Automated Emails with SendEmail & Task Scheduler

Automating Status Reports with Windows Task Scheduler and SendEmail

Regardless of profession, most individuals will, at some point, need to communicate status updates to a manager or supervisor via email. These reports often consist of data spreadsheets, log files, or other automatically created documents.

While data collection and report generation may be straightforward, consistently composing and sending the accompanying email can become a significant inconvenience.

Occasional lapses in sending these reports can create the impression of disorganization.

Leveraging Automation Tools

Fortunately, your computer offers solutions to streamline this process.

The Windows Task Scheduler is a well-known feature for many Windows users. This article details how to utilize it alongside the SendEmail command-line tool ([Broken URL Removed]) to create scheduled, automated emails with multiple attachments.

Benefits of Automated Reporting

• Increased Efficiency: Eliminate the manual effort of composing and sending routine reports.
• Improved Reliability: Ensure reports are delivered consistently, even if you are busy or away from your desk.
• Professional Image: Demonstrate proactivity and attention to detail by consistently providing timely updates.

By combining these tools, you can reliably deliver essential information without the ongoing manual effort.

The SendEmail utility provides a powerful method for dispatching emails directly from the command line, making it ideal for integration with scheduled tasks.

Automating Report Delivery with SendEmail

The process of automatically distributing reports is straightforward. You maintain a folder containing regularly updated automated reports. These could be server log summaries intended for your manager, or website traffic analyses for your clients. Regardless of the specific application, this method enables the automatic dispatch of emails containing the necessary attachments. Provided a system is in place to refresh these files prior to the scheduled email transmission, a fully automated reporting system is achievable.

Let's illustrate with an example. Suppose you generate and download three Google Analytics reports each Thursday, storing them in a directory named C:/Analytics. Upon downloading SendEmail from the provided link, no initial configuration is required. Simply place the executable in your desired working directory. In this scenario, placing it alongside the report files eliminates the need to specify the full attachment path in the command line.

While Linux users have long utilized the "sendmail" command, this functionality isn't native to Windows. The "SendEmail" tool bridges this gap, offering Windows users comparable command-line capabilities. Once the executable resides in a directory, understanding the correct syntax unlocks a range of possibilities.

Executing the "SendEmail" command from the command prompt, or through another application, necessitates the inclusion of specific parameters. The parameters most relevant to our purpose are detailed in the following examples.

• -f xxxxx@gmail.com : Defines the sender's email address.
• -t rdube@yahoo.com : Specifies the recipient’s email address.
• -u Monday Status Updates : Sets the email subject line.
• -m Here's the analytics data for this week! : Composes the body of the email message.
• -a Analytics_Channel1.csv Analytics_Channel2.csv Analytics_Channel3.csv : Lists the files to be attached to the email.
• -s smtp.gmail.com:587 : Indicates the SMTP server address and port number.
• -xu xxxxx@gmail.com : Provides the SMTP authentication username.
• -xp A1ienz2A51 : Supplies the SMTP authentication password.
• -o tls=yes : Enables TLS (or SSL) encryption for SMTP communication.

These parameters encompass everything needed to accomplish the automated email task described in this article. After downloading the SendEmail.exe file, you can leverage Windows Task Scheduler to execute your SendEmail command on a recurring schedule – daily, weekly, or monthly.

Automating Email Delivery with Windows Task Scheduler

The Windows Task Scheduler can be accessed through the Start Menu, navigating to Programs, then Accessories, followed by System Tools, and finally selecting Task Scheduler. Initiate the process of creating a new task by clicking the appropriate option.