Email Channel

An email channel makes it easy to send a case-related message to a customer and automatically record them (as well as Customer responses) as part of the case. Customers can even create cases by sending you a message, if you allow it. This article shows you how to configure an email channel to minimize spam and optimize efficiency.

Configuring an Email Channel

To configure email handling:

1. Go to > Channels > Email
2. Click on the mailbox you want to configure.

   Note:
   The Default Support Mailbox comes pre-configured for your use. If you already have a support email address, you will eventually want to set up a Mailbox that uses it. You may even set up more than one--for example, for different product lines. At the start, however, it's best to use the default mailbox to see how things work.}}

3. Modify the Email Settings.
4. Click [Save]

Email Settings

Mailbox Information

Name
The name of the mailbox. It can be anything you like. You'll use it to make your selection in the list of mailboxes.

Enabled
Uncheck this box to take a mailbox offline without deleting it.

Description
Put any text you like here to describe the purpose of the mailbox, or to record other notes.

Mailbox Configuration

This section contains the information that connects the ServiceDesk mailbox to an email address like support@YourCompany.com.

Learn more: Adding a Mailbox to Handle Messages from an External Email Address

Email Handling

Case Response Template

The Email Template used for a message that is sent when an agent adds a comment to the Case.

Note: Replies to Case-related emails are automatically included in the case history.

Attachments

Click this box to allow up to 5 attachments to accompany incoming messages. (The total size of all attachments must be less than 5MB.)

Process Task Replies

When this box is checked, and replies to the task-assignment message that come to his mailbox are automatically recorded in the Task history. (Without those settings, replies are not recorded.)

In addition, replies to the assignment notification can contain one of the following "hashtag action commands":

• #action complete
• #action approve
• #action reject

The command must be by itself on the first line of the message. Everything on subsequent lines becomes part of the task history.

The action and any comments that accompany become part of the history for the record that task is attached to, as well.

Important: To complete the configuration, use this mailbox as the "from" address in the Task object's Task Assignment Notification email template.

Considerations

• Only one mailbox can have this flag set.

(The Tasks object is global. Its assignment-notification Template is used by all applications, so the from-address in that template can point to only one mailbox.)

• Any one mailbox can do the processing, though. All task-related messages will get to their proper destination, no matter which mailbox is used--so it makes sense to use the mailbox with the most generic email address.

End of Message Marker

This text is displayed at the top of messages sent by the platform, instructing recipients to put their response above the line that contains it, so that the recipient's response can be added to the record history without duplicating the entire thread. Use the default text, or specify your own here.

Email Filtering

This section is organized somewhat differently for a ServiceDesk application. The first section below examines the structure for a Dynamic Case Manangement (DCM) application. The section that follows describes the ServiceDesk structure.

Email Filtering in a DCM App

Allow New Case to be Created
Select this option to create a new case when a message does not pertain to an existing case. (This option is generally chosen in conjunction with Accept Messages from Existing Contacts only.)

• Case Type
  Choose to create a record in the Cases Object or in one of the subsidiary Case Types.
• Auto Acknowledgement Template
  The template used for the automatic response acknowledging receipt of the message. (An acknowledgement is sent only when the message meets the filtering criteria, specified next.)

Sender Email Address Filter

• Accept Messages from any Email Address
  This option tells the system to accept messages from people who are not already in the list of known Contacts.
• Accept Messages from Existing Contacts only
  This option tells the system to accept messages only from people who are already known.

• Case Type
  This field appears if it is not displayed earlier, as a result of allowing new cases to be created. It determines which objects are displayed next, when choosing the Client/Customer connection. (Only objects targeted by a Lookup field are displayed. Generally, you'll use an object like Clients or Customers that is targeted from the Cases Object. But if you specified a particular Case Type, you can choose an object targeted by a lookup field defined in that Case Type, in addition to a field targeted by parent object, Cases.)
• Client/Customer Object
  The object which contains the clients (or customers, or contacts) from whom messages are accepted.
• Linking Field
  The Lookup field in the Case that points to a record in that object. (Only Lookup fields which target that object are listed.)
• Email Field
  An indexed email field in that object. (The field value from each record in that object is matched against each incoming email. The field must be indexed, for performance--so only indexed fields are listed.)
  Learn more: Indexes

• Whitelist Domains for Case Communication
  Accept messages from anyone in the specified domain, even if they do not yet have an entry in the list of Contacts. (An entry will be created, when needed.) You'll typically include your organization's domain (YourCompany.com), so that anyone in your organization can comment on a case that has been to sent to them. Additionally, you can use it to specify your client domains.

Format:

• Addresses can be separated by commas or newlines. Extra whitespace is ignored.
• For example, abc.com, xyz.com accepts messages from anyone at company ABC and from anyone at company XYZ.

Unauthorized Sender Action

• Discard Message
  A message from an unknown sender is simply ignored. Use this option only when your users are entirely comfortable with the system, and you are sure that everything is working properly.

• Bounce Message
  This option sends a message back to the sender when an email is rejected. This option is especially important when you're first setting up the system. When things go wrong, the bounce message gives you a clue, instead of leaving you wondering what happened.

• Bounce Text
  Write text to include in the reply.

• Include the Original Message
  Leave this option enabled to allow the customer to reuse the original text--for example in the Service Portal.

Email Filtering in ServiceDesk

Allow New Case to be Created
Select this option to create a new case when a message does not pertain to an existing case. (This option is generally chosen in conjunction with Accept Messages from Existing Contacts only.)

• Auto Acknowledgement Template
  The Email Template used to send a message to the customer when a new case has been created.

Sender Email Address Filter

• Accept Messages from any Email Address
  This option tells the system to accept messages from people who are not already in the list of known Contacts.

• Prevent spam by sending a confirmation message
  This option sends a confirmation message to unknown senders, to make sure they are really people and not automated spam robots.

• Create New Contact
  A Contact record is created for the unknown user.
  
  Note:
  If Create New Contact is not selected, and Prevent Spam is, then a confirmation email is sent for every incoming case, even if the sender has previously created Cases.

• Accept Messages from Existing Contacts only
  With this option, only people who are in the list of Contacts can use the email channel.

• Whitelist Domains for Case Communication
  Accept messages from anyone in the specified domain, even if they do not yet have an entry in the list of Contacts. (An entry will be created, when needed.) You'll typically include your organization's domain (YourCompany.com), so that anyone in your organization can comment on a case that has been to sent to them. Additionally, you can use it to specify your client domains.

Format:

• Addresses can be separated by commas or newlines. Extra whitespace is ignored.
• For example, abc.com, xyz.com accepts messages from anyone at company ABC and from anyone at company XYZ.

Unauthorized Sender Action

• Discard Message
  A message from an unknown sender is simply ignored. Use this option only when your users are entirely comfortable with the system, and you are sure that everything is working properly.

• Bounce Message
  This option sends a message back to the sender when an email is rejected. This option is especially important when you're first setting up the system. When things go wrong, the bounce message gives you a clue, instead of leaving you wondering what happened.

• Bounce Text
  Write text to include in the reply.

• Include the Original Message
  Leave this option enabled to allow the customer to reuse the original text--for example in the Service Portal.