Email configuration
Quick answer
Outbound and inbound email setup: SMTP, POP or forwarding, email properties, sending tests and reading the email log.
Key takeaways
- Sending is disabled after a clone on purpose, re-enable deliberately
- Every message is logged in sys_email with a reason when it is ignored
- Forwarding from a corporate address keeps the branding your users expect
- Test with a real mailbox, not only with the preview button
Outbound
Outbound email is controlled by the Email Properties page. Sending is off in sub production instances by default so a clone cannot spam real users. Check the Send all emails to test address setting before you enable sending after a clone.
Inbound
Instances receive mail at instancename@service-now.com, or you forward from your corporate domain to that address. Every received message lands in sys_email with a target table and is then processed by inbound actions.
Reading the email log
System Logs > Emails shows every message with type Sent, Received, Send-ignored or Received-ignored.
- Send-ignored almost always means email sending is disabled or the user has no address
- Received-ignored means no inbound action matched, or the message came from a blocked sender
- Open the record and read the Body and Headers before you blame the notification
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Check your understanding
Where do you check whether an email left the instance?
- A. sys_log
- B. System Logs > Emails
- C. sys_audit
- D. Event log
Show answer
B. System Logs > Emails
The email log lists every message with its state and reason.
What does Send-ignored usually mean?
- A. The mailbox bounced
- B. Sending is disabled or the recipient has no address
- C. The notification is inactive
- D. The template failed
Show answer
B. Sending is disabled or the recipient has no address
Ignored means the platform decided not to send, most often because sending is off.