How are inbound messages processed?

An inbound message is created when you receive an incoming service email from an employee. This flowchart describes the process flow for an incoming employee email:

1. An employee sends an email requesting support.

2. If an inbound message filter exists, then the filter is applied to the incoming message.

3. If the message is accepted, then an inbound message is created, and any associated attachments are extracted.

4. The message is verified to see if it's related to an existing help desk request.

   • If the inbound message is related to an existing help desk request:

     The related request is identified. If the related request can be edited, then the email content and attachments are added to the request. If the original request can't be edited, then a new request is created.

   • If the inbound message isn't related to an existing request, then a new request is created.

5. The email ID of the sender is validated against the employee records in the database.

   • The primary contact is set to the employee who sends the email. The Account field isn't updated.

   • If the From email ID doesn't exist in the database, then a message is added to the request that the sender can't be identified.

   • If an SR is created with no contact or account populated.

   • If more than one employee with the same email ID exists in the database, then the following scenarios are possible:

     Scenario	Primary Contact in the Help Desk Request	Acknowledgment Sent
     Sender's email address matches the email address of one employee.	The matching contact is set as the primary contact in the help desk request.	An acknowledgment email is sent to the sender.
     Sender's email address matches the email address of 2 employees.	No primary contact is set in the help desk request.	An acknowledgment email is sent to the sender. The email states that the sender couldn't be identified because multiple employees were found with the email address of the sender. More information is requested from the sender.
     Sender's email address matches the email address of 1 resource.	The matching partner is set as the primary contact in the help desk request.	An acknowledgment email is sent to the sender.

6. If any other email IDs in the message in the To or CC fields can be identified, then those IDs are added as contacts.

   Note:

   If the other email IDs can't be identified, then such email IDs aren't added as employees or help desk request team members. But they're displayed in the request message.

7. The incoming message content and the attachments are added to the new help desk request.