This article assumes you have already added a Sender to MCA Pilot. If you haven't, start with Connect Your Email to MCA Pilot and then return here.
Enable AI Processing on a Sender so MCA Pilot can read declines, offers, and required stipulations from your inbox automatically.
Enable AI Processing
On the bottom left of the MCA Pilot sidebar, click your name or initials, then select View profile. This opens your user profile page, not the workspace-wide Settings page.
Switch to the Senders tab. Hover over the Sender you want to set up and click Edit. Near the bottom, check the box labeled AI Processing, then click Confirm to save.
Enter IMAP Credentials
After enabling AI Processing, new IMAP fields appear. These are separate from your SMTP settings. Enter the following:
Field | What to enter | Example |
IMAP username | Your full email address | |
IMAP Host | Your provider's IMAP server | imap.gmail.com |
IMAP Port | Provider port | 993 |
IMAP Requires SSL/TLS | Connection type | TRUE (checked) |
After entering the fields, click Confirm to save. Then hover over the same Sender and click Update password. A pop-up asks for both SMTP and IMAP passwords. You must update both at the same time; you cannot update one without the other.
In most cases, the same password works for both SMTP and IMAP, so paste it into both fields.
Provider-Specific Password Rules
Each provider has exact password requirements. Using the wrong credential is the most common cause of connection failures.
Google Workspace / Gmail
Use a Google app password, not your regular Gmail login password.
In your Google Account, go to Security > 2-Step Verification and turn it on.
Scroll to the bottom and open App passwords.
Name the password MCA Pilot so you can identify it later.
Click Create and copy the 16-character password to your clipboard. Do not copy an extra space at the end.
Paste the app password into both the SMTP and IMAP password fields in MCA Pilot.
Google automatically deletes app passwords when you change your Gmail password. If you recently changed your Gmail password, generate a new app password and update the sender again.
If you use your Gmail login password instead of an app password, it may work at first, but Google will eventually reject the connection and return the error: Invalid login: 534-5.7.9 Application-specific password required
IMAP settings for Gmail:
IMAP username: your full email address
IMAP password: Google app password (16 characters, no extra spaces)
IMAP host:
imap.gmail.comIMAP port:
993IMAP requires SSL/TLS:
TRUE(checked)
Microsoft Outlook
Use your regular Outlook login password.
IMAP username: your full email address
IMAP password: your Outlook login password
IMAP host:
outlook.office365.comIMAP port:
993IMAP requires SSL/TLS:
TRUE(checked)
Verify the Connection
There is no self-serve connection test for IMAP. The quickest way to confirm the setup is working is to enable AI Processing for the Sender, then check the IMAP Status field for updates on the connection status.
Once enabled, MCA Pilot checks the inbox every 5 minutes. If funder responses are present, you will see submissions updated or new offers created.
If you do not see any changes, it may mean no new funder responses with status updates have arrived yet.
Restore Gmail reply processing
If Gmail replies and offers stop being read back into MCA Pilot, restore the connection by checking your credentials, re-creating the app password if needed, and re-enabling AI Processing.
Re-create the Google app password
Changing your Gmail password automatically revokes every Google app password. If you recently changed your Gmail password, generate a new app password:
In your Google Account, go to Security > 2-Step Verification > App passwords.
Name the password MCA Pilot and click Create.
Copy the 16-character password without extra spaces.
Update the sender in MCA Pilot
In MCA Pilot, click your profile and select View profile, then open the Senders tab.
Hover over the sender and click Update password.
Paste the new app password into both the SMTP and IMAP password fields. You must update both together; you cannot update one without the other.
Approve any Google security alerts
Check your Gmail inbox for a Google security or access alert about mail/IMAP access. If you see one, approve the alert to restore access.
Enable AI Processing
On the Senders tab, hover over the sender and click Edit.
Check the box labeled AI Processing, then click Confirm to save.
Check the IMAP Status field for updates on the connection status. If the status updates, the connection is restored and replies will resume processing.
AI Processing runs every 5 minutes. During a large backlog, Google may temporarily throttle IMAP connections. If replies do not appear immediately, wait a few minutes and check the IMAP Status field again.
If you still do not see responses being matched, check whether the funder replies from a different domain than the submission domain and add that domain under Funders > Submission Method > Additional domains. See Map funder reply domains for approval and decline emails.
For Microsoft 365 recovery steps, see Reconnect your email sender. For broader AI processing issues, see Troubleshooting AI Processing for funder responses.