--- title: "Setting Up Email Integration for Leads in ClearCRM" description: "Automatically capture new leads from incoming emails by connecting your IMAP inbox to ClearCRM." url: https://help.clearcrm.com/en/articles/10766408-setting-up-email-integration-for-leads-in-clearcrm collection: "Leads" updated: 2026-07-02 language: en --- # Setting Up Email Integration for Leads in ClearCRM Automatically capture new leads from incoming emails by connecting your IMAP inbox to ClearCRM. ## Overview The **Email Integration** feature in ClearCRM allows you to connect an IMAP email inbox and automatically create new leads whenever someone sends an email to that address. This helps your team capture inbound inquiries, demo requests, or general interest emails without manually entering them into the CRM. Each new sender becomes a **Lead** under **CRM → Leads**, and the system can automatically assign them to the right team member, set their source, and notify your team instantly. * * * ## Accessing the Email Integration Page To open the setup page: 1. Go to **Setup → Leads → Email Integration**. 2. You’ll land on the configuration page for connecting your IMAP email account. * * * ## Configuring IMAP Email To enable automatic lead creation, fill out the IMAP connection form:

Field

Description

Active

Toggle this to Yes to enable automatic email checks.

IMAP Server

Your mail server address, e.g. imap.gmail.com or imap.yourdomain.com.

Email Address (Login)

The full login email for your mailbox (e.g. johndoe@example.com).

Password

The email account’s password or app-specific password.

Encryption

Select the encryption type used by your email provider (SSL/TLS).

Folder Retrieve Folders

Choose the folder to check for new messages. Default: INBOX.

Check Every (minutes)

Set how frequently ClearCRM checks your mailbox for new emails.

Default Status

Select the lead status that new leads will receive (e.g. “New”, “Qualified”). You can add new statuses using the + button.

Default Source

Choose how to categorize incoming leads (e.g. “Google”, “Facebook”). You can also create new sources using the + button.

Responsible for New Lead

Assign a team member who will be automatically responsible for new leads created via this email.

* * * ## Notification Settings You can decide who gets notified when a new lead is imported or when the same sender emails again. - **Notify when lead imported** – Send notifications for every new lead created. - **Notify if lead sends email multiple times** – Send alerts when an existing sender emails again. Then choose **who** should receive these notifications: - **Team members with roles** – Select specific roles under “Roles to Notify”. - **Specific team members** – Pick individuals from the “Team Members to Notify” dropdown. - **Responsible person** – Notify only the team member responsible for that lead. * * * ## Additional Options

Option

Description

Only check non opened emails

(Recommended ON) Ensures only unread emails are processed. The system automatically marks processed emails as read to prevent duplicates.

Create task if email sender is already customer

If the sender already exists as a customer, a follow-up task is created and assigned to their responsible team member.

Delete mail after import?

Removes the email from your inbox once it’s imported.

Auto mark as public

Makes imported leads visible to all users with access permissions.

* * * ## Testing and Saving Once the settings are filled: 1. Click **Test IMAP Connection** to confirm that ClearCRM can connect to your email server. - If successful, you’ll see a confirmation message. - If unsuccessful, double-check your server address, encryption type, and credentials. 2. Click **Save** to activate your email integration. * * * ## Spam Filters To prevent unwanted senders or messages from being imported as leads: 1. Click **Spam Filters** in the top-right corner. 2. On this page, you can manage filters under three tabs: - **Blocked Senders** – Emails from these addresses won’t be imported. - **Blocked Subjects** – Emails with these subjects will be ignored. - **Blocked Phrases** – Emails containing these phrases in the subject or body will be blocked. 3. Use the **\+ Add New Spam Filter** button to add entries in any category. * * * ## How It Works (Behind the Scenes) Once enabled, ClearCRM checks the connected inbox at the set interval (e.g. every 5 minutes). - New emails from unknown senders are imported as new **Leads**. - Emails from known **Customers** create follow-up **Tasks** instead. - Notifications are sent based on your chosen settings. * * * ## Example Use Case - You create a dedicated inbox like `leads@yourbusiness.com`. - You integrate it in ClearCRM via **Setup → Leads → Email Integration**. - Whenever someone emails `leads@yourbusiness.com`, they automatically appear in **CRM → Leads**, assigned to your sales team. * * * ## Summary The Email Integration tool makes it easy to capture inbound opportunities straight from your inbox into ClearCRM — keeping your lead pipeline full, your notifications timely, and your sales team focused on converting instead of data entry. * * * 👉 _Tip: For best results, use an email account dedicated solely to lead capture — not your personal inbox._