Changelog – September 30, 2025

Email Communication System Implementation

Overview

Implemented comprehensive email communication system using Mailgun for user management workflows.

New Features

1. User Deletion

Added “Delete User” button to User Management page
Confirmation dialog to prevent accidental deletions
Permanently removes user and all associated data
Useful for cleaning up test accounts and unactivated users

2. Email Integration with Mailgun

Integrated Mailgun email service using HTTP API
Created email service utility (/src/lib/email.ts)
Implemented three types of automated emails:

Email Types:

Signup Notification (Admin)

Sent to admin when new user signs up
Includes user details and link to user management
Helps admins quickly respond to new signups

User Invitation Email

Sent when admin creates a new user account
Includes assigned stores and login link
Professional welcome message with HTML formatting

Account Approval Email

Sent when admin activates a user account
Notifies user they can now access the system
Includes direct login link

Technical Changes

New Files

src/lib/email.ts – Email service with Mailgun integration
EMAIL_SETUP.md – Comprehensive email setup documentation
HEROKU_ENV_SETUP.md – Quick reference for Heroku configuration

Modified Files

src/app/api/auth/signup/route.ts – Added admin notification email
src/app/api/admin/users/route.ts – Added invitation email on user creation
src/app/api/users/route.ts – Added approval email when user activated
src/app/dashboard/users/page.tsx – Added delete user functionality
package.json – Added mailgun.js and form-data dependencies

New Dependencies

mailgun.js – Official Mailgun API client
form-data – Required for mailgun.js

Environment Variables Required

MAILGUN_API_KEY          # Provided by Heroku Mailgun addon
MAILGUN_DOMAIN           # Provided by Heroku Mailgun addon
MAILGUN_FROM_EMAIL       # Set manually: "Deco Order Manager <noreply@domain.com>"
ADMIN_EMAIL              # Set manually: admin email for notifications

Setup Instructions

Install Dependencies:

   npm install

Configure Environment Variables on Heroku:

   heroku config:set ADMIN_EMAIL="your-admin@email.com"
   heroku config:set MAILGUN_FROM_EMAIL="Deco Order Manager <noreply@yourdomain.com>"

Verify Mailgun Config:

   heroku config | grep MAILGUN

Deploy:

   git add .
   git commit -m "Add email communication and user deletion"
   git push heroku main

Testing

Test Signup Email:

Visit signup page
Create a test account
Admin should receive notification email

Test Invitation Email:

Log in as admin
Create a new user
Check new user’s email inbox

Test Approval Email:

Log in as admin
Activate a pending user
Check user’s email inbox

Test User Deletion:

Log in as admin
Go to User Management
Click “Delete User” on a test account
Confirm deletion

Important Notes

Emails are sent asynchronously and won’t block user operations
Email failures are logged but don’t prevent user operations
Mailgun sandbox domains require recipient authorization
For production, verify a custom domain in Mailgun
All emails include both HTML and plain text versions

Benefits

Better User Experience:

Users know when their account is approved
New users receive proper onboarding
Clear communication at each step

Improved Admin Workflow:

Instant notifications of new signups
Automated invitation emails save time
No manual communication needed

Professional Image:

Branded email templates
Timely automated responses
Consistent communication

Additional Updates (Later in Day)

3. Mailgun Production Upgrade

Upgraded Mailgun from sandbox to production plan (50k emails/month)
Fixed email delivery issues by removing sandbox restrictions
Now supports sending to any email address

4. Password Reset/Set Functionality

Implemented /api/auth/reset-password endpoint
Created /set-password page for users to set/reset passwords
Added “Forgot Password” link on login page
Includes password strength validation (12+ chars, uppercase, special char)

5. User Invitation Workflow Simplification

Changed from creating accounts to sending invitation emails
Users now sign up normally with their own password
Simplified “Add User” dialog – only requires email address
Users fill in name, password, store name during their own signup
More secure and less admin overhead

6. UI/UX Improvements

Fixed table hover states for both light and dark modes
Updated email branding from “Deco Order Manager” to “Orchard Street Press – Store Manager”
Improved invitation email content and formatting
Added proper CSS context awareness for theme switching

7. Bug Fixes

Fixed syntax error in users table component
Resolved build failures from missing imports
Fixed email domain configuration issues
Corrected table hover visibility in dark mode

Technical Files Updated

src/app/api/auth/reset-password/route.ts – New password reset endpoint
src/app/set-password/page.tsx – New password setting page
src/app/page.tsx – Added “Forgot Password” link
src/app/globals.css – Fixed table hover for both themes
src/lib/email.ts – Updated branding and invitation workflow
src/app/dashboard/users/page.tsx – Simplified user creation dialog

Current Status

✅ Email system fully functional with production Mailgun
✅ Password reset/set functionality working
✅ User invitation workflow streamlined
✅ UI hover states fixed for all themes
✅ Branding consistent across login and emails
✅ All build errors resolved

Next Steps (Optional Enhancements)

Store assignment notification emails
Order status notification emails
Weekly summary emails for admins
Email template customization interface

Tag: email alerts

Deco Order Manager – Daily Changelog – September 30, 2025