This article explains what Maintenance and Support is, how it works, and answers some commonly asked questions. If you have any questions, either about Maintenance and Support or about any SmarterTools product or service, feel free to email
sales@smartertools.com and we'll gladly answer questions and provide you with the information you need to make make an informed decision. If you're having a problem with a product or service, please see the support options available on the
Technical Support page of the SmarterTools website.
What is Maintenance and Support?
Maintenance and Support ensures that your licenses receive software updates and free technical support. Each new purchase of a SmarterMail, SmarterTrack or SmarterStats license includes 12 months of Maintenance and Support at no additional charge. (For example, if a new SmarterMail license is purchased on September 1, 2018, Maintenance and Support will expire on August 31, 2019.)
As long as Maintenance and Support is active for a license, it's possible to download and install any software updates released by SmarterTools and submit support requests at the Technical Support page of the SmarterTools website.
(For more information regarding the technical support available, please see the Technical Support page of the SmarterTools website.)
Is Maintenance and Support required?
While not “required” for a product to work, it is strongly suggested you renew Maintenance and Support, yearly, for your licenses due to its many benefits: unlimited support of the product, free access to any and all updates and new features that are released for the product, and the ability to use any purchased add-on such as MAPI, Exchange ActiveSync, and MessageSniffer products, EWS and even SmarterTrack Communicator. Therefore, while our products will continue to work without Maintenance and Support, it IS required if you plan on using any add-on. This is because the agreements in place with our vendors dictate that the licensing for any SmarterTools product is active and updated to the most recent release.
How do I check to see if a license is covered?
Checking to see if a license is covered by Maintenance and Support is very easy: simply log into your account from the SmarterTools website. Then, select "Licenses" from the dropdown you see when clicking on your account avatar. The Licenses page will show you all of the licenses associated with your account and the Maintenance and Support status of each license. For example, you'll see a date and a green "Protected" flag on the license, a date and a red "Expiring Soon" flag, or the license will be listed with the date Maintenance and Support expired. You can also email
sales@smartertools.com and we'll be glad to check the status and let you know.
How do I extend/renew my Maintenance and Support?
Customers can renew their Maintenance and Support up to 60 days before their current coverage expires, ensuring continuous coverage for an additional 12 months at only 50% of the new product price. (For example, the customer that purchased a new SmarterMail license on September 1, 2018 may renew his Maintenance and Support as early as July 1, 2019 to extend his Maintenance and Support coverage through August 31, 2020.)
Does Maintenance and Support automatically renew?Actually, no. Auto-renewal can be a hassle for many businesses. Therefore, SmarterTools begins contacting customers well ahead of their expiration date, and a number of automatic messages are sent out with varying frequency reminding customers of their Maintenance and Support expiration date and how to renew. SmarterTools makes every effort to notify customers of their renewal date so that they can take advantage of the significant savings available.
I have current Maintenance and Support coverage. How do I upgrade my software to the latest version?If you have current Maintenance and Support coverage, your license will be automatically eligible for the most recent versions when new updates of SmarterMail, SmarterTrack, or SmarterStats are released. This will allow you to download and install the newest version of the product from their respective downloads pages on the
SmarterTools website.
My Maintenance and Support expired, and I didn't renew it. What are my options?SmarterTools offers Maintenance and Support reinstatements to customers whose Maintenance and Support coverage has expired, and whose renewal period has passed. Reinstatement are available for 80% of the new product price. Maintenance and Support reinstatements allow the customer to upgrade to the most recent version of the product and include 12 months of technical support at no additional charge.
For example, if a customer purchases a new SmarterMail license on September 1, 2018, and does not renew Maintenance and Support coverage, the initial coverage term will expire on August 31, 2019. After this date, a Maintenance and Support reinstatement is required in order to download and install any software updates to receive the latest features and fixes and submit support requests at the Technical Support page of the SmarterTools website. If he purchases a reinstatement on November 1, 2019, he will be able to upgrade to the latest version of SmarterMail and will receive Maintenance and Support coverage through October 31, 2020 at no additional charge.
Because reinstatements are priced much higher than renewals, it is generally more cost effective to maintain current Maintenance and Support and remain on the latest version than to allow Maintenance and Support coverage to expire and then reinstate later.