts.

       # cd /usr/share/koha/bin/cronjobs

       #./overdue_notices.pl

       #./advance_notices.pl -c

       #./process_message_queue.pl

18. Setup a cronjob
      #crontab -e
     
     add the following line at the end of the file:

     ####run cron at 5 a.m every morning########

     0 5 * * * /etc/cron.daily/koha-common