# Transactional SMTP Relay: steps to start sending

* [ ] Create a [Connection](/docs/introduction/getting-ready-to-send.md) or [MTA policy](/docs/velocity-mta-basics/creating-an-mta-delivery-policy.md)
* [ ] Create a [Postal Route](/docs/introduction/postal-routes.md) for your Connection or MTA Policy
* [ ] Create a [Customer Account](/docs/backend-administration/creating-customer-accounts.md) or use the default Acme Customer
* [ ] Add the Postal Route to the Customer Account
* [ ] Add a [User Account](/docs/backend-administration/creating-user-accounts.md) under the Customer Account
* [ ] Log in as the User Account in Incognito mode or a second web browser

{% hint style="warning" %}
**You have to log in directly as the User for this next step.** 

Don't use administrator impersonation mode. 
{% endhint %}

* [ ] Find your User API Key by clicking **Integrate -> API & SMTP -> SMTP Relay** 
* [ ] Use the API Key as your username and password 
* [ ] Connect to your ESP platform DNS hostname or IP address on port 587, 2525, or 8025
* [ ] Use STARTTLS or TLS for your encryption method, or choose no encryption

{% hint style="info" %}
**All three ports accept both TLS and disabled/no encryption.**
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
**TLS is the only supported encryption method - do not select SSL in your application.**
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Try connecting using your IP address instead of your domain if you run into issues.**
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Your transactional SMTP messages will be delivered via the Customer's Postal Route.**

Mail comes **into** your Transactional SMTP Relay on port 587, 2525, or 8025 and goes **out of** the Connection or MTA Policy configured in the Postal Route assigned to your Customer Account in the administrative backend.
{% endhint %}

All mail delivered from your ESP platform follows the same pathway: 

**Broadcast, Funnel, or Transactional Message ->**  **Customer Account -> Postal Route -> API Connection, SMTP Relay Connection, or MTA Policy -> Gmail/Yahoo/Outlook/etc** 

{% hint style="success" %}
**You can actually use whatever you want for the Transactional SMTP Relay username.** 

We recommend using the API Key for the username and password for simplicity of explanation, but the username is actually ignored and discarded and can be anything.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
**If you're using Cloudflare for HTTPS, extra steps to** [**enable SMTP Relay** ](/docs/options-for-adding-https/transactional-smtp-relay-requirements-for-cloudflare.md)**are required.** 
{% endhint %}


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