Merge pull request #46 from xtr-dev/dev

Dev
Add has-many relationship from emails to processing jobs
2025-12-10 08:13:23 +00:00 · 2025-09-14 20:45:26 +02:00 · 2025-09-14 20:41:19 +02:00 · 2025-09-14 20:38:47 +02:00 · 2025-09-14 20:32:23 +02:00 · 2025-09-14 20:26:59 +02:00
30 changed files with 1285 additions and 1347 deletions
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,4 +4,6 @@ node_modules/
 payload-docs
 dist/
 /dev/payload.db
+/dev/dev.db
+dev.db
 tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
--- a/DEVELOPMENT.md
+++ b/DEVELOPMENT.md
@@ -126,9 +126,10 @@ When you start the dev server, look for these messages:
 🎯 Test interface will be available at: /mailing-test

 ✅ Example email templates created successfully
-PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin initialized successfully
 ```

+**Note**: The plugin initializes silently on success (no "initialized successfully" message). If you see no errors, the plugin loaded correctly.
+
 ## Troubleshooting

 ### Server won't start
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,26 +28,31 @@ npm install @xtr-dev/payload-mailing

 ## Quick Start

-### 1. Add the plugin to your Payload config
+### 1. Configure email in your Payload config and add the plugin

 ```typescript
 import { buildConfig } from 'payload/config'
 import { mailingPlugin } from '@xtr-dev/payload-mailing'
+import { nodemailerAdapter } from '@payloadcms/email-nodemailer'

 export default buildConfig({
  // ... your config
+  email: nodemailerAdapter({
+    defaultFromAddress: 'noreply@yoursite.com',
+    defaultFromName: 'Your Site',
+    transport: {
+      host: 'smtp.gmail.com',
+      port: 587,
+      auth: {
+        user: process.env.EMAIL_USER,
+        pass: process.env.EMAIL_PASS,
+      },
+    },
+  }),
  plugins: [
    mailingPlugin({
      defaultFrom: 'noreply@yoursite.com',
-      transport: {
-        host: 'smtp.gmail.com',
-        port: 587,
-        secure: false,
-        auth: {
-          user: process.env.EMAIL_USER,
-          pass: process.env.EMAIL_PASS,
-        },
-      },
+      defaultFromName: 'Your Site Name',
      retryAttempts: 3,
      retryDelay: 300000, // 5 minutes
      queue: 'email-queue', // optional
@@ -119,13 +124,6 @@ mailingPlugin({
    return yourCustomEngine.render(template, variables)
  },

-  // Email transport
-  transport: {
-    host: 'smtp.gmail.com',
-    port: 587,
-    auth: { user: '...', pass: '...' }
-  },
-
  // Collection names (optional)
  collections: {
    templates: 'email-templates',  // default
@@ -139,13 +137,21 @@ mailingPlugin({
  retryDelay: 300000,            // 5 minutes (default)

  // Advanced options
-  emailWrapper: (email) => ({    // optional layout wrapper
-    ...email,
-    html: `<html><body>${email.html}</body></html>`
-  }),
  richTextEditor: lexicalEditor(),  // optional custom editor
  onReady: async (payload) => {     // optional initialization hook
    console.log('Mailing plugin ready!')
+  },
+
+  // beforeSend hook - modify emails before sending
+  beforeSend: async (options, email) => {
+    // Add attachments, modify headers, etc.
+    options.attachments = [
+      { filename: 'invoice.pdf', content: pdfBuffer }
+    ]
+    options.headers = {
+      'X-Campaign-ID': email.campaignId
+    }
+    return options
  }
 })
 ```
@@ -227,7 +233,7 @@ Thanks for joining {{siteName}}. We're excited to have you!

 **What you can do:**
 • Create beautiful emails with rich text formatting
-• Use the emailWrapper hook to add custom layouts  
+  
 • Queue and schedule emails effortlessly

 Your account was created on {{formatDate createdAt "long"}}.
@@ -238,282 +244,6 @@ The {{siteName}} Team

 ## Advanced Features

-### Custom HTML Layouts with Email Wrapper Hook
-
-The `emailWrapper` hook allows you to apply consistent HTML layouts and styling to all emails sent through the plugin. This is perfect for adding company branding, headers, footers, and responsive styling.
-
-#### Basic Email Wrapper
-
-```typescript
-mailingPlugin({
-  // ... other config
-  emailWrapper: (email) => {
-    const wrappedHtml = `
-      <!DOCTYPE html>
-      <html>
-      <head>
-        <meta charset="utf-8">
-        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
-        <title>${email.subject}</title>
-        <style>
-          body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0; padding: 20px; background-color: #f4f4f4; }
-          .container { max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto; background: white; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; }
-          .header { background: #007bff; color: white; padding: 20px; text-align: center; }
-          .content { padding: 30px; line-height: 1.6; }
-          .footer { background: #f8f9fa; padding: 15px; text-align: center; color: #6c757d; font-size: 14px; }
-
-          /* Responsive styles */
-          @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
-            .container { margin: 0 10px; }
-            .content { padding: 20px; }
-          }
-        </style>
-      </head>
-      <body>
-        <div class="container">
-          <div class="header">
-            <h1>My Company</h1>
-          </div>
-          <div class="content">
-            ${email.html}
-          </div>
-          <div class="footer">
-            © 2024 My Company. All rights reserved.<br>
-            <a href="#" style="color: #007bff;">Unsubscribe</a> |
-            <a href="#" style="color: #007bff;">Contact Support</a>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      </body>
-      </html>
-    `
-
-    return {
-      ...email,
-      html: wrappedHtml,
-      text: `MY COMPANY\n\n${email.text}\n\n© 2024 My Company\nUnsubscribe: [link] | Contact Support: [link]`
-    }
-  }
-})
-```
-
-#### Advanced Email Wrapper with Dynamic Content
-
-```typescript
-mailingPlugin({
-  // ... other config
-  emailWrapper: (email) => {
-    // You can access email properties and customize based on content
-    const isTransactional = email.subject?.includes('Receipt') || email.subject?.includes('Confirmation');
-    const headerColor = isTransactional ? '#28a745' : '#007bff';
-    const headerText = isTransactional ? 'Order Confirmation' : 'My Company';
-
-    const wrappedHtml = `
-      <!DOCTYPE html>
-      <html lang="en">
-      <head>
-        <meta charset="utf-8">
-        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
-        <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge">
-        <title>${email.subject}</title>
-        <!--[if mso]>
-        <noscript>
-          <xml>
-            <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
-              <o:PixelsPerInch>96</o:PixelsPerInch>
-            </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
-          </xml>
-        </noscript>
-        <![endif]-->
-        <style>
-          /* Reset styles */
-          body, table, td, a { -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; }
-          table, td { mso-table-lspace: 0pt; mso-table-rspace: 0pt; }
-          img { -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; border: 0; outline: none; text-decoration: none; }
-
-          /* Base styles */
-          body {
-            margin: 0 !important;
-            padding: 0 !important;
-            background-color: #f4f4f4;
-            font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
-          }
-
-          .email-container {
-            max-width: 600px;
-            margin: 0 auto;
-            background-color: #ffffff;
-            border-radius: 8px;
-            overflow: hidden;
-            box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
-          }
-
-          .email-header {
-            background: linear-gradient(135deg, ${headerColor}, ${headerColor}dd);
-            color: white;
-            padding: 30px 20px;
-            text-align: center;
-          }
-
-          .email-content {
-            padding: 30px;
-            color: #333333;
-            line-height: 1.6;
-          }
-
-          .email-footer {
-            background-color: #f8f9fa;
-            padding: 20px;
-            text-align: center;
-            color: #6c757d;
-            font-size: 14px;
-            border-top: 1px solid #e9ecef;
-          }
-
-          .email-footer a {
-            color: ${headerColor};
-            text-decoration: none;
-          }
-
-          /* Responsive */
-          @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
-            .email-container {
-              margin: 0 10px !important;
-            }
-            .email-header, .email-content {
-              padding: 20px !important;
-            }
-          }
-        </style>
-      </head>
-      <body>
-        <div class="email-container">
-          <div class="email-header">
-            <h1 style="margin: 0; font-size: 24px;">${headerText}</h1>
-          </div>
-          <div class="email-content">
-            ${email.html}
-          </div>
-          <div class="email-footer">
-            <p style="margin: 0 0 10px;">© ${new Date().getFullYear()} My Company. All rights reserved.</p>
-            <p style="margin: 0;">
-              <a href="mailto:support@mycompany.com">Contact Support</a> |
-              <a href="#">Privacy Policy</a> |
-              <a href="#">Unsubscribe</a>
-            </p>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      </body>
-      </html>
-    `
-
-    // Also enhance the plain text version
-    const wrappedText = `
-${headerText.toUpperCase()}
-${'='.repeat(headerText.length)}
-
-${email.text || email.html?.replace(/<[^>]*>/g, '')}
-
---
-© ${new Date().getFullYear()} My Company. All rights reserved.
-Contact Support: support@mycompany.com
-Privacy Policy: [link]
-Unsubscribe: [link]
-    `.trim();
-
-    return {
-      ...email,
-      html: wrappedHtml,
-      text: wrappedText
-    }
-  }
-})
-```
-
-#### External CSS and Assets
-
-You can also reference external stylesheets and assets:
-
-```typescript
-mailingPlugin({
-  emailWrapper: (email) => {
-    const wrappedHtml = `
-      <!DOCTYPE html>
-      <html>
-      <head>
-        <meta charset="utf-8">
-        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
-        <title>${email.subject}</title>
-        <!-- External CSS -->
-        <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@400;600&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
-        <style>
-          body { font-family: 'Inter', sans-serif; }
-          /* Your custom styles here */
-        </style>
-      </head>
-      <body>
-        <div style="max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto;">
-          <img src="https://mycompany.com/email-header.png" alt="My Company" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
-          <div style="padding: 20px;">
-            ${email.html}
-          </div>
-          <img src="https://mycompany.com/email-footer.png" alt="Footer" style="width: 100%; height: auto;">
-        </div>
-      </body>
-      </html>
-    `;
-
-    return { ...email, html: wrappedHtml };
-  }
-})
-```
-
-#### Template-Specific Layouts
-
-You can customize layouts based on email templates:
-
-```typescript
-mailingPlugin({
-  emailWrapper: (email, context) => {
-    // Access template information if available
-    const templateSlug = context?.templateSlug;
-
-    let layoutClass = 'default-layout';
-    let headerColor = '#007bff';
-
-    if (templateSlug === 'welcome-email') {
-      layoutClass = 'welcome-layout';
-      headerColor = '#28a745';
-    } else if (templateSlug === 'invoice-email') {
-      layoutClass = 'invoice-layout';
-      headerColor = '#dc3545';
-    }
-
-    const wrappedHtml = `
-      <!DOCTYPE html>
-      <html>
-      <head>
-        <meta charset="utf-8">
-        <title>${email.subject}</title>
-        <style>
-          .${layoutClass} { /* template-specific styles */ }
-          .header { background-color: ${headerColor}; }
-        </style>
-      </head>
-      <body>
-        <div class="${layoutClass}">
-          ${email.html}
-        </div>
-      </body>
-      </html>
-    `;
-
-    return { ...email, html: wrappedHtml };
-  }
-})
-```
-
-The `emailWrapper` hook receives the email object with `html`, `text`, and `subject` properties, and should return the modified email object with your custom layout applied.
-
 ### Custom Rich Text Editor

 Override the rich text editor used for templates:
@@ -535,6 +265,56 @@ mailingPlugin({
 })
 ```

+### beforeSend Hook
+
+Modify emails before they are sent to add attachments, custom headers, or make other changes:
+
+```typescript
+mailingPlugin({
+  // ... other config
+  beforeSend: async (options, email) => {
+    // Add attachments dynamically
+    if (email.invoiceId) {
+      const invoice = await generateInvoicePDF(email.invoiceId)
+      options.attachments = [
+        {
+          filename: `invoice-${email.invoiceId}.pdf`,
+          content: invoice.buffer,
+          contentType: 'application/pdf'
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+
+    // Add custom headers
+    options.headers = {
+      'X-Campaign-ID': email.campaignId,
+      'X-Customer-ID': email.customerId,
+      'X-Priority': email.priority === 1 ? 'High' : 'Normal'
+    }
+
+    // Modify recipients based on conditions
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
+      // Redirect all emails to test address in dev
+      options.to = ['test@example.com']
+      options.subject = `[TEST] ${options.subject}`
+    }
+
+    // Add BCC for compliance
+    if (email.requiresAudit) {
+      options.bcc = ['audit@company.com']
+    }
+
+    return options
+  }
+})
+```
+
+The `beforeSend` hook receives:
+- `options`: The nodemailer mail options that will be sent
+- `email`: The full email document from the database
+
+You must return the modified options object.
+
 ### Initialization Hooks

 Control plugin initialization order and add post-initialization logic:
@@ -546,7 +326,7 @@ mailingPlugin({
  onReady: async (payload) => {
    // Called after plugin is fully initialized
    console.log('Mailing plugin ready!')
-    
+
    // Custom initialization logic here
    await setupCustomEmailSettings(payload)
  }
@@ -600,9 +380,9 @@ await processEmails(payload)
 await retryFailedEmails(payload)
 ```

-## PayloadCMS Task Integration
+## PayloadCMS Integration

-The plugin provides a ready-to-use PayloadCMS task for queuing template emails:
+The plugin provides PayloadCMS tasks for email processing:

 ### 1. Add the task to your Payload config

@@ -675,6 +455,27 @@ The task can also be triggered from the Payload admin panel with a user-friendly
 - ✅ **Error Handling**: Comprehensive error reporting
 - ✅ **Queue Management**: Leverage Payload's job queue system

+### Immediate Processing
+
+The send email task now supports immediate processing. Enable the `processImmediately` option to send emails instantly:
+
+```typescript
+await payload.jobs.queue({
+  task: 'send-email',
+  input: {
+    processImmediately: true, // Send immediately (default: false)
+    templateSlug: 'welcome-email',
+    to: ['user@example.com'],
+    variables: { name: 'John' }
+  }
+})
+```
+
+**Benefits**:
+- No separate workflow needed
+- Unified task interface
+- Optional immediate processing when needed
+
 ## Job Processing

 The plugin automatically adds a unified email processing job to PayloadCMS:
--- a/dev/.env.local
+++ b/dev/.env.local
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+USE_MEMORY_DB=true
+PAYLOAD_SECRET=YOUR_SECRET_HERE
--- a/dev/app/(frontend)/dashboard/page.tsx
+++ b/dev/app/(frontend)/dashboard/page.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,310 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { useState, useEffect } from 'react'
+import Link from 'next/link'
+
+interface EmailStats {
+  total: number
+  sent: number
+  pending: number
+  failed: number
+  processing: number
+}
+
+export default function HomePage() {
+  const [emailStats, setEmailStats] = useState<EmailStats>({
+    total: 0,
+    sent: 0,
+    pending: 0,
+    failed: 0,
+    processing: 0
+  })
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState<boolean>(true)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    fetchEmailStats()
+  }, [])
+
+  const fetchEmailStats = async () => {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch('/api/test-email')
+      const data = await response.json()
+
+      if (data.outbox?.emails) {
+        const emails = data.outbox.emails
+        const stats: EmailStats = {
+          total: emails.length,
+          sent: emails.filter((email: any) => email.status === 'sent').length,
+          pending: emails.filter((email: any) => email.status === 'pending').length,
+          failed: emails.filter((email: any) => email.status === 'failed').length,
+          processing: emails.filter((email: any) => email.status === 'processing').length
+        }
+        setEmailStats(stats)
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error fetching email statistics:', error)
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false)
+    }
+  }
+
+  const StatCard = ({ label, value, color, description }: { label: string; value: number; color: string; description: string }) => (
+    <div style={{
+      backgroundColor: 'white',
+      border: '1px solid #e5e7eb',
+      borderRadius: '12px',
+      padding: '24px',
+      textAlign: 'center',
+      boxShadow: '0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)',
+    }}>
+      <div style={{
+        fontSize: '3rem',
+        fontWeight: 'bold',
+        color: color,
+        marginBottom: '8px'
+      }}>
+        {value}
+      </div>
+      <div style={{
+        fontSize: '1.1rem',
+        fontWeight: '600',
+        color: '#374151',
+        marginBottom: '4px'
+      }}>
+        {label}
+      </div>
+      <div style={{
+        fontSize: '0.875rem',
+        color: '#6b7280'
+      }}>
+        {description}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+
+  return (
+    <div style={{
+      backgroundColor: '#f9fafb',
+      padding: '40px 20px',
+      minHeight: 'calc(100vh - 80px)'
+    }}>
+      <div style={{
+        maxWidth: '1200px',
+        margin: '0 auto'
+      }}>
+        {/* Header */}
+        <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', marginBottom: '48px' }}>
+          <h1 style={{
+            fontSize: '3rem',
+            fontWeight: 'bold',
+            color: '#1f2937',
+            marginBottom: '16px'
+          }}>
+            📧 PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin
+          </h1>
+          <p style={{
+            fontSize: '1.25rem',
+            color: '#6b7280',
+            marginBottom: '24px'
+          }}>
+            Development Dashboard
+          </p>
+
+          <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: '16px', justifyContent: 'center', flexWrap: 'wrap' }}>
+            <Link
+              href="/admin"
+              style={{
+                backgroundColor: '#3b82f6',
+                color: 'white',
+                padding: '12px 24px',
+                borderRadius: '8px',
+                textDecoration: 'none',
+                fontWeight: '500',
+                transition: 'background-color 0.2s'
+              }}
+            >
+              📊 Admin Panel
+            </Link>
+            <Link
+              href="/mailing-test"
+              style={{
+                backgroundColor: '#10b981',
+                color: 'white',
+                padding: '12px 24px',
+                borderRadius: '8px',
+                textDecoration: 'none',
+                fontWeight: '500',
+                transition: 'background-color 0.2s'
+              }}
+            >
+              🧪 Test Interface
+            </Link>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Email Statistics */}
+        <div style={{ marginBottom: '48px' }}>
+          <div style={{
+            display: 'flex',
+            justifyContent: 'space-between',
+            alignItems: 'center',
+            marginBottom: '24px'
+          }}>
+            <h2 style={{
+              fontSize: '2rem',
+              fontWeight: 'bold',
+              color: '#1f2937'
+            }}>
+              Email Statistics
+            </h2>
+            <button
+              onClick={fetchEmailStats}
+              disabled={loading}
+              style={{
+                backgroundColor: loading ? '#9ca3af' : '#6b7280',
+                color: 'white',
+                padding: '8px 16px',
+                borderRadius: '6px',
+                border: 'none',
+                cursor: loading ? 'not-allowed' : 'pointer',
+                fontWeight: '500'
+              }}
+            >
+              {loading ? 'Loading...' : 'Refresh'}
+            </button>
+          </div>
+
+          {loading ? (
+            <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', padding: '48px' }}>
+              <div style={{ color: '#6b7280', fontSize: '1.1rem' }}>Loading email statistics...</div>
+            </div>
+          ) : (
+            <div style={{
+              display: 'grid',
+              gridTemplateColumns: 'repeat(auto-fit, minmax(250px, 1fr))',
+              gap: '24px'
+            }}>
+              <StatCard
+                label="Total Emails"
+                value={emailStats.total}
+                color="#1f2937"
+                description="All emails in the system"
+              />
+              <StatCard
+                label="Successfully Sent"
+                value={emailStats.sent}
+                color="#10b981"
+                description="Delivered successfully"
+              />
+              <StatCard
+                label="Pending"
+                value={emailStats.pending}
+                color="#f59e0b"
+                description="Waiting to be sent"
+              />
+              <StatCard
+                label="Failed"
+                value={emailStats.failed}
+                color="#ef4444"
+                description="Failed to send"
+              />
+              {emailStats.processing > 0 && (
+                <StatCard
+                  label="Processing"
+                  value={emailStats.processing}
+                  color="#3b82f6"
+                  description="Currently being sent"
+                />
+              )}
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Quick Actions */}
+        <div style={{
+          backgroundColor: 'white',
+          borderRadius: '12px',
+          padding: '32px',
+          border: '1px solid #e5e7eb',
+          boxShadow: '0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)'
+        }}>
+          <h3 style={{
+            fontSize: '1.5rem',
+            fontWeight: 'bold',
+            color: '#1f2937',
+            marginBottom: '16px'
+          }}>
+            Quick Actions
+          </h3>
+          <div style={{
+            display: 'grid',
+            gridTemplateColumns: 'repeat(auto-fit, minmax(300px, 1fr))',
+            gap: '16px'
+          }}>
+            <div style={{ padding: '16px', backgroundColor: '#f9fafb', borderRadius: '8px' }}>
+              <h4 style={{ marginBottom: '8px', color: '#1f2937' }}>🎯 Test Email Sending</h4>
+              <p style={{ color: '#6b7280', marginBottom: '12px', fontSize: '0.9rem' }}>
+                Send test emails using templates with the interactive testing interface.
+              </p>
+              <Link
+                href="/mailing-test"
+                style={{
+                  color: '#3b82f6',
+                  textDecoration: 'none',
+                  fontWeight: '500'
+                }}
+              >
+                Open Test Interface →
+              </Link>
+            </div>
+
+            <div style={{ padding: '16px', backgroundColor: '#f9fafb', borderRadius: '8px' }}>
+              <h4 style={{ marginBottom: '8px', color: '#1f2937' }}>📝 Manage Templates</h4>
+              <p style={{ color: '#6b7280', marginBottom: '12px', fontSize: '0.9rem' }}>
+                Create and edit email templates in the Payload admin interface.
+              </p>
+              <Link
+                href="/admin/collections/email-templates"
+                style={{
+                  color: '#3b82f6',
+                  textDecoration: 'none',
+                  fontWeight: '500'
+                }}
+              >
+                Manage Templates →
+              </Link>
+            </div>
+
+            <div style={{ padding: '16px', backgroundColor: '#f9fafb', borderRadius: '8px' }}>
+              <h4 style={{ marginBottom: '8px', color: '#1f2937' }}>📬 Email Queue</h4>
+              <p style={{ color: '#6b7280', marginBottom: '12px', fontSize: '0.9rem' }}>
+                View and manage the email outbox and delivery status.
+              </p>
+              <Link
+                href="/admin/collections/emails"
+                style={{
+                  color: '#3b82f6',
+                  textDecoration: 'none',
+                  fontWeight: '500'
+                }}
+              >
+                View Email Queue →
+              </Link>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Footer */}
+        <div style={{
+          textAlign: 'center',
+          marginTop: '48px',
+          padding: '24px',
+          color: '#6b7280',
+          fontSize: '0.875rem'
+        }}>
+          PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin Development Environment
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
--- a/dev/app/(frontend)/layout.tsx
+++ b/dev/app/(frontend)/layout.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import type { Metadata } from 'next'
+
+export const metadata: Metadata = {
+  title: 'PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin - Development',
+  description: 'Development environment for PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin',
+}
+
+export default function FrontendLayout({
+  children,
+}: {
+  children: React.ReactNode
+}) {
+  return (
+    <html lang="en">
+      <body style={{
+        margin: 0,
+        padding: 0,
+        fontFamily: '-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif'
+      }}>
+        {children}
+      </body>
+    </html>
+  )
+}
--- a/dev/app/(frontend)/mailing-test/page.tsx
+++ b/dev/app/(frontend)/mailing-test/page.tsx
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ export default function MailingTestPage() {
  const [selectedTemplate, setSelectedTemplate] = useState<string>('')
  const [toEmail, setToEmail] = useState<string>('test@example.com')
  const [variables, setVariables] = useState<Record<string, any>>({})
+  const [jsonVariables, setJsonVariables] = useState<string>('{}')
+  const [jsonError, setJsonError] = useState<string>('')
  const [emailType, setEmailType] = useState<'send' | 'schedule'>('send')
  const [scheduleDate, setScheduleDate] = useState<string>('')
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState<boolean>(false)
@@ -58,6 +60,23 @@ export default function MailingTestPage() {
    const template = templates.find(t => t.slug === templateSlug)
    if (template?.previewData) {
      setVariables(template.previewData)
+      setJsonVariables(JSON.stringify(template.previewData, null, 2))
+    } else {
+      setVariables({})
+      setJsonVariables('{}')
+    }
+    setJsonError('')
+  }
+
+  const handleJsonVariablesChange = (jsonString: string) => {
+    setJsonVariables(jsonString)
+    setJsonError('')
+
+    try {
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(jsonString)
+      setVariables(parsed)
+    } catch (error) {
+      setJsonError(error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Invalid JSON')
    }
  }

@@ -67,6 +86,11 @@ export default function MailingTestPage() {
      return
    }

+    if (jsonError) {
+      setMessage('Please fix the JSON syntax error before sending')
+      return
+    }
+
    setLoading(true)
    setMessage('')

@@ -88,7 +112,8 @@ export default function MailingTestPage() {
      const result = await response.json()
      
      if (result.success) {
-        setMessage(`✅ ${result.message} (ID: ${result.emailId})`)
+        const statusIcon = result.status === 'sent' ? '📧' : '📫'
+        setMessage(`✅ ${statusIcon} ${result.message} (ID: ${result.emailId})`)
        fetchData() // Refresh email queue
      } else {
        setMessage(`❌ Error: ${result.error}`)
@@ -204,28 +229,43 @@ export default function MailingTestPage() {
            </div>
          )}

-          {selectedTemplateData?.variables && (
+          {selectedTemplate && (
            <div style={{ marginBottom: '15px' }}>
-              <h3>Template Variables:</h3>
-              {selectedTemplateData.variables.map(variable => (
-                <div key={variable.name} style={{ marginBottom: '10px' }}>
-                  <label style={{ display: 'block', marginBottom: '5px' }}>
-                    {variable.name} {variable.required && <span style={{ color: 'red' }}>*</span>}
-                    {variable.description && <small style={{ color: '#666' }}> - {variable.description}</small>}
-                  </label>
-                  <input
-                    type={variable.type === 'number' ? 'number' : variable.type === 'date' ? 'datetime-local' : 'text'}
-                    value={variables[variable.name] || ''}
-                    onChange={(e) => setVariables({
-                      ...variables,
-                      [variable.name]: variable.type === 'number' ? Number(e.target.value) : 
-                                     variable.type === 'boolean' ? e.target.checked : 
-                                     e.target.value
-                    })}
-                    style={{ width: '100%', padding: '8px', borderRadius: '4px', border: '1px solid #ddd' }}
-                  />
+              <label style={{ display: 'block', marginBottom: '5px' }}>
+                <strong>Template Variables (JSON):</strong>
+                {selectedTemplateData?.variables && (
+                  <small style={{ color: '#666', marginLeft: '8px' }}>
+                    Available variables: {selectedTemplateData.variables.map(v => v.name).join(', ')}
+                  </small>
+                )}
+              </label>
+              <textarea
+                value={jsonVariables}
+                onChange={(e) => handleJsonVariablesChange(e.target.value)}
+                placeholder='{\n  "firstName": "John",\n  "siteName": "MyApp",\n  "createdAt": "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z"\n}'
+                style={{
+                  width: '100%',
+                  height: '150px',
+                  padding: '8px',
+                  borderRadius: '4px',
+                  border: jsonError ? '2px solid #dc3545' : '1px solid #ddd',
+                  fontFamily: 'monaco, "Courier New", monospace',
+                  fontSize: '13px',
+                  resize: 'vertical'
+                }}
+              />
+              {jsonError && (
+                <div style={{
+                  color: '#dc3545',
+                  fontSize: '12px',
+                  marginTop: '5px',
+                  padding: '5px',
+                  backgroundColor: '#f8d7da',
+                  borderRadius: '4px'
+                }}>
+                  Invalid JSON: {jsonError}
                </div>
-              ))}
+              )}
            </div>
          )}

--- a/dev/app/api/process-emails/route.ts
+++ b/dev/app/api/process-emails/route.ts
@@ -4,24 +4,25 @@ import config from '@payload-config'
 export async function POST(request: Request) {
  try {
    const payload = await getPayload({ config })
-    
-    // Queue the combined email queue processing job
-    const job = await payload.jobs.queue({
-      task: 'process-email-queue',
-      input: {},
+
+    // Run jobs in the default queue (the plugin already schedules email processing on init)
+    const results = await payload.jobs.run({
+      queue: 'default',
    })
-    
+
+    const processedCount = Array.isArray(results) ? results.length : (results ? 1 : 0)
+
    return Response.json({
      success: true,
-      message: 'Email queue processing job queued successfully (will process both pending and failed emails)',
-      jobId: job.id,
+      message: `Email queue processing completed. Processed ${processedCount} jobs.`,
+      processedJobs: processedCount,
    })
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Process emails error:', error)
    return Response.json(
-      { 
+      {
        error: 'Failed to process emails',
-        details: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error' 
+        details: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'
      },
      { status: 500 }
    )
--- a/dev/app/api/test-email/route.ts
+++ b/dev/app/api/test-email/route.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,22 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
    const body = await request.json()
    const { type = 'send', templateSlug, to, variables, scheduledAt, subject, html, text } = body

+    // Validate required fields
+    if (!to) {
+      return Response.json(
+        { error: 'Recipient email address (to) is required' },
+        { status: 400 }
+      )
+    }
+
+    // Validate email has either template or direct content
+    if (!templateSlug && (!subject || !html)) {
+      return Response.json(
+        { error: 'Either templateSlug or both subject and html must be provided' },
+        { status: 400 }
+      )
+    }
+
    // Use the new sendEmail API
    const emailOptions: any = {
      data: {
@@ -39,12 +55,21 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
      emailOptions.data.scheduledAt = scheduledAt ? new Date(scheduledAt) : new Date(Date.now() + 60000)
    }

+    // Set processImmediately for "send now" type
+    const processImmediately = (type === 'send' && !scheduledAt)
+    emailOptions.processImmediately = processImmediately
+
    const result = await sendEmail(payload, emailOptions)

    return Response.json({
      success: true,
      emailId: result.id,
-      message: scheduledAt ? 'Email scheduled successfully' : 'Email queued successfully',
+      message: processImmediately ? 'Email sent successfully' :
+               scheduledAt ? 'Email scheduled successfully' :
+               'Email queued successfully',
+      status: processImmediately ? 'sent' :
+              scheduledAt ? 'scheduled' :
+              'queued'
    })
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Test email error:', error)
@@ -82,8 +107,8 @@ export async function GET() {
        total: totalDocs,
      },
      mailing: {
-        pluginActive: !!(payload as any).mailing,
-        service: !!(payload as any).mailing?.service,
+        pluginActive: 'mailing' in payload && !!payload.mailing,
+        service: 'mailing' in payload && payload.mailing && 'service' in payload.mailing && !!payload.mailing.service,
      },
    })
  } catch (error) {
--- a/dev/app/page.tsx
+++ b/dev/app/page.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { Metadata } from 'next'
+import {redirect} from "next/navigation.js"
+
+export const metadata: Metadata = {
+  title: 'PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin - Development',
+  description: 'Development environment for PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin',
+}
+
+export default function HomePage() {
+  redirect('/dashboard')
+}
--- a/dev/payload-types.ts
+++ b/dev/payload-types.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export interface Config {
    'payload-migrations': PayloadMigrationsSelect<false> | PayloadMigrationsSelect<true>;
  };
  db: {
-    defaultIDType: string;
+    defaultIDType: number;
  };
  globals: {};
  globalsSelect: {};
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export interface Config {
  };
  jobs: {
    tasks: {
-      processEmails: ProcessEmailsJob;
+      'process-emails': ProcessEmailsTask;
      'send-email': TaskSendEmail;
      inline: {
        input: unknown;
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ export interface UserAuthOperations {
 * via the `definition` "users".
 */
 export interface User {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  firstName?: string | null;
  lastName?: string | null;
  updatedAt: string;
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ export interface User {
 * via the `definition` "posts".
 */
 export interface Post {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  updatedAt: string;
  createdAt: string;
 }
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ export interface Post {
 * via the `definition` "media".
 */
 export interface Media {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  updatedAt: string;
  createdAt: string;
  url?: string | null;
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ export interface Media {
 * via the `definition` "email-templates".
 */
 export interface EmailTemplate {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  /**
   * A descriptive name for this email template
   */
@@ -227,11 +227,11 @@ export interface EmailTemplate {
 * via the `definition` "emails".
 */
 export interface Email {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  /**
   * Email template used (optional if custom content provided)
   */
-  template?: (string | null) | EmailTemplate;
+  template?: (number | null) | EmailTemplate;
  /**
   * Recipient email addresses
   */
@@ -248,6 +248,10 @@ export interface Email {
   * Sender email address (optional, uses default if not provided)
   */
  from?: string | null;
+  /**
+   * Sender display name (optional, e.g., "John Doe" for "John Doe <john@example.com>")
+   */
+  fromName?: string | null;
  /**
   * Reply-to email address
   */
@@ -312,7 +316,7 @@ export interface Email {
 * via the `definition` "payload-jobs".
 */
 export interface PayloadJob {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  /**
   * Input data provided to the job
   */
@@ -359,7 +363,7 @@ export interface PayloadJob {
    | {
        executedAt: string;
        completedAt: string;
-        taskSlug: 'inline' | 'processEmails' | 'send-email';
+        taskSlug: 'inline' | 'process-emails' | 'send-email';
        taskID: string;
        input?:
          | {
@@ -392,7 +396,7 @@ export interface PayloadJob {
        id?: string | null;
      }[]
    | null;
-  taskSlug?: ('inline' | 'processEmails' | 'send-email') | null;
+  taskSlug?: ('inline' | 'process-emails' | 'send-email') | null;
  queue?: string | null;
  waitUntil?: string | null;
  processing?: boolean | null;
@@ -404,36 +408,36 @@ export interface PayloadJob {
 * via the `definition` "payload-locked-documents".
 */
 export interface PayloadLockedDocument {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  document?:
    | ({
        relationTo: 'users';
-        value: string | User;
+        value: number | User;
      } | null)
    | ({
        relationTo: 'posts';
-        value: string | Post;
+        value: number | Post;
      } | null)
    | ({
        relationTo: 'media';
-        value: string | Media;
+        value: number | Media;
      } | null)
    | ({
        relationTo: 'email-templates';
-        value: string | EmailTemplate;
+        value: number | EmailTemplate;
      } | null)
    | ({
        relationTo: 'emails';
-        value: string | Email;
+        value: number | Email;
      } | null)
    | ({
        relationTo: 'payload-jobs';
-        value: string | PayloadJob;
+        value: number | PayloadJob;
      } | null);
  globalSlug?: string | null;
  user: {
    relationTo: 'users';
-    value: string | User;
+    value: number | User;
  };
  updatedAt: string;
  createdAt: string;
@@ -443,10 +447,10 @@ export interface PayloadLockedDocument {
 * via the `definition` "payload-preferences".
 */
 export interface PayloadPreference {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  user: {
    relationTo: 'users';
-    value: string | User;
+    value: number | User;
  };
  key?: string | null;
  value?:
@@ -466,7 +470,7 @@ export interface PayloadPreference {
 * via the `definition` "payload-migrations".
 */
 export interface PayloadMigration {
-  id: string;
+  id: number;
  name?: string | null;
  batch?: number | null;
  updatedAt: string;
@@ -543,6 +547,7 @@ export interface EmailsSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
  cc?: T;
  bcc?: T;
  from?: T;
+  fromName?: T;
  replyTo?: T;
  subject?: T;
  html?: T;
@@ -623,9 +628,9 @@ export interface PayloadMigrationsSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
 }
 /**
 * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "ProcessEmailsJob".
+ * via the `definition` "ProcessEmailsTask".
 */
-export interface ProcessEmailsJob {
+export interface ProcessEmailsTask {
  input?: unknown;
  output?: unknown;
 }
@@ -635,6 +640,10 @@ export interface ProcessEmailsJob {
 */
 export interface TaskSendEmail {
  input: {
+    /**
+     * Process and send the email immediately instead of waiting for the queue processor
+     */
+    processImmediately?: boolean | null;
    /**
     * Use a template (leave empty for direct email)
     */
@@ -675,6 +684,18 @@ export interface TaskSendEmail {
     * Optional comma-separated list of BCC email addresses
     */
    bcc?: string | null;
+    /**
+     * Optional sender email address (uses default if not provided)
+     */
+    from?: string | null;
+    /**
+     * Optional sender display name (e.g., "John Doe")
+     */
+    fromName?: string | null;
+    /**
+     * Optional reply-to email address
+     */
+    replyTo?: string | null;
    /**
     * Optional date/time to schedule email for future delivery
     */
@@ -684,7 +705,9 @@ export interface TaskSendEmail {
     */
    priority?: number | null;
  };
-  output?: unknown;
+  output: {
+    id?: string | null;
+  };
 }
 /**
 * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
--- a/dev/payload.config.ts
+++ b/dev/payload.config.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { mongooseAdapter } from '@payloadcms/db-mongodb'
+import { sqliteAdapter } from '@payloadcms/db-sqlite'
 import { lexicalEditor } from '@payloadcms/richtext-lexical'
 import {
  FixedToolbarFeature,
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import {
  HorizontalRuleFeature,
  InlineToolbarFeature,
 } from '@payloadcms/richtext-lexical'
-import { MongoMemoryReplSet } from 'mongodb-memory-server'
 import path from 'path'
 import { buildConfig } from 'payload'
 import sharp from 'sharp'
@@ -24,36 +23,7 @@ if (!process.env.ROOT_DIR) {
  process.env.ROOT_DIR = dirname
 }

-const buildConfigWithMemoryDB = async () => {
-  // Use in-memory MongoDB for development and testing
-  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test' || process.env.USE_MEMORY_DB === 'true' || !process.env.DATABASE_URI) {
-    console.log('🚀 Starting MongoDB in-memory database...')
-
-    const memoryDB = await MongoMemoryReplSet.create({
-      replSet: {
-        count: 1, // Single instance for dev (faster startup)
-        dbName: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test' ? 'payloadmemory' : 'payload-mailing-dev',
-        storageEngine: 'wiredTiger',
-      },
-    })
-
-    const uri = `${memoryDB.getUri()}&retryWrites=true`
-    process.env.DATABASE_URI = uri
-
-    console.log('✅ MongoDB in-memory database started')
-    console.log(`📊 Database URI: ${uri.replace(/mongodb:\/\/[^@]*@/, 'mongodb://***@')}`)
-
-    // Graceful shutdown
-    process.on('SIGINT', async () => {
-      console.log('🛑 Stopping MongoDB in-memory database...')
-      await memoryDB.stop()
-      process.exit(0)
-    })
-  } else {
-    console.log(`🔗 Using external MongoDB: ${process.env.DATABASE_URI?.replace(/mongodb:\/\/[^@]*@/, 'mongodb://***@')}`)
-  }
-
-  return buildConfig({
+export default buildConfig({
    admin: {
      importMap: {
        baseDir: path.resolve(dirname),
@@ -122,31 +92,36 @@ const buildConfigWithMemoryDB = async () => {
        },
      },
    ],
-    db: mongooseAdapter({
-      ensureIndexes: true,
-      url: process.env.DATABASE_URI || '',
+    db: sqliteAdapter({
+      client: {
+        url: process.env.DATABASE_URI || 'file:./dev.db',
+      },
    }),
    editor: lexicalEditor(),
    email: testEmailAdapter,
    onInit: async (payload) => {
      await seed(payload)
    },
+    jobs: {
+      jobsCollectionOverrides: c => {
+        if (c.defaultJobsCollection.admin) c.defaultJobsCollection.admin.hidden = false
+        return c.defaultJobsCollection
+      },
+      autoRun: [
+        {
+          cron: '*/1 * * * *', // every minute
+          limit: 10, // limit jobs to process each run
+          queue: 'default', // name of the queue
+        },
+      ],
+    },
    plugins: [
      mailingPlugin({
        defaultFrom: 'noreply@test.com',
        initOrder: 'after',
-        transport: {
-          host: 'localhost',
-          port: 1025, // MailHog port for dev
-          secure: false,
-          auth: {
-            user: 'test',
-            pass: 'test',
-          },
-        },
        retryAttempts: 3,
        retryDelay: 60000, // 1 minute for dev
-        queue: 'email-queue',
+        queue: 'default',

        // Example: Collection overrides for customization
        // Uncomment and modify as needed for your use case
@@ -282,56 +257,6 @@ const buildConfigWithMemoryDB = async () => {
          ],
        }),

-        emailWrapper: (email) => {
-          // Example: wrap email content in a custom layout
-          const wrappedHtml = `
-            <!DOCTYPE html>
-            <html>
-            <head>
-              <meta charset="utf-8">
-              <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
-              <title>${email.subject}</title>
-              <style>
-                body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0; padding: 20px; background-color: #f5f5f5; }
-                .container { max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto; background: white; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; }
-                .header { background: #007bff; color: white; padding: 20px; text-align: center; }
-                .content { padding: 30px; }
-                .footer { background: #f8f9fa; padding: 15px; text-align: center; font-size: 12px; color: #6c757d; }
-              </style>
-            </head>
-            <body>
-              <div class="container">
-                <div class="header">
-                  <h1>My Company</h1>
-                </div>
-                <div class="content">
-                  ${email.html}
-                </div>
-                <div class="footer">
-                  This email was sent from My Company. If you have questions, contact support@mycompany.com
-                </div>
-              </div>
-            </body>
-            </html>
-          `
-
-          const wrappedText = `
-MY COMPANY
-==========
-
-${email.text || email.html?.replace(/<[^>]*>/g, '')}
-
---
-This email was sent from My Company.
-If you have questions, contact support@mycompany.com
-          `
-
-          return {
-            ...email,
-            html: wrappedHtml,
-            text: wrappedText.trim(),
-          }
-        },

        // Called after mailing plugin is fully initialized
        onReady: async (payload) => {
@@ -345,6 +270,3 @@ If you have questions, contact support@mycompany.com
      outputFile: path.resolve(dirname, 'payload-types.ts'),
    },
  })
-}
-
-export default buildConfigWithMemoryDB()
--- a/dev/seed.ts
+++ b/dev/seed.ts
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ export const seed = async (payload: Payload) => {
                        format: 0,
                        mode: 'normal',
                        style: '',
-                        text: 'Use the emailWrapper hook to add custom layouts',
+                        text: 'Create beautiful emails with rich text formatting',
                        type: 'text',
                        version: 1,
                      },
--- a/dev/start-dev.js
+++ b/dev/start-dev.js
@@ -3,26 +3,14 @@
 // Development startup script for PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin
 // This ensures proper environment setup and provides helpful information

-console.log('🚀 PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin - Development Mode')
-console.log('=' .repeat(50))
-
 // Set development environment
 process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development'

-// Enable in-memory MongoDB by default for development
+// Set default SQLite database for development
 if (!process.env.DATABASE_URI) {
-  process.env.USE_MEMORY_DB = 'true'
-  console.log('📦 Using in-memory MongoDB (no installation required)')
-} else {
-  console.log(`🔗 Using external MongoDB: ${process.env.DATABASE_URI}`)
+  process.env.DATABASE_URI = 'file:./dev.db'
 }

-console.log('')
-console.log('🔧 Starting development server...')
-console.log('📧 Mailing plugin configured with test transport')
-console.log('🎯 Test interface will be available at: /mailing-test')
-console.log('')
-
 // Import and start Next.js
 import('next/dist/cli/next-dev.js')
  .then(({ nextDev }) => {
@@ -35,11 +23,9 @@ import('next/dist/cli/next-dev.js')

 // Handle graceful shutdown
 process.on('SIGTERM', () => {
-  console.log('\n🛑 Shutting down development server...')
  process.exit(0)
 })

 process.on('SIGINT', () => {
-  console.log('\n🛑 Shutting down development server...')
  process.exit(0)
 })
--- a/dev/test-hook-validation.ts
+++ b/dev/test-hook-validation.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+// Test hook validation in the dev environment
+import { getPayload } from 'payload'
+import config from './payload.config.js'
+
+async function testHookValidation() {
+  const payload = await getPayload({ config: await config })
+
+  console.log('\n🧪 Testing beforeSend hook validation...\n')
+
+  // Test 1: Create an email to process
+  const email = await payload.create({
+    collection: 'emails',
+    data: {
+      to: ['test@example.com'],
+      subject: 'Test Email for Validation',
+      html: '<p>Testing hook validation</p>',
+      text: 'Testing hook validation',
+      status: 'pending'
+    }
+  })
+
+  console.log('✅ Test email created:', email.id)
+
+  // Get the mailing service
+  const mailingService = (payload as any).mailing.service
+
+  // Test 2: Temporarily replace the config with a bad hook
+  const originalBeforeSend = mailingService.config.beforeSend
+
+  console.log('\n📝 Test: Hook that removes "from" field...')
+  mailingService.config.beforeSend = async (options: any, email: any) => {
+    delete options.from
+    return options
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await mailingService.processEmails()
+    console.log('❌ Should have thrown error for missing "from"')
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    if (error.message.includes('must not remove the "from" property')) {
+      console.log('✅ Correctly caught missing "from" field')
+    } else {
+      console.log('❌ Unexpected error:', error.message)
+    }
+  }
+
+  console.log('\n📝 Test: Hook that empties "to" array...')
+  mailingService.config.beforeSend = async (options: any, email: any) => {
+    options.to = []
+    return options
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await mailingService.processEmails()
+    console.log('❌ Should have thrown error for empty "to"')
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    if (error.message.includes('must not remove or empty the "to" property')) {
+      console.log('✅ Correctly caught empty "to" array')
+    } else {
+      console.log('❌ Unexpected error:', error.message)
+    }
+  }
+
+  console.log('\n📝 Test: Hook that removes "subject"...')
+  mailingService.config.beforeSend = async (options: any, email: any) => {
+    delete options.subject
+    return options
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await mailingService.processEmails()
+    console.log('❌ Should have thrown error for missing "subject"')
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    if (error.message.includes('must not remove the "subject" property')) {
+      console.log('✅ Correctly caught missing "subject" field')
+    } else {
+      console.log('❌ Unexpected error:', error.message)
+    }
+  }
+
+  console.log('\n📝 Test: Hook that removes both "html" and "text"...')
+  mailingService.config.beforeSend = async (options: any, email: any) => {
+    delete options.html
+    delete options.text
+    return options
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await mailingService.processEmails()
+    console.log('❌ Should have thrown error for missing content')
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    if (error.message.includes('must not remove both "html" and "text" properties')) {
+      console.log('✅ Correctly caught missing content fields')
+    } else {
+      console.log('❌ Unexpected error:', error.message)
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Restore original hook
+  mailingService.config.beforeSend = originalBeforeSend
+
+  console.log('\n✅ All validation tests completed!\n')
+
+  // Clean up
+  await payload.delete({
+    collection: 'emails',
+    id: email.id
+  })
+
+  process.exit(0)
+}
+
+testHookValidation().catch(console.error)
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "@xtr-dev/payload-mailing",
-  "version": "0.1.8",
+  "version": "0.4.6",
  "description": "Template-based email system with scheduling and job processing for PayloadCMS",
  "type": "module",
  "main": "dist/index.js",
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@
    "dev:generate-importmap": "npm run dev:payload generate:importmap",
    "dev:generate-types": "npm run dev:payload generate:types",
    "dev:payload": "cross-env PAYLOAD_CONFIG_PATH=./dev/payload.config.ts payload",
-    "payload": "cross-env NODE_OPTIONS=--no-deprecation payload",
-    "generate:importmap": "npm run payload generate:importmap",
-    "generate:types": "npm run payload generate:types",
    "lint": "eslint",
    "lint:fix": "eslint ./src --fix",
    "prepublishOnly": "npm run clean && npm run build",
--- a/payload.config.ts
+++ b/payload.config.ts
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * This config is only used to generate types.
- */
-
-import { BaseDatabaseAdapter, buildConfig, Payload} from 'payload'
-import Emails from "./src/collections/Emails.js"
-import {createEmailTemplatesCollection} from "./src/collections/EmailTemplates.js"
-import path from "path"
-import { fileURLToPath } from 'url'
-
-const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)
-const __dirname = path.dirname(__filename)
-
-export default buildConfig({
-  collections: [
-    Emails,
-    createEmailTemplatesCollection()
-  ],
-  db: {
-    allowIDOnCreate: undefined,
-    defaultIDType: 'number',
-    init: function (args: { payload: Payload; }): BaseDatabaseAdapter {
-      throw new Error('Function not implemented.');
-    },
-    name: undefined
-  },
-  secret: '',
-  typescript: {
-    outputFile: path.resolve(__dirname, 'src/payload-types.ts'),
-  }
-});
--- a/src/collections/Emails.ts
+++ b/src/collections/Emails.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const Emails: CollectionConfig = {
  slug: 'emails',
  admin: {
    useAsTitle: 'subject',
-    defaultColumns: ['subject', 'to', 'status', 'scheduledAt', 'sentAt'],
+    defaultColumns: ['subject', 'to', 'status', 'jobs', 'scheduledAt', 'sentAt'],
    group: 'Mailing',
    description: 'Email delivery and status tracking',
  },
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ const Emails: CollectionConfig = {
        description: 'Sender email address (optional, uses default if not provided)',
      },
    },
+    {
+      name: 'fromName',
+      type: 'text',
+      admin: {
+        description: 'Sender display name (optional, e.g., "John Doe" for "John Doe <john@example.com>")',
+      },
+    },
    {
      name: 'replyTo',
      type: 'text',
@@ -157,6 +164,24 @@ const Emails: CollectionConfig = {
        description: 'Email priority (1=highest, 10=lowest)',
      },
    },
+    {
+      name: 'jobs',
+      type: 'relationship',
+      relationTo: 'payload-jobs',
+      hasMany: true,
+      admin: {
+        description: 'Processing jobs associated with this email',
+        allowCreate: false,
+        readOnly: true,
+      },
+      filterOptions: ({ id }) => {
+        return {
+          'input.emailId': {
+            equals: id,
+          },
+        }
+      },
+    },
  ],
  timestamps: true,
  // indexes: [
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ export { MailingService } from './services/MailingService.js'
 export { default as EmailTemplates, createEmailTemplatesCollection } from './collections/EmailTemplates.js'
 export { default as Emails } from './collections/Emails.js'

-// Jobs (includes the send email task)
-export { mailingJobs, sendEmailJob } from './jobs/index.js'
-export type { SendEmailTaskInput } from './jobs/sendEmailTask.js'
+// Jobs (includes the individual email processing job)
+export { mailingJobs } from './jobs/index.js'
+export type { ProcessEmailJobInput } from './jobs/processEmailJob.js'

 // Main email sending function
 export { sendEmail, type SendEmailOptions } from './sendEmail.js'
@@ -26,4 +26,7 @@ export {
  processEmails,
  retryFailedEmails,
  parseAndValidateEmails,
-} from './utils/helpers.js'
+} from './utils/helpers.js'
+
+// Email processing utilities
+export { processEmailById, processAllEmails } from './utils/emailProcessor.js'
--- a/src/jobs/index.ts
+++ b/src/jobs/index.ts
@@ -1,35 +1,16 @@
-import { processEmailsJob, ProcessEmailsJobData } from './processEmailsJob.js'
-import { sendEmailJob } from './sendEmailTask.js'
-import { MailingService } from '../services/MailingService.js'
+import { processEmailsJob } from './processEmailsTask.js'
+import { processEmailJob } from './processEmailJob.js'

+/**
+ * All mailing-related jobs that get registered with Payload
+ *
+ * Note: The sendEmailJob has been removed as each email now gets its own individual processEmailJob
+ */
 export const mailingJobs = [
-  {
-    slug: 'processEmails',
-    handler: async ({ job, req }: { job: any; req: any }) => {
-      // Get mailing context from payload
-      const payload = (req as any).payload
-      const mailingContext = payload.mailing
-      if (!mailingContext) {
-        throw new Error('Mailing plugin not properly initialized')
-      }
-
-      // Use the existing mailing service from context
-      await processEmailsJob(
-        job as { data: ProcessEmailsJobData },
-        { req, mailingService: mailingContext.service }
-      )
-
-      return {
-        output: {
-          success: true,
-          message: 'Email queue processing completed successfully'
-        }
-      }
-    },
-    interfaceName: 'ProcessEmailsJob',
-  },
-  sendEmailJob,
+  processEmailsJob, // Kept for backward compatibility and batch processing if needed
+  processEmailJob,  // New individual email processing job
 ]

-export * from './processEmailsJob.js'
-export * from './sendEmailTask.js'
+// Re-export everything from individual job files
+export * from './processEmailsTask.js'
+export * from './processEmailJob.js'
--- a/src/jobs/processEmailJob.ts
+++ b/src/jobs/processEmailJob.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import type { PayloadRequest } from 'payload'
+import { processEmailById } from '../utils/emailProcessor.js'
+
+/**
+ * Data passed to the individual email processing job
+ */
+export interface ProcessEmailJobInput {
+  /**
+   * The ID of the email to process
+   */
+  emailId: string | number
+}
+
+/**
+ * Job definition for processing a single email
+ * This replaces the batch processing approach with individual email jobs
+ */
+export const processEmailJob = {
+  slug: 'process-email',
+  label: 'Process Individual Email',
+  inputSchema: [
+    {
+      name: 'emailId',
+      type: 'text' as const,
+      required: true,
+      label: 'Email ID',
+      admin: {
+        description: 'The ID of the email to process and send'
+      }
+    }
+  ],
+  outputSchema: [
+    {
+      name: 'success',
+      type: 'checkbox' as const
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'emailId',
+      type: 'text' as const
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'status',
+      type: 'text' as const
+    }
+  ],
+  handler: async ({ input, req }: { input: ProcessEmailJobInput; req: PayloadRequest }) => {
+    const payload = (req as any).payload
+    const { emailId } = input
+
+    if (!emailId) {
+      throw new Error('Email ID is required for processing')
+    }
+
+    try {
+      // Process the individual email
+      await processEmailById(payload, String(emailId))
+
+      return {
+        output: {
+          success: true,
+          emailId: String(emailId),
+          status: 'sent',
+          message: `Email ${emailId} processed successfully`
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      throw new Error(`Failed to process email ${emailId}: ${String(error)}`)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export default processEmailJob
--- a/src/jobs/processEmailsJob.ts
+++ b/src/jobs/processEmailsJob.ts
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-import type { PayloadRequest } from 'payload'
-import { MailingService } from '../services/MailingService.js'
-
-export interface ProcessEmailsJobData {
-  // No type needed - always processes both pending and failed emails
-}
-
-export const processEmailsJob = async (
-  job: { data: ProcessEmailsJobData },
-  context: { req: PayloadRequest; mailingService: MailingService }
-) => {
-  const { mailingService } = context
-
-  try {
-    console.log('🔄 Processing email queue (pending + failed emails)...')
-
-    // Process pending emails first
-    await mailingService.processEmails()
-
-    // Then retry failed emails
-    await mailingService.retryFailedEmails()
-
-    console.log('✅ Email queue processing completed successfully (pending and failed emails)')
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error('❌ Email queue processing failed:', error)
-    throw error
-  }
-}
-
-export const scheduleEmailsJob = async (
-  payload: any,
-  queueName: string,
-  delay?: number
-) => {
-  if (!payload.jobs) {
-    console.warn('PayloadCMS jobs not configured - emails will not be processed automatically')
-    return
-  }
-
-  try {
-    await payload.jobs.queue({
-      queue: queueName,
-      task: 'processEmails',
-      input: {},
-      waitUntil: delay ? new Date(Date.now() + delay) : undefined,
-    })
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error('Failed to schedule email processing job:', error)
-  }
-}
--- a/src/jobs/processEmailsTask.ts
+++ b/src/jobs/processEmailsTask.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import type { PayloadRequest, Payload } from 'payload'
+import { processAllEmails } from '../utils/emailProcessor.js'
+
+/**
+ * Data passed to the process emails task
+ */
+export interface ProcessEmailsTaskData {
+  // Currently no data needed - always processes both pending and failed emails
+}
+
+/**
+ * Handler function for processing emails
+ * Used internally by the task definition
+ */
+export const processEmailsTaskHandler = async (
+  job: { data: ProcessEmailsTaskData },
+  context: { req: PayloadRequest }
+) => {
+  const { req } = context
+  const payload = (req as any).payload
+
+  // Use the shared email processing logic
+  await processAllEmails(payload)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Task definition for processing emails
+ * This is what gets registered with Payload's job system
+ */
+export const processEmailsTask = {
+  slug: 'process-emails',
+  handler: async ({ job, req }: { job: any; req: any }) => {
+    // Get mailing context from payload
+    const payload = (req as any).payload
+    const mailingContext = payload.mailing
+
+    if (!mailingContext) {
+      throw new Error('Mailing plugin not properly initialized')
+    }
+
+    // Use the task handler
+    await processEmailsTaskHandler(
+      job as { data: ProcessEmailsTaskData },
+      { req }
+    )
+
+    return {
+      output: {
+        success: true,
+        message: 'Email queue processing completed successfully'
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  interfaceName: 'ProcessEmailsTask',
+}
+
+// For backward compatibility, export as processEmailsJob
+export const processEmailsJob = processEmailsTask
+
+/**
+ * Helper function to schedule an email processing job
+ * Used by the plugin during initialization and can be used by developers
+ */
+export const scheduleEmailsJob = async (
+  payload: Payload,
+  queueName: string,
+  delay?: number
+) => {
+  if (!payload.jobs) {
+    console.warn('PayloadCMS jobs not configured - emails will not be processed automatically')
+    return
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await payload.jobs.queue({
+      queue: queueName,
+      task: 'process-emails',
+      input: {},
+      waitUntil: delay ? new Date(Date.now() + delay) : undefined,
+    } as any)
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Failed to schedule email processing job:', error)
+  }
+}
--- a/src/jobs/sendEmailTask.ts
+++ b/src/jobs/sendEmailTask.ts
@@ -1,179 +0,0 @@
-import { sendEmail } from '../sendEmail.js'
-import { Email } from '../payload-types.js'
-
-export interface SendEmailTaskInput {
-  // Template mode fields
-  templateSlug?: string
-  variables?: Record<string, any>
-
-  // Direct email mode fields
-  subject?: string
-  html?: string
-  text?: string
-
-  // Common fields
-  to: string | string[]
-  cc?: string | string[]
-  bcc?: string | string[]
-  scheduledAt?: string // ISO date string
-  priority?: number
-
-  // Allow any additional fields that users might have in their email collection
-  [key: string]: any
-}
-
-export const sendEmailJob = {
-  slug: 'send-email',
-  label: 'Send Email',
-  inputSchema: [
-    {
-      name: 'templateSlug',
-      type: 'text' as const,
-      label: 'Template Slug',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'Use a template (leave empty for direct email)',
-        condition: (data: any) => !data.subject && !data.html
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'variables',
-      type: 'json' as const,
-      label: 'Template Variables',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'JSON object with variables for template rendering',
-        condition: (data: any) => Boolean(data.templateSlug)
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'subject',
-      type: 'text' as const,
-      label: 'Subject',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'Email subject (required if not using template)',
-        condition: (data: any) => !data.templateSlug
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'html',
-      type: 'textarea' as const,
-      label: 'HTML Content',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'HTML email content (required if not using template)',
-        condition: (data: any) => !data.templateSlug
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'text',
-      type: 'textarea' as const,
-      label: 'Text Content',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'Plain text email content (optional)',
-        condition: (data: any) => !data.templateSlug
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'to',
-      type: 'text' as const,
-      required: true,
-      label: 'To (Email Recipients)',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'Comma-separated list of email addresses'
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'cc',
-      type: 'text' as const,
-      label: 'CC (Carbon Copy)',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'Optional comma-separated list of CC email addresses'
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'bcc',
-      type: 'text' as const,
-      label: 'BCC (Blind Carbon Copy)',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'Optional comma-separated list of BCC email addresses'
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'scheduledAt',
-      type: 'date' as const,
-      label: 'Schedule For',
-      admin: {
-        description: 'Optional date/time to schedule email for future delivery'
-      }
-    },
-    {
-      name: 'priority',
-      type: 'number' as const,
-      label: 'Priority',
-      min: 1,
-      max: 10,
-      defaultValue: 5,
-      admin: {
-        description: 'Email priority (1 = highest, 10 = lowest)'
-      }
-    }
-  ],
-  handler: async ({ input, payload }: any) => {
-    // Cast input to our expected type
-    const taskInput = input as SendEmailTaskInput
-
-    try {
-      // Prepare options for sendEmail based on task input
-      const sendEmailOptions: any = {
-        data: {}
-      }
-
-      // If using template mode
-      if (taskInput.templateSlug) {
-        sendEmailOptions.template = {
-          slug: taskInput.templateSlug,
-          variables: taskInput.variables || {}
-        }
-      }
-
-      // Build data object from task input
-      const dataFields = ['to', 'cc', 'bcc', 'subject', 'html', 'text', 'scheduledAt', 'priority']
-      const additionalFields: string[] = []
-
-      // Copy standard fields
-      dataFields.forEach(field => {
-        if (taskInput[field] !== undefined) {
-          sendEmailOptions.data[field] = taskInput[field]
-        }
-      })
-
-      // Copy any additional custom fields
-      Object.keys(taskInput).forEach(key => {
-        if (!['templateSlug', 'variables', ...dataFields].includes(key)) {
-          sendEmailOptions.data[key] = taskInput[key]
-          additionalFields.push(key)
-        }
-      })
-
-      // Use the sendEmail helper to create the email
-      const email = await sendEmail<Email>(payload, sendEmailOptions)
-
-      return {
-        output: {
-          success: true,
-          emailId: email.id,
-          message: `Email queued successfully with ID: ${email.id}`,
-          mode: taskInput.templateSlug ? 'template' : 'direct',
-          templateSlug: taskInput.templateSlug || null,
-          subject: email.subject,
-          recipients: Array.isArray(email.to) ? email.to.length : 1,
-          scheduledAt: email.scheduledAt || null
-        }
-      }
-
-    } catch (error) {
-      const errorMessage = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'
-      throw new Error(`Failed to queue email: ${errorMessage}`)
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-export default sendEmailJob
--- a/src/payload-types.ts
+++ b/src/payload-types.ts
@@ -1,431 +0,0 @@
-/* tslint:disable */
-/* eslint-disable */
-/**
- * This file was automatically generated by Payload.
- * DO NOT MODIFY IT BY HAND. Instead, modify your source Payload config,
- * and re-run `payload generate:types` to regenerate this file.
- */
-
-/**
- * Supported timezones in IANA format.
- *
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "supportedTimezones".
- */
-export type SupportedTimezones =
-  | 'Pacific/Midway'
-  | 'Pacific/Niue'
-  | 'Pacific/Honolulu'
-  | 'Pacific/Rarotonga'
-  | 'America/Anchorage'
-  | 'Pacific/Gambier'
-  | 'America/Los_Angeles'
-  | 'America/Tijuana'
-  | 'America/Denver'
-  | 'America/Phoenix'
-  | 'America/Chicago'
-  | 'America/Guatemala'
-  | 'America/New_York'
-  | 'America/Bogota'
-  | 'America/Caracas'
-  | 'America/Santiago'
-  | 'America/Buenos_Aires'
-  | 'America/Sao_Paulo'
-  | 'Atlantic/South_Georgia'
-  | 'Atlantic/Azores'
-  | 'Atlantic/Cape_Verde'
-  | 'Europe/London'
-  | 'Europe/Berlin'
-  | 'Africa/Lagos'
-  | 'Europe/Athens'
-  | 'Africa/Cairo'
-  | 'Europe/Moscow'
-  | 'Asia/Riyadh'
-  | 'Asia/Dubai'
-  | 'Asia/Baku'
-  | 'Asia/Karachi'
-  | 'Asia/Tashkent'
-  | 'Asia/Calcutta'
-  | 'Asia/Dhaka'
-  | 'Asia/Almaty'
-  | 'Asia/Jakarta'
-  | 'Asia/Bangkok'
-  | 'Asia/Shanghai'
-  | 'Asia/Singapore'
-  | 'Asia/Tokyo'
-  | 'Asia/Seoul'
-  | 'Australia/Brisbane'
-  | 'Australia/Sydney'
-  | 'Pacific/Guam'
-  | 'Pacific/Noumea'
-  | 'Pacific/Auckland'
-  | 'Pacific/Fiji';
-
-export interface Config {
-  auth: {
-    users: UserAuthOperations;
-  };
-  blocks: {};
-  collections: {
-    emails: Email;
-    'email-templates': EmailTemplate;
-    users: User;
-    'payload-locked-documents': PayloadLockedDocument;
-    'payload-preferences': PayloadPreference;
-    'payload-migrations': PayloadMigration;
-  };
-  collectionsJoins: {};
-  collectionsSelect: {
-    emails: EmailsSelect<false> | EmailsSelect<true>;
-    'email-templates': EmailTemplatesSelect<false> | EmailTemplatesSelect<true>;
-    users: UsersSelect<false> | UsersSelect<true>;
-    'payload-locked-documents': PayloadLockedDocumentsSelect<false> | PayloadLockedDocumentsSelect<true>;
-    'payload-preferences': PayloadPreferencesSelect<false> | PayloadPreferencesSelect<true>;
-    'payload-migrations': PayloadMigrationsSelect<false> | PayloadMigrationsSelect<true>;
-  };
-  db: {
-    defaultIDType: number;
-  };
-  globals: {};
-  globalsSelect: {};
-  locale: null;
-  user: User & {
-    collection: 'users';
-  };
-  jobs: {
-    tasks: unknown;
-    workflows: unknown;
-  };
-}
-export interface UserAuthOperations {
-  forgotPassword: {
-    email: string;
-    password: string;
-  };
-  login: {
-    email: string;
-    password: string;
-  };
-  registerFirstUser: {
-    email: string;
-    password: string;
-  };
-  unlock: {
-    email: string;
-    password: string;
-  };
-}
-/**
- * Email delivery and status tracking
- *
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "emails".
- */
-export interface Email {
-  id: number;
-  /**
-   * Email template used (optional if custom content provided)
-   */
-  template?: (number | null) | EmailTemplate;
-  /**
-   * Recipient email addresses
-   */
-  to: string[];
-  /**
-   * CC email addresses
-   */
-  cc?: string[] | null;
-  /**
-   * BCC email addresses
-   */
-  bcc?: string[] | null;
-  /**
-   * Sender email address (optional, uses default if not provided)
-   */
-  from?: string | null;
-  /**
-   * Reply-to email address
-   */
-  replyTo?: string | null;
-  /**
-   * Email subject line
-   */
-  subject: string;
-  /**
-   * Rendered HTML content of the email
-   */
-  html: string;
-  /**
-   * Plain text version of the email
-   */
-  text?: string | null;
-  /**
-   * Template variables used to render this email
-   */
-  variables?:
-    | {
-        [k: string]: unknown;
-      }
-    | unknown[]
-    | string
-    | number
-    | boolean
-    | null;
-  /**
-   * When this email should be sent (leave empty for immediate)
-   */
-  scheduledAt?: string | null;
-  /**
-   * When this email was actually sent
-   */
-  sentAt?: string | null;
-  /**
-   * Current status of this email
-   */
-  status: 'pending' | 'processing' | 'sent' | 'failed';
-  /**
-   * Number of send attempts made
-   */
-  attempts?: number | null;
-  /**
-   * When the last send attempt was made
-   */
-  lastAttemptAt?: string | null;
-  /**
-   * Last error message if send failed
-   */
-  error?: string | null;
-  /**
-   * Email priority (1=highest, 10=lowest)
-   */
-  priority?: number | null;
-  updatedAt: string;
-  createdAt: string;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "email-templates".
- */
-export interface EmailTemplate {
-  id: number;
-  /**
-   * A descriptive name for this email template
-   */
-  name: string;
-  /**
-   * Unique identifier for this template (e.g., "welcome-email", "password-reset")
-   */
-  slug: string;
-  /**
-   * Email subject line. You can use Handlebars variables like {{firstName}} or {{siteName}}.
-   */
-  subject: string;
-  /**
-   * Email content with rich text formatting. Supports Handlebars variables like {{firstName}} and helpers like {{formatDate createdAt "long"}}. Content is converted to HTML and plain text automatically.
-   */
-  content: {
-    root: {
-      type: string;
-      children: {
-        type: string;
-        version: number;
-        [k: string]: unknown;
-      }[];
-      direction: ('ltr' | 'rtl') | null;
-      format: 'left' | 'start' | 'center' | 'right' | 'end' | 'justify' | '';
-      indent: number;
-      version: number;
-    };
-    [k: string]: unknown;
-  };
-  updatedAt: string;
-  createdAt: string;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "users".
- */
-export interface User {
-  id: number;
-  updatedAt: string;
-  createdAt: string;
-  email: string;
-  resetPasswordToken?: string | null;
-  resetPasswordExpiration?: string | null;
-  salt?: string | null;
-  hash?: string | null;
-  loginAttempts?: number | null;
-  lockUntil?: string | null;
-  sessions?:
-    | {
-        id: string;
-        createdAt?: string | null;
-        expiresAt: string;
-      }[]
-    | null;
-  password?: string | null;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "payload-locked-documents".
- */
-export interface PayloadLockedDocument {
-  id: number;
-  document?:
-    | ({
-        relationTo: 'emails';
-        value: number | Email;
-      } | null)
-    | ({
-        relationTo: 'email-templates';
-        value: number | EmailTemplate;
-      } | null)
-    | ({
-        relationTo: 'users';
-        value: number | User;
-      } | null);
-  globalSlug?: string | null;
-  user: {
-    relationTo: 'users';
-    value: number | User;
-  };
-  updatedAt: string;
-  createdAt: string;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "payload-preferences".
- */
-export interface PayloadPreference {
-  id: number;
-  user: {
-    relationTo: 'users';
-    value: number | User;
-  };
-  key?: string | null;
-  value?:
-    | {
-        [k: string]: unknown;
-      }
-    | unknown[]
-    | string
-    | number
-    | boolean
-    | null;
-  updatedAt: string;
-  createdAt: string;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "payload-migrations".
- */
-export interface PayloadMigration {
-  id: number;
-  name?: string | null;
-  batch?: number | null;
-  updatedAt: string;
-  createdAt: string;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "emails_select".
- */
-export interface EmailsSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
-  template?: T;
-  to?: T;
-  cc?: T;
-  bcc?: T;
-  from?: T;
-  replyTo?: T;
-  subject?: T;
-  html?: T;
-  text?: T;
-  variables?: T;
-  scheduledAt?: T;
-  sentAt?: T;
-  status?: T;
-  attempts?: T;
-  lastAttemptAt?: T;
-  error?: T;
-  priority?: T;
-  updatedAt?: T;
-  createdAt?: T;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "email-templates_select".
- */
-export interface EmailTemplatesSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
-  name?: T;
-  slug?: T;
-  subject?: T;
-  content?: T;
-  updatedAt?: T;
-  createdAt?: T;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "users_select".
- */
-export interface UsersSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
-  updatedAt?: T;
-  createdAt?: T;
-  email?: T;
-  resetPasswordToken?: T;
-  resetPasswordExpiration?: T;
-  salt?: T;
-  hash?: T;
-  loginAttempts?: T;
-  lockUntil?: T;
-  sessions?:
-    | T
-    | {
-        id?: T;
-        createdAt?: T;
-        expiresAt?: T;
-      };
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "payload-locked-documents_select".
- */
-export interface PayloadLockedDocumentsSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
-  document?: T;
-  globalSlug?: T;
-  user?: T;
-  updatedAt?: T;
-  createdAt?: T;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "payload-preferences_select".
- */
-export interface PayloadPreferencesSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
-  user?: T;
-  key?: T;
-  value?: T;
-  updatedAt?: T;
-  createdAt?: T;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "payload-migrations_select".
- */
-export interface PayloadMigrationsSelect<T extends boolean = true> {
-  name?: T;
-  batch?: T;
-  updatedAt?: T;
-  createdAt?: T;
-}
-/**
- * This interface was referenced by `Config`'s JSON-Schema
- * via the `definition` "auth".
- */
-export interface Auth {
-  [k: string]: unknown;
-}
-
-
-declare module 'payload' {
-  export interface GeneratedTypes extends Config {}
-}
--- a/src/plugin.ts
+++ b/src/plugin.ts
@@ -3,18 +3,12 @@ import { MailingPluginConfig, MailingContext } from './types/index.js'
 import { MailingService } from './services/MailingService.js'
 import { createEmailTemplatesCollection } from './collections/EmailTemplates.js'
 import Emails from './collections/Emails.js'
-import { mailingJobs, scheduleEmailsJob } from './jobs/index.js'
+import { mailingJobs } from './jobs/index.js'


 export const mailingPlugin = (pluginConfig: MailingPluginConfig) => (config: Config): Config => {
  const queueName = pluginConfig.queue || 'default'

-  // Validate queueName
-  if (!queueName || typeof queueName !== 'string') {
-    throw new Error('Invalid queue configuration: queue must be a non-empty string')
-  }
-
-
  // Handle templates collection configuration
  const templatesConfig = pluginConfig.collections?.templates
  const templatesSlug = typeof templatesConfig === 'string' ? templatesConfig : 'email-templates'
@@ -74,10 +68,15 @@ export const mailingPlugin = (pluginConfig: MailingPluginConfig) => (config: Con
    }),
  } satisfies CollectionConfig

+  // Filter out any existing collections with the same slugs to prevent duplicates
+  const existingCollections = (config.collections || []).filter(
+    (collection) => collection.slug !== templatesSlug && collection.slug !== emailsSlug
+  )
+
  return {
    ...config,
    collections: [
-      ...(config.collections || []),
+      ...existingCollections,
      templatesCollection,
      emailsCollection,
    ],
@@ -107,21 +106,6 @@ export const mailingPlugin = (pluginConfig: MailingPluginConfig) => (config: Con
        },
      } as MailingContext

-      console.log('PayloadCMS Mailing Plugin initialized successfully')
-
-      // Schedule the initial email processing job
-      try {
-        await scheduleEmailsJob(payload, queueName, 60000) // Schedule in 1 minute
-        console.log(`🔄 Scheduled initial email processing job in queue: ${queueName}`)
-      } catch (error) {
-        console.error('Failed to schedule email processing job:', error)
-      }
-
-      // Call onReady callback if provided
-      if (pluginConfig.onReady) {
-        await pluginConfig.onReady(payload)
-      }
-
      if (pluginConfig.initOrder !== 'after' && config.onInit) {
        await config.onInit(payload)
      }
--- a/src/sendEmail.ts
+++ b/src/sendEmail.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import { Payload } from 'payload'
 import { getMailing, renderTemplate, parseAndValidateEmails } from './utils/helpers.js'
-import {Email} from "./payload-types.js"
+import { BaseEmailDocument } from './types/index.js'
+import { processJobById } from './utils/emailProcessor.js'

 // Options for sending emails
-export interface SendEmailOptions<T extends Email = Email> {
+export interface SendEmailOptions<T extends BaseEmailDocument = BaseEmailDocument> {
  // Template-based email
  template?: {
    slug: string
@@ -13,6 +14,8 @@ export interface SendEmailOptions<T extends Email = Email> {
  data?: Partial<T>
  // Common options
  collectionSlug?: string // defaults to 'emails'
+  processImmediately?: boolean // if true, creates job and processes it immediately
+  queue?: string // queue name for the job, defaults to mailing config queue
 }

 /**
@@ -35,14 +38,14 @@ export interface SendEmailOptions<T extends Email = Email> {
 * })
 * ```
 */
-export const sendEmail = async <T extends Email = Email>(
+export const sendEmail = async <TEmail extends BaseEmailDocument = BaseEmailDocument>(
  payload: Payload,
-  options: SendEmailOptions<T>
-): Promise<T> => {
-  const mailing = getMailing(payload)
-  const collectionSlug = options.collectionSlug || mailing.collections.emails || 'emails'
+  options: SendEmailOptions<TEmail>
+): Promise<TEmail> => {
+  const mailingConfig = getMailing(payload)
+  const collectionSlug = options.collectionSlug || mailingConfig.collections.emails || 'emails'

-  let emailData: Partial<T> = { ...options.data } as Partial<T>
+  let emailData: Partial<TEmail> = { ...options.data } as Partial<TEmail>

  // If using a template, render it first
  if (options.template) {
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ export const sendEmail = async <T extends Email = Email>(
      subject,
      html,
      text,
-    } as Partial<T>
+    } as Partial<TEmail>
  }

  // Validate required fields
@@ -89,6 +92,44 @@ export const sendEmail = async <T extends Email = Email>(
  if (emailData.bcc) {
    emailData.bcc = parseAndValidateEmails(emailData.bcc as string | string[])
  }
+  if (emailData.replyTo) {
+    const validated = parseAndValidateEmails(emailData.replyTo as string | string[])
+    // replyTo should be a single email, so take the first one if array
+    emailData.replyTo = validated && validated.length > 0 ? validated[0] : undefined
+  }
+  if (emailData.from) {
+    const validated = parseAndValidateEmails(emailData.from as string | string[])
+    // from should be a single email, so take the first one if array
+    emailData.from = validated && validated.length > 0 ? validated[0] : undefined
+  }
+
+  // Sanitize fromName to prevent header injection
+  if (emailData.fromName) {
+    emailData.fromName = emailData.fromName
+      .trim()
+      // Remove/replace newlines and carriage returns to prevent header injection
+      .replace(/[\r\n]/g, ' ')
+      // Remove control characters (except space and printable characters)
+      .replace(/[\x00-\x1F\x7F-\x9F]/g, '')
+      // Note: We don't escape quotes here as that's handled in MailingService
+  }
+
+  // Normalize Date objects to ISO strings for consistent database storage
+  if (emailData.scheduledAt instanceof Date) {
+    emailData.scheduledAt = emailData.scheduledAt.toISOString()
+  }
+  if (emailData.sentAt instanceof Date) {
+    emailData.sentAt = emailData.sentAt.toISOString()
+  }
+  if (emailData.lastAttemptAt instanceof Date) {
+    emailData.lastAttemptAt = emailData.lastAttemptAt.toISOString()
+  }
+  if (emailData.createdAt instanceof Date) {
+    emailData.createdAt = emailData.createdAt.toISOString()
+  }
+  if (emailData.updatedAt instanceof Date) {
+    emailData.updatedAt = emailData.updatedAt.toISOString()
+  }

  // Create the email in the collection with proper typing
  const email = await payload.create({
@@ -96,7 +137,64 @@ export const sendEmail = async <T extends Email = Email>(
    data: emailData
  })

-  return email as T
+  // Validate that the created email has the expected structure
+  if (!email || typeof email !== 'object' || !email.id) {
+    throw new Error('Failed to create email: invalid response from database')
+  }
+
+  // Create an individual job for this email
+  const queueName = options.queue || mailingConfig.queue || 'default'
+
+  if (!payload.jobs) {
+    if (options.processImmediately) {
+      throw new Error('PayloadCMS jobs not configured - cannot process email immediately')
+    } else {
+      console.warn('PayloadCMS jobs not configured - emails will not be processed automatically')
+      return email as TEmail
+    }
+  }
+
+  let jobId: string
+  try {
+    const job = await payload.jobs.queue({
+      queue: queueName,
+      task: 'process-email',
+      input: {
+        emailId: String(email.id)
+      },
+      // If scheduled, set the waitUntil date
+      waitUntil: emailData.scheduledAt ? new Date(emailData.scheduledAt) : undefined
+    })
+
+    jobId = String(job.id)
+  } catch (error) {
+    // Clean up the orphaned email since job creation failed
+    try {
+      await payload.delete({
+        collection: collectionSlug,
+        id: email.id
+      })
+    } catch (deleteError) {
+      console.error(`Failed to clean up orphaned email ${email.id} after job creation failure:`, deleteError)
+    }
+
+    // Throw the original job creation error
+    const errorMsg = `Failed to create processing job for email ${email.id}: ${String(error)}`
+    throw new Error(errorMsg)
+  }
+
+  // If processImmediately is true, process the job now
+  if (options.processImmediately) {
+    try {
+      await processJobById(payload, jobId)
+    } catch (error) {
+      // For immediate processing failures, we could consider cleanup, but the job exists and could be retried later
+      // So we'll leave the email and job in place for potential retry
+      throw new Error(`Failed to process email ${email.id} immediately: ${String(error)}`)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return email as TEmail
 }

 export default sendEmail
--- a/src/services/MailingService.ts
+++ b/src/services/MailingService.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,20 @@
 import { Payload } from 'payload'
 import { Liquid } from 'liquidjs'
-import nodemailer, { Transporter } from 'nodemailer'
 import {
  MailingPluginConfig,
  TemplateVariables,
  MailingService as IMailingService,
-  EmailTemplate,
-  QueuedEmail,
-  MailingTransportConfig,
-  EmailObject
+  BaseEmail, BaseEmailTemplate, BaseEmailDocument, BaseEmailTemplateDocument
 } from '../types/index.js'
 import { serializeRichTextToHTML, serializeRichTextToText } from '../utils/richTextSerializer.js'

 export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
  public payload: Payload
  private config: MailingPluginConfig
-  private transporter!: Transporter | any
+  private emailAdapter: any
  private templatesCollection: string
  private emailsCollection: string
  private liquid: Liquid | null | false = null
-  private transporterInitialized = false

  constructor(payload: Payload, config: MailingPluginConfig) {
    this.payload = payload
@@ -31,49 +26,55 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
    const emailsConfig = config.collections?.emails
    this.emailsCollection = typeof emailsConfig === 'string' ? emailsConfig : 'emails'

-    // Only initialize transporter if payload is properly set
-    if (payload && payload.db) {
-      this.initializeTransporter()
+    // Use Payload's configured email adapter
+    if (!this.payload.email) {
+      throw new Error('Payload email configuration is required. Please configure email in your Payload config.')
    }
-  }
-
-  private initializeTransporter(): void {
-    if (this.transporterInitialized) return
-
-    if (this.config.transport) {
-      if ('sendMail' in this.config.transport) {
-        this.transporter = this.config.transport
-      } else {
-        this.transporter = nodemailer.createTransport(this.config.transport as MailingTransportConfig)
-      }
-    } else if (this.payload.email && 'sendMail' in this.payload.email) {
-      // Use Payload's configured mailer (cast to any to handle different adapter types)
-      this.transporter = this.payload.email as any
-    } else {
-      throw new Error('Email transport configuration is required either in plugin config or Payload config')
-    }
-
-    this.transporterInitialized = true
+    this.emailAdapter = this.payload.email
  }

  private ensureInitialized(): void {
    if (!this.payload || !this.payload.db) {
      throw new Error('MailingService payload not properly initialized')
    }
-    if (!this.transporterInitialized) {
-      this.initializeTransporter()
+    if (!this.emailAdapter) {
+      throw new Error('Email adapter not configured. Please ensure Payload has email configured.')
    }
  }

+  /**
+   * Sanitizes a display name for use in email headers to prevent header injection
+   * and ensure proper formatting
+   */
+  private sanitizeDisplayName(name: string): string {
+    return name
+      .trim()
+      // Remove/replace newlines and carriage returns to prevent header injection
+      .replace(/[\r\n]/g, ' ')
+      // Remove control characters (except space and printable characters)
+      .replace(/[\x00-\x1F\x7F-\x9F]/g, '')
+      // Escape quotes to prevent malformed headers
+      .replace(/"/g, '\\"')
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Formats an email address with optional display name
+   */
+  private formatEmailAddress(email: string, displayName?: string | null): string {
+    if (displayName && displayName.trim()) {
+      const sanitizedName = this.sanitizeDisplayName(displayName)
+      return `"${sanitizedName}" <${email}>`
+    }
+    return email
+  }
+
  private getDefaultFrom(): string {
    const fromEmail = this.config.defaultFrom
    const fromName = this.config.defaultFromName

    // Check if fromName exists, is not empty after trimming, and fromEmail exists
    if (fromName && fromName.trim() && fromEmail) {
-      // Escape quotes in the display name to prevent malformed headers
-      const escapedName = fromName.replace(/"/g, '\\"')
-      return `"${escapedName}" <${fromEmail}>`
+      return this.formatEmailAddress(fromEmail, fromName)
    }

    return fromEmail || ''
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
    }

    const emailContent = await this.renderEmailTemplate(template, variables)
-    const subject = await this.renderTemplateString(template.subject, variables)
+    const subject = await this.renderTemplateString(template.subject || '', variables)

    return {
      html: emailContent.html,
@@ -224,7 +225,7 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
    }
  }

-  private async processEmailItem(emailId: string): Promise<void> {
+  async processEmailItem(emailId: string): Promise<void> {
    try {
      await this.payload.update({
        collection: this.emailsCollection as any,
@@ -238,10 +239,18 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
      const email = await this.payload.findByID({
        collection: this.emailsCollection as any,
        id: emailId,
-      }) as QueuedEmail
+      }) as BaseEmailDocument

-      let emailObject: EmailObject = {
-        from: email.from || this.getDefaultFrom(),
+      // Combine from and fromName for nodemailer using proper sanitization
+      let fromField: string
+      if (email.from) {
+        fromField = this.formatEmailAddress(email.from, email.fromName)
+      } else {
+        fromField = this.getDefaultFrom()
+      }
+
+      let mailOptions: any = {
+        from: fromField,
        to: email.to,
        cc: email.cc || undefined,
        bcc: email.bcc || undefined,
@@ -249,26 +258,34 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
        subject: email.subject,
        html: email.html,
        text: email.text || undefined,
-        variables: email.variables,
      }

-      // Apply emailWrapper hook if configured
-      if (this.config.emailWrapper) {
-        emailObject = await this.config.emailWrapper(emailObject)
+      // Call beforeSend hook if configured
+      if (this.config.beforeSend) {
+        try {
+          mailOptions = await this.config.beforeSend(mailOptions, email)
+
+          // Validate required properties remain intact after hook execution
+          if (!mailOptions.from) {
+            throw new Error('beforeSend hook must not remove the "from" property')
+          }
+          if (!mailOptions.to || (Array.isArray(mailOptions.to) && mailOptions.to.length === 0)) {
+            throw new Error('beforeSend hook must not remove or empty the "to" property')
+          }
+          if (!mailOptions.subject) {
+            throw new Error('beforeSend hook must not remove the "subject" property')
+          }
+          if (!mailOptions.html && !mailOptions.text) {
+            throw new Error('beforeSend hook must not remove both "html" and "text" properties')
+          }
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error('Error in beforeSend hook:', error)
+          throw new Error(`beforeSend hook failed: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'}`)
+        }
      }

-      const mailOptions = {
-        from: emailObject.from,
-        to: emailObject.to,
-        cc: emailObject.cc || undefined,
-        bcc: emailObject.bcc || undefined,
-        replyTo: emailObject.replyTo || undefined,
-        subject: emailObject.subject,
-        html: emailObject.html,
-        text: emailObject.text || undefined,
-      }
-
-      await this.transporter.sendMail(mailOptions)
+      // Send email using Payload's email adapter
+      await this.emailAdapter.sendEmail(mailOptions)

      await this.payload.update({
        collection: this.emailsCollection as any,
@@ -304,9 +321,9 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
    const email = await this.payload.findByID({
      collection: this.emailsCollection as any,
      id: emailId,
-    }) as QueuedEmail
+    })

-    const newAttempts = (email.attempts || 0) + 1
+    const newAttempts = ((email as any).attempts || 0) + 1

    await this.payload.update({
      collection: this.emailsCollection as any,
@@ -319,7 +336,7 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
    return newAttempts
  }

-  private async getTemplateBySlug(templateSlug: string): Promise<EmailTemplate | null> {
+  private async getTemplateBySlug(templateSlug: string): Promise<BaseEmailTemplateDocument | null> {
    try {
      const { docs } = await this.payload.find({
        collection: this.templatesCollection as any,
@@ -331,7 +348,7 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
        limit: 1,
      })

-      return docs.length > 0 ? docs[0] as EmailTemplate : null
+      return docs.length > 0 ? docs[0] as BaseEmailTemplateDocument : null
    } catch (error) {
      console.error(`Template with slug '${templateSlug}' not found:`, error)
      return null
@@ -396,7 +413,7 @@ export class MailingService implements IMailingService {
    })
  }

-  private async renderEmailTemplate(template: EmailTemplate, variables: Record<string, any> = {}): Promise<{ html: string; text: string }> {
+  private async renderEmailTemplate(template: BaseEmailTemplateDocument, variables: Record<string, any> = {}): Promise<{ html: string; text: string }> {
    if (!template.content) {
      return { html: '', text: '' }
    }
--- a/src/types/index.ts
+++ b/src/types/index.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,67 @@
 import { Payload } from 'payload'
-import type { CollectionConfig, RichTextField, TypedCollection } from 'payload'
-import { Transporter } from 'nodemailer'
+import type { CollectionConfig, RichTextField } from 'payload'

-export interface EmailObject {
-  to: string | string[]
-  cc?: string | string[]
-  bcc?: string | string[]
-  from?: string
-  replyTo?: string
+// JSON value type that matches Payload's JSON field type
+export type JSONValue = string | number | boolean | { [k: string]: unknown } | unknown[] | null | undefined
+
+// Generic base interfaces that work with any ID type and null values
+export interface BaseEmailDocument {
+  id: string | number
+  template?: any
+  to: string[]
+  cc?: string[] | null
+  bcc?: string[] | null
+  from?: string | null
+  fromName?: string | null
+  replyTo?: string | null
  subject: string
  html: string
-  text?: string
-  variables?: Record<string, any>
+  text?: string | null
+  variables?: JSONValue
+  scheduledAt?: string | Date | null
+  sentAt?: string | Date | null
+  status?: 'pending' | 'processing' | 'sent' | 'failed' | null
+  attempts?: number | null
+  lastAttemptAt?: string | Date | null
+  error?: string | null
+  priority?: number | null
+  createdAt?: string | Date | null
+  updatedAt?: string | Date | null
 }

-export type EmailWrapperHook = (email: EmailObject) => EmailObject | Promise<EmailObject>
+export interface BaseEmailTemplateDocument {
+  id: string | number
+  name: string
+  slug: string
+  subject?: string | null
+  content?: any
+  createdAt?: string | Date | null
+  updatedAt?: string | Date | null
+}
+
+export type BaseEmail<TEmail extends BaseEmailDocument = BaseEmailDocument, TEmailTemplate extends BaseEmailTemplateDocument = BaseEmailTemplateDocument> = Omit<TEmail, 'id' | 'template'> & {template: Omit<TEmailTemplate, 'id'> | TEmailTemplate['id'] | undefined | null}
+
+export type BaseEmailTemplate<TEmailTemplate extends BaseEmailTemplateDocument = BaseEmailTemplateDocument> = Omit<TEmailTemplate, 'id'>

 export type TemplateRendererHook = (template: string, variables: Record<string, any>) => string | Promise<string>

 export type TemplateEngine = 'liquidjs' | 'mustache' | 'simple'

+export interface BeforeSendMailOptions {
+  from: string
+  to: string[]
+  cc?: string[]
+  bcc?: string[]
+  replyTo?: string
+  subject: string
+  html: string
+  text?: string
+  attachments?: any[]
+  [key: string]: any
+}
+
+export type BeforeSendHook = (options: BeforeSendMailOptions, email: BaseEmailDocument) => BeforeSendMailOptions | Promise<BeforeSendMailOptions>
+
 export interface MailingPluginConfig {
  collections?: {
    templates?: string | Partial<CollectionConfig>
@@ -27,58 +69,36 @@ export interface MailingPluginConfig {
  }
  defaultFrom?: string
  defaultFromName?: string
-  transport?: Transporter | MailingTransportConfig
  queue?: string
  retryAttempts?: number
  retryDelay?: number
-  emailWrapper?: EmailWrapperHook
  templateRenderer?: TemplateRendererHook
  templateEngine?: TemplateEngine
  richTextEditor?: RichTextField['editor']
-  onReady?: (payload: any) => Promise<void>
+  beforeSend?: BeforeSendHook
  initOrder?: 'before' | 'after'
 }

-export interface MailingTransportConfig {
-  host: string
-  port: number
-  secure?: boolean
-  auth?: {
-    user: string
-    pass: string
-  }
-}
-
-export interface EmailTemplate {
-  id: string
-  name: string
-  slug: string
-  subject: string
-  content: any // Lexical editor state
-  createdAt: string
-  updatedAt: string
-}
-
-
 export interface QueuedEmail {
  id: string
-  template?: string
+  template?: string | null
  to: string[]
-  cc?: string[]
-  bcc?: string[]
-  from?: string
-  replyTo?: string
+  cc?: string[] | null
+  bcc?: string[] | null
+  from?: string | null
+  fromName?: string | null
+  replyTo?: string | null
  subject: string
  html: string
-  text?: string
-  variables?: Record<string, any>
-  scheduledAt?: string
-  sentAt?: string
+  text?: string | null
+  variables?: JSONValue
+  scheduledAt?: string | Date | null
+  sentAt?: string | Date | null
  status: 'pending' | 'processing' | 'sent' | 'failed'
  attempts: number
-  lastAttemptAt?: string
-  error?: string
-  priority?: number
+  lastAttemptAt?: string | Date | null
+  error?: string | null
+  priority?: number | null
  createdAt: string
  updatedAt: string
 }
@@ -90,6 +110,7 @@ export interface TemplateVariables {

 export interface MailingService {
  processEmails(): Promise<void>
+  processEmailItem(emailId: string): Promise<void>
  retryFailedEmails(): Promise<void>
  renderTemplate(templateSlug: string, variables: TemplateVariables): Promise<{ html: string; text: string; subject: string }>
 }
--- a/src/utils/emailProcessor.ts
+++ b/src/utils/emailProcessor.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import type { Payload } from 'payload'
+
+/**
+ * Processes a single email by ID using the mailing service
+ * @param payload Payload instance
+ * @param emailId The ID of the email to process
+ * @returns Promise that resolves when email is processed
+ */
+export async function processEmailById(payload: Payload, emailId: string): Promise<void> {
+  // Get mailing context from payload
+  const mailingContext = (payload as any).mailing
+
+  if (!mailingContext) {
+    throw new Error(
+      'Mailing plugin not found on payload instance. ' +
+      'Ensure the mailingPlugin is properly configured in your Payload config plugins array.'
+    )
+  }
+
+  if (!mailingContext.service) {
+    throw new Error(
+      'Mailing service not available. ' +
+      'The plugin may not have completed initialization. ' +
+      'Check that email configuration is properly set up in your Payload config.'
+    )
+  }
+
+  // Process the specific email
+  await mailingContext.service.processEmailItem(emailId)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Processes a job immediately by finding and executing it
+ * @param payload Payload instance
+ * @param jobId The ID of the job to run immediately
+ * @returns Promise that resolves when job is processed
+ */
+export async function processJobById(payload: Payload, jobId: string): Promise<void> {
+  if (!payload.jobs) {
+    throw new Error('PayloadCMS jobs not configured - cannot process job immediately')
+  }
+
+  try {
+    // Run a specific job by its ID (using where clause to find the job)
+    await payload.jobs.run({
+      where: {
+        id: {
+          equals: jobId
+        }
+      }
+    })
+  } catch (error) {
+    throw new Error(`Failed to process job ${jobId}: ${String(error)}`)
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Processes all pending and failed emails using the mailing service
+ * @param payload Payload instance
+ * @returns Promise that resolves when all emails are processed
+ */
+export async function processAllEmails(payload: Payload): Promise<void> {
+  // Get mailing context from payload
+  const mailingContext = (payload as any).mailing
+
+  if (!mailingContext) {
+    throw new Error(
+      'Mailing plugin not found on payload instance. ' +
+      'Ensure the mailingPlugin is properly configured in your Payload config plugins array.'
+    )
+  }
+
+  if (!mailingContext.service) {
+    throw new Error(
+      'Mailing service not available. ' +
+      'The plugin may not have completed initialization. ' +
+      'Check that email configuration is properly set up in your Payload config.'
+    )
+  }
+
+  // Process pending emails first
+  await mailingContext.service.processEmails()
+
+  // Then retry failed emails
+  await mailingContext.service.retryFailedEmails()
+}