Brightspace Email Tool

What is Brightspace Email?

Brightspace contains an email system right within it!  It works just like Gmail, Outlook or any other "regular" email system would, except all messages remain inside Brightspace- which means it is secure. Because emails like Gmail, AOL, Outlook, etc. could be hacked, and emails about grades or other things that should be discussed privately, must be addressed through either Brightspace's email or your HVCC WebMail account that uses your HVCC email address because they are more secure.  Emails remain stored in Brightspace, too.

Important Information 

  • You cannot send email messages to users (email addresses) outside of the Brightspace system. What does that mean? You cannot compose an email message in Brightspace and add DLhelp@hvcc.edu to the To: field. The message will not send. You need to use your HVCC WebMail email account (Outlook) to send the message. Brightspace email is an internal messaging system.
  • You cannot reply to Brightspace email notifications from your HVCC webmail. What does that mean? Brightspace email notifications are sent from no-reply@mail.mylearning.suny.edu, this means if you only click reply the message will not be received by anyone. Instead follow posted information from your professor to either:
    1. After clicking reply change the "TO:" line to the email posted in your course 
      OR
    2. Login to Brightspace and reply to the email message in Brightspace

How do I Access My Brightspace Email?

  • Click the Message alerts icon (envelope) from the navbar, and then click Email.

How do I Send an Email to My Instructor?

  • Go to your course and then access Brightspace Email

    Brightspace Email icon
     
  • Click on the Compose button

    Email Compose button
     
  • You have 2 choices:

    Option 1: To text or Option 2: Address Book button
     
    • Option 1:
      • Click on the tiny blue "To" text at the left of the address field
      • A new window opens and you can select who to send the email to from the list of names
      • Click on Add Recipients and the window will close

        Option 1: Select To text, choose recipient, and Add Recipient button
         
    • Option 2:
      • Click on the Address Book button and it opens a new window
      • In the new window, click on the box next to the recipient's name to select it
      • Click on the tiny blue "To" text at the top of the list and the recipient field will populate with the name
      • Click on Add Recipients button and the window closes

        Option 2: Select Address Book, choose recipient, select To text and then Add Recipient button
         
  • The name is now in the main recipient field 
  • Compose your email message

    Compose Message window - recipient's address field, body field, send button
     
  • Select the Send button

Troubleshooting Brightspace Email

Why can I only see some emails in my inbox?

If you know you have more emails than you can see on the page:

  • Ensure the email filter is not restricting the emails you are seeing. From the Filter By list, select All Messages.
  • You might have multiple pages for your email. Make sure to look through all pages and/or expand the number of emails that appear per page.

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