This article demonstrates how to configure Google to allow emails and text messages to be sent from within the CrossLink 1040 desktop software.
Google needs to be configured to allow CrossLink 1040 to send emails and text messages. First, you will need to configure Allow Less Secure Apps. If that does not work, you will need to configure 2 Step Verification.
🖐 Note: Errors you may see when the configuration is incorrect
Follow the instructions below to successfully configure Google to work with TextLink:
Configuring Allow Less Secure Apps
In order to use Allow Less Secure Apps, 2 Step Verification must be disabled. Otherwise, you will not see the option to Allow Less Secure Apps. If the 2-Step Verification is enabled for your Google account, skip to Method 2 instead.
Method 1: Allow Less Secure Apps
For Corporate account:
1. Open a browser and login into your Google corporate account.
2. In another tab navigate to http://admin.google.com/
3. Click Security Manage Security features.
4. Click Basic Settings.
5. Scroll down to the Less secure apps section and click Go to settings for less secure apps.
6. Select Allow users to manage their access to less secure apps.
7. Click Save.
🖐 Note: You should be able to activate the allow less secure apps from within the My Account settings.
For Standard accounts:
1. Verify the Email Address and Password are correct in the Setup > Office Setup > TextMsg/Email menu.
2. For Crosslink 2021 and above, make sure the Server URL is set to smtp.gmail.com and the Server Port is set to 587. For Crosslink 2020 and below, these fields can be left blank.
3. Open an internet browser and navigate to http://accounts.google.com/DisplayUnlockCaptcha in order to disable the additional Google block and click continue.
4. Navigate to https://myaccount.google.com/.
5. Log in to the Gmail account.
6. Click on the profile icon (top right corner).
7. Click on Manage your Google Account.
8. Click Security.
9. Click Turn on access in the Less secure app access section.
10. Toggle the switch to ON.
11. Go back to the software and send another email or text. You should see the following dialog box indicating that the email or message was sent successfully.
🖐 Note: For Crosslink 2021 and above, you will need to send an email to see if TextLink is functioning since text messages were not sent from Google. If you do not receive the email or message above and TextLink is still not functioning, please proceed to Method 2 Configure Google 2-Step Verification.
Method 2 Configure Google 2 Step Verification
1. Click Security.
2. Click 2-Step Verification.
3. Click Get Started.
4. Enter your phone number and select Text Message, then click Next (this will send a verification code to the phone number provided).
5. Enter the code, then click Next.
6. Click Turn On.
7. Click the back arrow next to 2-Step Verification.
8. Click App Passwords.
9. Select Other (custom name) from the Select App drop-down menu.
10. Choose a name (i.e. tax software), and click Generate.
11. Copy the app password.
12. Open CrossLink 1040 and login.
13. Click Setup > Office Setup.
14. Click TextMsg/Email from the list of tabs.
15. Enter/Paste the app password in the Password field.
16. Send another email or text to confirm the configuration was successful.