Working with Email Inboxes

Use this feature to create a business object, such as an incident, from an email. After an incident or other business object record is created (or updated), the application attaches the email to the record in the Activity History tab and moves the email from the inbox folder to the archived folder.

If a user exists or is created, the application adds the associated email to the employee record for the user.

About Creating Incidents from Emails

The default Neurons for ITSM application comes with one inbox, which is based on the Incident business object. When you send an email to this inbox, the email listener processes the incoming message and creates an incident.

About Creating Other Business Object Types from Emails

You can create additional inboxes for other business objects. To process emails from other business objects, you must create an inbox for each business object. You must define a template for each business object so that users can submit emails in the correct format.

We recommend that you create new inboxes for other business objects after you modify the default inbox.

About Updating a Service Request via Email

You cannot create service request records from incoming emails; however, you can update service request records from incoming emails.

The corresponding field names and field values in the record are updated from the email and the email is attached to the record under the Activity History tab.

If the email body does not contain valid field names and field values, then an attempt is made to search for the service request from the service request ID is in the subject line; then the email is attached to the record in the Activity History tab.

If Neurons for ITSM cannot locate the service request record, the application creates a new incident and attaches the email to the record.

Accessing the Default Email Inbox

Neurons for ITSM always has a default inbox configured to create incidents. Therefore, you do not need to configure an inbox for creating incidents, but can instead just update the default inbox if you need to make changes.

The default email inbox is used to create incidents in Neurons for ITSM from email. Follow the steps here to access it.

1.Log in to Neurons for ITSM.

2.Open the Email Config workspace. If there is only one email server, the application automatically opens it. If there is more than one email server, select the default record link under the Mail Host column.

3.From the Inbox tab at the bottom of the page, select the default record link under the Address column. The application opens the Inbox Configuration workspace.

Creating an Inbox

1.Log in to Neurons for ITSM.

2.Open the Email Config workspace.

3.From the Inbox tab at the bottom of the page, select New. The application displays the New Inbox workspace.

4.Enter information into the fields.

Parameter Description

Email Listener Settings

Name

Enter a unique name up to a maximum of 50 characters. This name must be unique for every email monitor, even if using the same address or account across multiple monitors.

If you leave this field blank it is auto-filled with the email address in the Address field for the incoming server connection. This may result in the name not being unique and may result in an error message, therefore it is recommended that you do not leave this field blank.

Description

Enter a description for the email listener (optional).

Enable Email Listener

Select this checkbox to enable the email listener to identify emails and create a business object.

Incoming Server Connection
Address The email address that users send emails to. For example, [email protected].
Host

The host name or group that handles emails from the email address. For example, pop.emailsvr.com.

This field is not applicable for the Microsoft Graph option because this protocol does not require any host addresses.

Port

Only shown if you select POP3 or IMAP4 for the Protocol field.

The corresponding port number for the selected protocol. The default email port for POP3 is port 110 and the default port for IMAP4 is port 143.

Protocol

The protocol used to retrieve emails. The options are as follows:

Exchange Web Services

Google Services Account

IMAP4

Microsoft Graph

POP3

Authentication

The authentication method for incoming messages. See About Authentication Types.

User Name The user name required to access the inbox on the email server. Usually the same as the address.

Client Login URL

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services for the Protocol, and Authentication as AuthLogin.

The endpoint URL. For example, https://login.microsoftonline.com/. This can be obtained from the Azure Active Directory where you have registered an application.

Client Resource URL

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services for the Protocol, and Authentication as AuthLogin.

The value to be used is - https://outlook.office365.com

Client Tenant ID

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services or Microsoft Graph for the Protocol, and Authentication as AuthLogin.

The directory (tenant) ID. This can be obtained from the Azure Active Directory where you have registered an application.

Client ID

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services or Microsoft Graph for the Protocol, and Authentication as AuthLogin.

The application ID. This can be obtained from the Azure Active Directory where you have registered an application.

Client Secret Key

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services or Microsoft Graph for the Protocol, and Authentication as AuthLogin.

The secret login key. This can be obtained from the Azure Active Directory where you have registered an application.

Password

Only shown if you select POP3 or IMAP4 for the Protocol, or Exchange Web Services for the Protocol with Authentication as Plain.

The password required to access the inbox in the email server.

Use SSL/TLS

Only shown if you select IMAP4 or POP3 for the Protocol.

Enables SSL and TLS security for incoming messages.

Incoming Server Settings
Inbox Name

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services, Google Service Account, IMAP4, or Microsoft Graph for the Protocol.

A folder for incoming emails. When the application processes an email, it creates or updates the business object record. If the email is incorrectly configured, the application moves it from the inbox folder to the archive folder.

Archive Mailbox Name

Only shown if you select the Move to Folder option for Action To Perform On Processing Success (see below), Not applicable and not shown for the POP3 protocol.

The folder for storing archived or successfully processed emails.

Note:  Even though this field is called Archive Mailbox Name, this is not actually a mailbox, it is a folder.

Ignore CC and BCC Emails Ignores emails addressed to this inbox when the email address is only in the CC or BCC fields. The application does not process these emails.
Default Domain

A default domain. The application may not correctly process incoming emails without a domain. Use the default domain to construct a valid address, enabling emails to process as normal, including creating incident records.

Include Source Mailbox Name

Only shown if you select Incident for the Email Processor field.

Includes the name of the source mailbox in the From field of the email.

When checked, the CreatedBy field in an incident stores the processing mailbox name (such as Email [email protected]; If unchecked, the CreatedBy field has the value email listener. This enables you to determine which mailbox generated the incident.

Action To Perform On Processing Success

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services, Google Services Account, IMAP4 or Microsoft Graph for Protocol.

The action to perform on an incoming email if it is processed successfully. Select from the drop-down list:

  • Mark as read: Marks the email as read in your inbox.

  • Move to folder: Moves the email from your inbox to the folder defined in the Archive Mailbox Name field.

If Move to Folder is selected with Google Service Account as the configured protocol, the email is not moved to the archive folder. Instead the "Inbox" label is removed from the email. The email is no longer visible in your inbox, but can be viewed in "All Mail". For more information on label use with Gmail, see Organize your inbox in the Google Help Center.

  • Delete: Deletes the email from your inbox.

When the Move to folder or Delete options are selected, be aware that all emails currently in the Inbox are read and processed, regardless of their read/unread status. When the Mark as read option is selected, only emails with unread status are processed, after which they are marked as read.

Action To Perform On Processing Error

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services, Google Services Account, IMAP4 or Microsoft Graph for Protocol,

The action to perform on an incoming email if an error occurs during processing. Select from the drop-down list:

  • Mark as read: Marks the email as read in your inbox.
  • Move to folder: Moves the email from your inbox to the folder defined in the Error Mailbox Folder field.

If Move to Folder is selected with Google Service Account as the configured protocol, the email is not moved to the archive folder. Instead the "Inbox" label is removed from the email. The email is no longer visible in your inbox, but can be viewed in "All Mail". For more information on label use with Gmail, see Organize your inbox in the Google Help Center.

  • Reprocess: No additional action takes place. The email remains in the Inbox and subsequent attempts are made to reprocess the email.

Error Mailbox Folder

Only shown if you select Exchange Web Services,, Google Service Account, IMAP4 or Microsoft Graph for Protocol, and also select Move to folder in the Action to Perform On Processing Error field.

The folder for storing emails that have failed to process.

Test Connection

Tests the connection between Neurons for ITSM and the protocol service you have selected.

Last Test Result: Displays the result of the previous connection test, including a time stamp, with date/time the test was run. It will include any failed message received.
To clear the last test result, select Action Menu > No Category > Clear Test Result.

See 'Test Connection' in Configuring the Outgoing and Incoming Email Servers for more information.

Record Creation
Email Processor

The business object created from the incoming email.

Incident: When the email is received, an incident record is created. This option is the default setting.

Problem: When the email is received, a problem record is created.

Other: You can select another business object. See Creating an Inbox that Creates a Generic Business Object.

Advanced Monitoring: When the email is received, a business object is created, or (if found) an existing business object is updated in accordance with the action defined for the monitor item.

Export Email as XML: When the email is received, it is exported as an XML file. See Using XSLT to Process Incoming Emails in XML Format.

Name

Only shown if you select Other for the Email Processor field.

The type of business object that the application creates when it receives the email.

Unique Key

Only shown if you select Other for the Email Processor field.

The value that identifies this business object.

Match the value you enter in this field with the Display field value for the business object on the Object Details tab (found in the Configuration Console in the Business Objects workspace for the particular business object).
Example: The default unique key for change is ChangeNumber and the default unique key for knowledge is KnowledgeNumber.

Record Marker

Only shown if you select Problem or Other for the Email Processor field.

A valid marker value that separates multiple record information within an email.

Example: If you enter # as a record marker, information in the email body preceding the # sign creates one record, and information after the # sign creates another record. When inserted in a message body, this record marker (for example, a # sign) allows multiple records to be created from the body of a single message.

Field Value Separator

Only shown if you select Problem or Other for the Email Processor field.

A character that separates the field name from the field value.

Example: If you enter $ as a field separator value, Summary$summary_field_information populates the Summary field with the field information.

Do not add white spaces before the field value separator.

Create Email When No Target BO

Only shown if you select Other for the Email Processor field.

Check this option to send an email if the application cannot find the target business object.

Create Incident On Error

Creates an incident when an error occurs in generating the record from an email (regardless of the business object specified). The application displays the fields in the Incident and Task Creation section if you select this option.

Note: The application only creates an incident upon error for cases other than create incident. That is, it creates an incident when there is an error updating an incident, or when there is an error creating or updating any other business object.

Data Import Connection

Only shown if you select Export Email as XML for the Email Processor field.

Specifies the data import connection to use.

Select a data import connection from the drop-down list. The list is populated based on the list of data import connections that are created using the Data Integration Wizard. See Setting Up a Data Import Connection for information about data import connections.

Compress Message

Only shown if you select Export Email as XML for the Email Processor field.

If checked, supports Unicode characters in the email message body.

Incident and Task Creation. This section only appears if you select Create Incident On Error or if you select Incident from the Email Processor field.
Incident or Task Owner Team The team to which incidents generated from email errors are assigned.
Create New Task for Every Email Creates a task record for the incident record. This task record appears in the Tasks tab of the incident record.
New Task Subject The default subject line for every task email.
Sender / BO Identification and Matching
Method 1 (for Employee / External Contact / None) Creates a record and links it to an existing user (either employee or external contact), or creates a record and a new user and links the record to the new user.

You can check either this option or the Method 2 (for Custom BO) option, but not both. Use Method 1 if you are linking to either an employee or external contact. Use Method 2 if you are linking to any other business object.

Create record by creating or linking the Employee or External Contact

Only shown if you check Method 1. Does one of the following:

  • If the user (either employee or external contact) is already in the application, creates a record and links it to the user.

  • If the user (either employee or external contact) is not in the application, creates a record and a new user and links the record to the new user.

Note: If you create a task for an external contact, there must be a value for the LoginID field in the External Contact workspace, see Working with External Contacts. When you configure the email listener to create a new external contact, the application uses the default value of the LoginID field as the primary email address. We recommend that you create a business rule that ensures that this field is populated.

Create record only when the Employee or External Contact exists

Only shown if you check Method 1. Does one of the following:

  • If the user (either employee or external contact) is already in the application, creates a record and links it to the user.

  • If the user (either employee or external contact) is not in the application, does not create a record or a new user.

Create record without creating Employee or External Contact

Only shown if you check Method 1. Does one of the following:

  • If the user (either employee or external contact) is already in the application, creates a record and links it to the user.

  • If the user (either employee or external contact) is not in the application, creates a record and links it to the default user called Internal Services.

Contact Type

Only shown if you check Method 1 and then select Create record by creating or linking the Employee or External Contact.

The contact type. Can be either Employee or External Contact.  

Contact Field Name

Only shown if you check Method 1 and then select Create record by creating or linking the Employee or External Contact. The field used to link the selected contact business object.

This field defaults to the primary email of the contact if left blank.

Note: This is the internal field name, not the display name.

Method 2 (for Custom Business Object)

Only shown if you select Incident, Problem, or Other for the Email Processor field.

Creates a record and links it to an existing business object, or if the business object does not exist, creates a new business object and links the record to it.

You can check either this option or the Method 1 (for Employee / External Contact / None) option, but not both. Use Method 1 if you are linking to either an employee or external contact. Use Method 2 if you are linking to any other business object.

Method 2 is hidden if you select Advanced Monitoring or ExportEmailAsXml in the Email Processor drop-down list.

Create record by creating or linking the Custom Business Object

Only shown if you check Method 2. Does one of the following:

  • If the business object already exists, creates a record and links it to the business object.

  • If the business object does not exist, creates a record and creates a new business object, and links the record to the new business object.

Create record when the Custom Business Object exists

Only shown if you check Method 2. Does one of the following:

  • If the business object already exists, creates a record and links it to the business object.

  • If the business object does not exist, does not create a record or a new business object.

Relationship to Custom Business Object

Only shown if you check Method 2.

The name of the relationship between the target business object (the value in the Email Processor field) and the new business object.  

Match the email address "from" value to the related object field value

Only shown if you check Method 2.

You can either enter a value in this field or in the related object field value field, but not in both. See Example: Creating or Linking Business Objects via Email for more information.

Related object field value

Only shown if you check Method 2.

You can either enter a value in this field or in the Match the email address "from" value to the related object field value field, but not in both. See Example: Creating or Linking Business Objects via Email for more information.

5.Select Save.

6.Do one of the following:

If you selected Problem, Other, or Export Email as XML from the Email Processor field, configure the fields on the Field Mapping tab. See Using the Field Mapping Tab.

If you selected Incident from the Email Processor field, configure the fields on the Status Mapping tab. See Using the Status Mapping Tab.

If you selected Advanced Monitoring from the Email Processor field, configure the fields on the Monitor Items tab, See Using the Monitor Items Tab.

Modifying an Inbox

You can modify the settings for all inboxes, including the default inbox.

1.Log in to Neurons for ITSM.

2.Open the Inbox workspace. The application displays the list of inboxes.

3.Select the inbox to modify. The application displays the Inbox Configuration workspace.

4.Edit the fields as needed. For more information on each field, see Creating an Inbox.

5.Select Save.

Deleting an Inbox

Be cautious when deleting the default inbox, as it might lead to permanent loss of all the emails in the application.

1.Log in to Neurons for ITSM.

2.Open the Email Config workspace,

3.Select the record link under the Mail Host column.

4.From the Inbox tab, select the address to delete.

5.Select Delete.

6.Select Yes at the confirmation prompt.