This article explains why emails sent from ServiceNow to an ingested address are ignored. It also suggests other ways to refer to another group in ServiceNow.

Overview

To protect ServiceNow from email loops, any emails sent from it to an email address that is also ingested (read) by ServiceNow are ignored.

An example

Starting point

The email shown below shows the following senders /recipients: 

• Sender: ServiceLine (email address: serviceline@soton.ac.uk)
• Reply to: ServiceLine (email address: serviceline@soton.ac.uk)
• Recipient: AskHR (email address: askhr@soton.ac.uk)

What happens next

What happens after sending it:

1. The email will appear to be sent in the activity log
2. When the email arrives in AskHR and is read by ServiceNow it will be ignored
3. No ticket or update will be given to HR.

How to refer to another group in ServiceNow

To refer an enquiry to another group in ServiceNow and avoid any issue, you can instead:

• Transfer or re-assign the enquiry, by:
  • selecting the Transfer button next to Logged for
    or
  • changing the group assignment
• Create a sub-task or new incident and assign it to the other group (note: self-service queries should always be logged through the Service Portal)
• Add specific individuals to the watch list
• If you must send an email, send it from your personal Outlook account

If the enquiry is urgent or high priority, you should always contact the receiving group directly to confirm they have picked up your referral.

Related content

Introduction to ServiceNow

Agent Chat (ServiceNow)

How to set up a delegate in ServiceNow