We are excited to announce the release of Automail v12, a powerful upgrade to our AI-based solution for automating data collection and analytics via email. In this version, we have rebuilt the user interface, improved backend workflows, integrated additional AI features, and optimized infrastructure, all designed to streamline business processes.

The idea behind Automail is to simplify data collection and exchange with supply chain partners by using emails with context-adjusted web links to gather only the necessary data, rather than relying on a large, centralized platform.

Here is what’s new in Automail v12:

Frontend Rebuilt for a Modern User Experience

Automail v12 introduces a completely revamped frontend using the latest version of Bootstrap. This upgrade provides a modern, responsive interface that is easier to navigate, enhancing the user experience and making the application flow more intuitive.

New Airflow Backend

Our backend workflows are now managed using Apache Airflow, an open-source platform for automating, scheduling, and monitoring workflows. This transition enhances Automail’s ability to scale and handle complex data pipelines efficiently, making automation smoother and more reliable.

Automated Infrastructure with Terraform and AWS

We have fully automated the infrastructure setup using Terraform and AWS, ensuring faster and more consistent deployments across environments. This approach reduces setup times, lowers costs, and ensures a highly secure and scalable infrastructure for each instance of Automail.

More technical details are available in our official docs.

Containerized Security with ECS Architecture

Automail now runs on a fully containerized architecture with its components running as separate tasks in AWS Elastic Container Service (ECS). Each instance is isolated within its own ECS cluster, ensuring high security and scalability while making it easier to manage and deploy updates seamlessly.

PostgreSQL as Default Database for Superior Performance

In this release, we have switched from MySQL to PostgreSQL as the default database. PostgreSQL offers enhanced performance for production environments, better support for complex queries, and additional features such as better character support for non-English data. This change makes Automail more robust and capable of handling larger datasets, providing superior analytics and data processing power.

Seamless Integration with Autoform

Automail v12 offers native integration with Autoform, a dynamic data collection service that is our web-based version combining features of Excel and Google Forms to collect data from supply chain partners in various formats. Autoform has a dedicated API used by Automail to generate new web links with unique hashes and context-specific content.

For example, a pre-filled Autoform link can be sent to a specific supplier, requesting only new data not yet available in Automail. The goal is to minimize the workload for supply chain partners by reducing redundant data collection and tailoring the format for each specific request.

New Chat Feature Powered by GPT-4o

One of the most exciting additions in Automail v12 is our new chat feature, which uses GPT-4o in the backend. This feature allows users to interact with Automail via chat to make data-driven business decisions directly from the platform. The AI uses data stored in Automail to generate actionable insights, making it easy to retrieve information and analytics on demand.

To protect client privacy, we have added an anonymity layer to ensure that no actual company data is sent to OpenAI’s servers.

Isolated Environments for Each Instance

Each Automail instance is deployed in its own environment, with dedicated VPC, ECS cluster, PostgreSQL database, and S3 storage. This isolation ensures that client data is secure and that configurations are tailored for each specific deployment. Updates and changes are managed through a dedicated CI/CD pipeline, allowing us to deploy changes quickly and reliably.

Dropping Legacy Features

To keep Automail streamlined and efficient, we have deprecated certain legacy features:

  • MSSQL database compatibility has been removed in favor of PostgreSQL, which provides superior performance and flexibility.
  • The Excel-based data collection feature has been replaced by Autoform, offering a more efficient and modern approach to data collection.

Conclusion

With Automail v12, we have made the platform faster and more powerful while equipping it with cutting-edge AI capabilities, making it easier than ever to automate data collection and analytics. Our commitment to security and performance ensures that Automail remains a reliable tool for business, helping users make informed decisions with minimal effort.