QCST Inbound Email Server Requirements
This article covers PHP IMAP, a dedicated mailbox, working credentials/TLS, Joomla Scheduled Tasks, outbound acknowledgement mail, and a safe test mailbox.
Where this fits in QC Support Ticket
Inbound email is a Max/All Access feature. Each enabled mailbox connects to an ordinary IMAP account, routes new tickets to one Department, can accept replies to existing tickets, and can process attachments and supported Agent commands according to the mailbox settings.
Inbound processing is intentionally defensive: it checks sender authority, ticket identity, deduplication, loop/bounce/automatic-message signals, attachment policy, and mailbox state before it changes ticket data.
Primary location: Joomla Administrator → Components → QC Support Ticket → Email Templates → Inbound Mailboxes.
Before you begin
- Confirm the site currently has Max / All Access effective access before expecting the controls described here. A preserved configuration may still exist after downgrade even when the feature is locked.
- Confirm Joomla Mail works before diagnosing QCST template delivery. For inbound mail, confirm PHP IMAP is available and keep one controlled test message available.
Before enabling inbound mail
| Requirement | Check |
|---|---|
| Effective plan | Max/All Access. |
| PHP | IMAP extension available. |
| Mailbox | Dedicated support mailbox with working IMAP credentials/TLS/folder access. |
| Scheduled Tasks | Inbound Mailboxes routine every 5 minutes, preferably driven by server CRON for predictable polling. |
| Outbound Joomla Mail | Needed for normal QCST acknowledgements/notifications. |
| Testing | Use a dedicated test mailbox/sender before pointing a busy historical inbox at QCST. |
Important behavior and limits
- Do not include IMAP passwords or full private mailbox content in screenshots/support posts; use QCST's sanitized diagnostics.
Current-version note
This documentation is based on QC Support Ticket 1.0.42, the package currently deployed on the QuantaCade production site. The behavior described for QCST Inbound Email Server Requirements should be checked against the current screen labels before applying instructions to an older QCST release.
Verify the result
- Mailbox Test succeeds before unattended processing is relied upon.
- Process Now handles one controlled message exactly once and records a safe result without duplicate ticket/reply creation.
If it does not work as expected
- If connection fails, verify PHP IMAP, host/port/encryption/certificate settings and credentials before changing routing.
- If connection succeeds but processing fails, inspect sender policy, ticket reference matching, duplicate/loop checks, mailbox capabilities, and attachment policy.
Community Discussion
For practical QC Support Ticket workflows and discussion with other Joomla site owners, visit the QC Support Ticket Community. For private support, bug reports, account-specific issues, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.