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Processing Structured and Unstructured Messages

Siebel Email Response can process two types of the most common messages sent to many organizations, structured and unstructured. The following sections describe the way Siebel Email Response handles each type of message and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of message.

Processing Structured Email Messages

Siebel Email Response uses the eMail Response - Process Service Request workflow to process structured (keyword-based or Web-form) messages. You can use a number of keywords (such as help, query, status, submit, and update) when processing and creating service requests for keyword-based emails.

To use structured email processing, you should provide your customers with email templates or with Web forms (Web-based forms on your Web sites).

NOTE:  You can create Web forms with the Web development product used to maintain your current Web site. Siebel Systems does not make a Web-form product. However, organizations using Siebel eService can configure Web pages, views, and applets to meet many of their business needs. For more details, see Siebel eService Administration Guide.

Examples of incoming structured (keyword-based or Web-form) messages are:

• New service requests
• Status requests for pending service requests
• Updates for existing service requests
• Searches for specific service requests

Structured email messages should be processed using the eMail Response - Process Service Request workflow process. This workflow process creates service request records in the Siebel database that can be viewed on the Communications screen.

Processing Keyword-Based Email

For keyword-based email, specific keywords are required in the subject headers of incoming email messages to indicate different actions. For example, Help, Status, Query, Submit, and Update are keywords that can be required in the subject to initiate an action. The keyword allows Siebel Business Process Designer to determine the appropriate process for a given email. In keyword-based email messages, customers must understand and use the required format or the data will not be parsed correctly.

Processing Web Forms

Web forms allow the customer to communicate the severity of a problem, allow Siebel Email Response to categorize the problem, and provide information that Siebel Assignment Manager can use to notify the appropriate service representatives in your organization. If you use Web forms, you will need administrators to build and maintain them.

Processing Unstructured Email

Unstructured email (free-form) messages require no special subject or structure in the incoming email. They allow a broad range of communications, such as:

• Requests for general information
• Requests for information about a product or event
• Order requests

Unstructured email messages should be processed using the eMail Response - Process Message workflow process. This workflow process creates activity records in the Siebel database that can be viewed on the Communications screen.

This method is useful when Web forms are not available or when your customers must receive personalized service. However, free-form messages make it more difficult to automate the response process because customer emails frequently do not include all the information necessary to process a message.