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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 eMail Response handles each type of message and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of message:

Structured Email Processing

Structured email (Web-form) messages are processed using the eMail Response - Process Service Request workflow. You use the Process Service Request workflow for structured or Web-form email messages. These messages are processed for a number of keywords (such as help, query, status, submit, and update), and ultimately a service request is created.

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:

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.

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.

Web Forms

Web forms allow the customer to communicate the severity of a problem, allow 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.

Unstructured Email Processing

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

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.


 Siebel eMail Response Administration Guide 
 Published: 21 April 2003