EcoEmail

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  Launch Page

Inspiration

EcoEmail was created because our team was tired of constantly juggling 5–10 different email addresses and hoping that the right recipients would actually respond. We wanted a way to combine multiple inboxes into one centralized system, much like a ticket-based service. Our idea was also inspired by experiences during internships on legal teams, where certain users needed restricted access to sensitive ticket data. We took that concept and improved it by making the process more automated and configurable for diverse organizational needs.

What it does

EcoEmail centralizes multiple email accounts under one unified interface. Team members can view, send, and delegate emails while ensuring that role-based permissions control exactly who sees which emails. We also integrate workflow features like internal comments, assignment of emails to other team members, and real-time notifications (optional with SignalR).

How we built it

We built EcoEmail using:

• ASP.NET for the backend (3 dedicated backend developers),
• Azure App Services for deployment,
• Angular for the frontend (1 dedicated frontend developer),
• One database specialist using either Azure SQL or PostgreSQL for data storage.

The development process included setting up a custom JWT-based authentication system and crafting a robust RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) model for assigning email access levels to different users.

Challenges we ran into

1. Cloud Provider Issues
   Initially, we tried using AWS for hosting but faced configuration and deployment hurdles. We switched to Azure to streamline the process.

2. Learning Curve
   Several team members were new to ASP.NET, which required extra ramp-up time and effort to learn the framework’s ins and outs.

3. Role-Based Permissions
   Designing and implementing a flexible RBAC that could handle a variety of user permissions for different email accounts was more complex than expected.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Custom JWT Authentication
  We successfully developed our own JWT-based authentication logic, enabling secure user sessions without relying on a third-party identity provider.

• Effective Collaboration
  Despite the learning curves and platform pivots, the team persevered, delivered working features, and integrated them smoothly.

• Multi-Account Inbox
  Our system merges multiple email addresses into a single interface, simplifying an otherwise lengthy process of checking and sending emails separately.

What we learned

• ASP.NET & CI/CD
  We gained hands-on knowledge of ASP.NET, along with building CI/CD pipelines for automated builds and deployments.

• SignalR
  Some team members explored SignalR for the first time, seeing how real-time notifications can transform the user experience.

• Cloud Providers
  We learned the differences and trade-offs between AWS and Azure cloud services, enhancing our ability to choose the right platform for future projects.

• RBAC Models
  Working on role-based assignment of emails taught us how to structure permissions for different user levels and responsibilities.

What's next for EcoEmail

• Advanced Automation
  Automating more tasks—like sending auto-replies or categorizing emails via AI-driven rules—could simplify team workflows even further.

• Expanded Integrations
  Integrate with additional providers (e.g., Slack, Trello) for seamless notifications and tracking.

• Scalability & Performance
  Further optimize the system for larger organizations with thousands of emails per day.

• Refined User Experience
  Enhance the UI/UX for delegation and role assignment, making it more intuitive for non-technical teams.

Built With

• angular.js
• asp.net
• azure
• c#
• entity-framework
• github-action
• signalr
• sqlserver
• typescript