Send updates by email

This extension allows to send an email when updating the case log (either the public log or private log) of a Ticket. Email reply works with any type of Ticket. Attachments added while editing the ticket are automatically sent as attachments to the email.

It allows an administrator to define notifications in order to inform contacts (for instance the caller, or the agent) when a case log is updated on a Ticket. Thus allowing support agents to communicate with the callers directly by updating either the public log or the private log of the ticket.

The configuration relies on a specific type of Trigger (“on log update”) and the usual Email Actions. The definition of the Trigger object determines which field of the ticket (public_log, private_log…) is used for the feature.

The user can select the attachments to be sent with the message. Newly added attachments are automatically selected but can be manually deselected if needed.

This feature works only with attributes of type Case log, in the Console only, when editing a single Ticket:

• Any update of the log on the console within a transition screen does not propose this notification
• Any update of the log through the User Portal will not trigger the notification, use for this the standard trigger (when updated from the portal).
• Update made through CSV import, bulk modification or the API Rest/Json will not trigger the notification, for this you can use the trigger (on object update) available since iTop 2.6.0

Use the Standard installation process for this extension.

From the Admin tools/Notifications menu, create a trigger “when log is updated”, and select the expected object class and case log attribute code:

The optional argument 'Filter' is used to specialize the trigger. The filter is an OQL specifying which objects will be taken into account by the trigger. In the given example, the created trigger will be activated only for User Request having a Service named like “…Network…”.

Create an email action for this trigger. This email action can be configured as follows:

• Status = any active state (e.g 'In production' or 'Being tested')
• TO = SELECT Person WHERE id = :this->caller_id
• Body = Dear $this->caller_id_friendlyname$, … $this->head(public_log)$ …
• … plus other fields required to send notifications

Example: Notify the persons linked to a Ticket and willing to be notified (using the Notification flag).

  SELECT Person AS p 
    JOIN lnkContactToTicket AS l ON l.contact_id=p.id 
  WHERE l.ticket_id = :this->id
    AND notify='yes'

There is one single parameter that can be adjusted in the configuration file:

Once this extension is installed and configured, you just have to modify the case log of a ticket to use it.

For instance if you modify a User Request, a small check box and paper clip icon appear on top of the public log to define if the public log update should trigger the notification or not:

The default behavior of the check box is configured in the iTop configuration file. If you uncheck it, no notification is sent.

All new attachments added during this modification of the Ticket will be sent along with the notification. As soon as a new attachment is added to the Ticket (while it is being edited) the number next to the paper clip increases. Moving the mouse over the paper clip icon displays a small tooltip with the list of files that will be sent as attachments with the notification.

[new since 1.1.2] The user can select the attachments to be sent along with the reply, by pressing the “Select Attachments…” button. This displays the following dialog box:

Click on the check-box in front of each desired attachment then click “Ok” to validate the choice.