My invoice email failed
Invoice or reminder email showing "failed"? It's usually a custom sender problem — check the Recent sends log, your SMTP port, and SPF/DKIM.
When an invoice or reminder email shows as failed, the cause is almost always your custom sender configuration — not Hoursmith's delivery itself. The good news is the delivery log tells you exactly what happened.
Most likely cause
Invoice and reminder emails use your custom sender if you've configured one, and the platform default sender otherwise. A failing custom sender records a "failed" entry in the delivery log and does not silently fall back to the default — so the email simply doesn't go out. The usual triggers are bad provider credentials or a blocked SMTP port.
How to check
- Read the log. Open Settings → Email and check the "Recent sends" log for the failed entry and its reason.
- Check your credentials. Confirm the provider credentials on that same screen are still valid.
- Check the SMTP port. SMTP must use a submission port like 2525. Ports 25, 465, and 587 are blocked.
- Check your DNS records. The email domain-verification card is a guidance stub — it always reads "Pending" and never turns green. A missing SPF/DKIM record can get your mail filtered as spam on the client's side even when sending "succeeds".
How to fix
Send a test email
In Settings → Email, use "Send a test email" to reproduce the failure quickly without re-sending a real invoice.
Fix credentials or the port
If the log points to authentication, re-enter your provider credentials. If you're using SMTP, switch to a submission port like 2525 — not 25, 465, or 587.
Publish SPF, DKIM, and DMARC yourself
Because the domain-verification card is only guidance, you must publish SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records at your DNS host yourself. Don't wait for the card to change — it stays "Pending" by design.
Resend the invoice
Once the test email succeeds, resend the invoice or reminder.
A failing custom sender does not fall back to Hoursmith's default — the email won't be delivered at all until you fix the sender. Watch the "Recent sends" log to confirm the next attempt succeeds.
Still stuck?
If the test email keeps failing after you've fixed credentials and the port, email hi@hoursmith.app with the failure reason from the log. Full setup details are in Email settings.
I didn't receive an email
Verification, password-reset, invite, or client magic-link email not arriving? Check spam, confirm the address, and request a fresh link — links expire.
Stripe isn't connected
Seeing "Coming soon" or no Pay button? Card payments need online payments enabled, a Studio or Agency plan, and a Stripe account with charges enabled.