Error: 'Generic COM Error' or 'Failed to output...' when sending emails

Solution Properties

Solution ID:

200519134828621

Last Modified Date:

Fri Sep 05 13:05:42 UTC 2025

Taxonomy Path:

Case category//I have a problem with...//email

Author:

[email protected]

Error: 'Generic COM Error' or 'Failed to output...' when sending emails

Description

NOTE: Follow our separate article if you see the error 'Unable to connect to the remote server'.

If you use Microsoft Outlook, when you try to email documents one of the following messages may appear:

'Unable to send all emails'
'ExtendedErrorCode.COMError: "Generic COM Error'
'Failed to output to email'

If your error message doesn't match exactly with any listed above, ▼ check your next steps.

Windows event log error

Follow our Troubleshooting Email - Understanding Event Log Errors when using Microsoft Outlook article if you receive the error:

'Unable to send all emails.Please check Windows event Log for more details',

Unknown error

If you use Gmail or Yahoo, follow our Unknown error when emailing documents using webmail with 2-step authentication article.

New Outlook

The New Outlook application isn't compatible with Sage software. To use your software's email functionality, you need to turn this off and revert to the original setting,

To check if you’re using New Outlook, check the ▼ top right of Outlook.

Unable to send all emails in Sage 50 Accounts

The following errors can be due to different levels of user access for Sage 50 Accounts and Microsoft Outlook:

Error: 'Unable to communicate with Microsoft Outlook as you are running Sage...'

Error: 'A problem occurred when sending your email. Please restart your computer...'

Other errors

If you see a different error or your error still occurs, follow the troubleshooting steps below.

Troubleshooting steps

TIP: Try testing with a blank Outlook signature applied to the layout, as using your own custom signatures can sometimes cause an error. If this is successful, recreate your original signature and check if this resolves the issue.

Check you're using a compatible version of Microsoft Office. What is the compatibility of my software with Microsoft Office?
Run both your Sage software and Outlook as admin. Close each program, right-click the desktop icon and click Run as administrator for each
Check you've installed the latest updates for the software you're using: Sage 50 Accounts, Sage 50 Payroll or Sage 50 P11D
If you're not using Microsoft Outlook, check your SMTP settings and webmail password are correct. Then, check you can log into your email service provider's webmail account, and that your provider hasn't locked it
If you're having issues with a customised layout, try a standard layout. If the standard layout emails are successful, try editing the standard layout and recreate your changes
Test the required document with a different customer or supplier. If this is successful, remove and re-add the customer or supplier email address to the affected record
Restart your computer

Issue persists

If the problem persists, select the relevant option below for further steps.