7-8 PDFs + 1 CSV in One Daily Email: ServiceNow Performance Impact?

[Astik Thombare]

Hi Community,

I’m working on a requirement to attach multiple PDFs (7-8 email signoff PDFs generated daily) and one consolidated CSV to a single email for employees in India. The PDFs are attached physically (not as links). Instance properties allow 30 attachments up to 18 MB, but I’ve capped it at 15, with a total size of 1-2 MB (all files are small). A daily scheduled job runs at EOD, and a business rule copies attachments from another table to the email. Could this setup impact performance?

Appreciate your insights!

[Astik Thombare]

Hi @Shivalika ,

Yes, regarding copy attachments. We can copy attachments but these attachments should get copied to sys_email before the record is inserted to sys_email. Which is not possible through flow. I need to use send email action first and then I have to grab that record and then I need to copy attachments. Like what if email is already sent and attachment is not copied yet? The email will be sent without attachments.

Thanks,

Astik

[Shivalika]

Hello @Astik Thombare 

If this is in context to copy attachments - you can always keep the "state" of email to "Send Ready" - Unless attachment is copied. I mean if solution is required by working this way. 

But in your scenario Before BR is working fine. Then maybe you can explore this solution. In some non production instances per your requirement. 

I hope the Before BR condition is quite precise for it to trigger only once in a day. Another question is why not scheduled job? If the timing is fixed and all the server scripts are accessible there ? 

Kindly mark my answer as helpful and accept solution if it helped you in anyway. This will help me be recognized for the efforts and also move this questions from unsolved to solved bucket. 

Regards,

Shivalika 

My LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivalika-gupta-540346194

My youtube - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsHuNzTdkE5Cn4PyS7HdV0Vg8JsfdgQlA&si=0WynLcOwNeEISQCY

[Astik Thombare]

Hi @Shivalika,

I’m currently using a Scheduled Flow for this process. The Flow checks if there is at least one record that meets the specified condition. If a matching record is found, it triggers an email. Prior to that, the Before Business Rule runs, which attaches all the relevant PDFs and the consolidated CSV file.

Current Approach:

Scheduled Flow (runs daily) → Send Email → Before Business Rule (attaching PDFs and CSV)

If you have any suggestions or a more efficient approach, I’d appreciate hearing them!

Thanks,
Astik T.

[Shivalika · Accepted solution]

Hello @Astik Thombare 

I got it. This seems good.

Even for the copy attachments thing I am now thinking that creating a record in sys_email table and setting it to send-ready meanwhile copying the attachments "will not work" - why because the email engine runs every like 2 mins. And I don't think all the attachment copy action and even generating and adding a CSV file action will be done before. Or I would say even if system is faster, that's a riskier solution, it may not work in some cases. 

So, I am good with your approach. 

Kindly mark my answer as helpful and accept solution if it helped you in anyway. This will help me be recognized for the efforts and also move this questions from unsolved to solved bucket. 

Regards,

Shivalika 

My LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivalika-gupta-540346194

My youtube - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsHuNzTdkE5Cn4PyS7HdV0Vg8JsfdgQlA&si=0WynLcOwNeEISQCY