Troubleshooting problems when sending reports through e‑mail

This document helps you address problems that prevent you from sending an appraisal report as an e‑mail attachment.

Document 5092  |  Last updated:  03/09/2020 MJY

The process of sharing reports via e‑mail can be interrupted by files that are too large, an incomplete Outlook (or other e‑mail program) setup, or security software interference, to name a few. This document covers several common issues and their solutions.

MAPI errors  |  Send does nothing  |  Connection errors  |  Client-end problems


Handling MAPI errors:

If you get a message like "Could not send message:  A MAPI Compatible e‑mail application could not be detected" or "An error occurred while trying to deliver your report — unknown error" when you're trying to deliver your report, you need to configure Windows to recognize your e‑mail program. Click here for step‑by‑step instructions.


Clicking Send does nothing, or e‑mail stays in your Outbox:

  • If you configured configured Outlook — or a similar email client — with your email account information, it may not be configured properly. Consult your email provider or email client's documentation for help with configuring.
  • Your e‑mail message may be too large. If you have lots of images in your report, or large files in your Workfile, it may take a long time for the e‑mail to exit your Outbox — or it may not send at all. Try optimizing the images in your report with the Image Optimizer, and check the Workfile tab in your report for large images or PDF files.
  • Your antivirus software may be taking a long time to scan your message. Try disabling e‑mail scanning in your antivirus software. If you need assistance with this process, contact the manufacturer of your antivirus software or a local technician.

When you click Send you receive a connection error:

  • If you configured configured Outlook — or a similar email client — with your email account information, it may not be configured properly. Consult your email provider or email client's documentation for help with configuring.
  • Temporarily disable your antivirus e‑mail scanning, firewall, and any other security software, and try sending the e‑mail again. If it sends with your security software disabled, your security software may be the problem. Contact a local technician for assistance.

Your client doesn't receive the report or can't open it:

One of the following issues could prevent your client from receiving or opening your reports:

  • Your clients' Internet Service Provider (ISP) won't deliver the message. If your clients' ISP places restrictions on the size of e‑mail messages they receive, it's possible your e‑mail is getting blocked due to those size restrictions. Try optimizing images in your report, and check the Workfile tab in your report for large images or PDF files.
  • Your clients' e‑mail boxes are nearly full. If your report can't fit into their inbox, they won't be able to receive your report.
  • Your clients' security software is filtering out your e‑mail. In some cases, banks will turn up restrictions in their security software. When that occurs, you may not be able to deliver e‑mail messages with large attachments (like reports). Your clients may need to contact their system administrator for assistance.
  • Your clients can't open your report files. There are two reasons that your clients might not be able to open your reports:
    1. Your client hasn't installed Adobe Acrobat Reader. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader program is the industry standard for opening and viewing PDF files. They can download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader by visiting Adobe's website at http://www.adobe.com.
    2. You've inadvertently sent your client a TOTAL report file. On occasion, you may hear clients tell you that they see a bunch of garbage characters on their screens when they open your reports. This is typically an indication that you've inadvertently sent a ZAP (Zipped Appraisal Package) file to your client. Simply send the report again, and ensure that you choose a PDF or XML.

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