Configure Ticket creation through REST API Method

[Jagadish10]

Hello All,

I'm trying to achieve ticket creation through emails from external address to ServiceNow through REST API Method.

Explanation: When an email is sent to ServiceNow, it should automatically create a ticket and capture the user info using the "FROM" address field. Most of the details should be captured in the incident or request form and also the ticket should be routed to the assignment group based on the CI mentioned in the email body.
Please advise.

Regards

Jagadish

[Jagadish10]

Dave,
Sorry for creating the confusion.

Let me explain with a scenario.
If my email address is jagadish@gmail.com and I send an email to servicenow email address. Then in my script, i will write a condition to recognize the emails with the email address jagadish@gmail.com and then from its content, create a ticket.

Here, jagadish@gmail.com can either be a user email address or a distributed mailbox address.

Thanks

Jagadish

[Dave Smith1]

If my email address is jagadish@gmail.com and I send an email to servicenow email address. Then in my script, i will write a condition to recognize the emails with the email address jagadish@gmail.com and then from its content, create a ticket.

That scenario makes it bit clearer, thanks. But I'm still confused why you're talking about REST API and email together; they're different things and serve different purposes.

If the "Servicenow email address" is actually an address associated with your instance, then the rest of your processing exactly describes what inbound email actions are all about - no need for the REST API here.

• email to: support@myinstance.servicenow.com (address of your instance) -> create an inbound email action
• email to: support@mycompany.org (internal) -> need some way of building something on your mail server that triggers a REST API call to your instance to create an incident.   Which is kinda what inbound email actions does for you, anyway.

Most people would simply set up a forwarder on their mail server to forward support@mycompany.org -> support@myinstance.servicenow.com and let inbound actions take care of the processing.

[Jagadish10]

Thanks Dave for taking your time in helping me understand the difference between the two

Yes, for sure inbound actions does the same processing but, here we are looking for an alternative way of creating ticket.

To make myself clear, It's not necessary that email processing should go from --- company email address ---> ServiceNow instance address ---> and then create ticket (Because as you mentioned, the same processing is done by inbound actions)

Aim is, The end users should be able create tickets (through email, excel spreadsheet or anything that would be a feasible way of sending a query) for which a template will be provided and the template fields will be matched with the fields of the ServiceNow incident form.

email to: support@mycompany.org (internal) -> need some way of building something on your mail server that triggers a REST API call to your instance to create an incident. Which is kinda what inbound email actions does for you, anyway.

What you have mentioned above is something we are looking for, Use REST API so that Inbound actions are replaced.

Using the above method, Can we also add attachments to the incidents while creating them ?

Please help with the process of accomplishing this.
Appreciate your time and help.

Regards

Jagadish

[Dave Smith1]

Okay, let's backtrack a bit to clarify a few things.

here we are looking for an alternative way of creating ticket.

Essentially there are four ways in which an incident can be created:

1. open a ticket on incident.form.   This is used by a service desk agent, first line support, etc - who can then capture details via phone or so and pop them in the fields.
2. self-help.   Users can go to the service portal or raise one through Self Service > Incident.   In this case, they get taken to a record producer, which is basically a nicer front-end than the standard incident.form view.   They fill in fields, step through the process... and the record producer translates that information into incident record fields.   The idea here is to permit users to raise their own tickets, but provide a nicer UX than the default boring forms that the service desk uses, resulting in a new record in the [incident] table.
3. email.   Rather than email a service desk agent, users can email the platform directly, and Inbound Email Actions take specific information from the email head and body, using that to create an incident.   This works in a similar fashion to a record producer, arriving at the same results: another record in the [incident] table.
4. REST API.   Some automated system could email a SD agent with an alert, who could then manually raise an incident... or the automated system could use the REST API to raise a ticket directly.   An integration consultant would map specific actions in the external system to incident fields, so that it would trigger some process and the end result would be: a new record in the [incident] table.

This is similar to me ordering a meal: I can either:

• visit www.pizzashop.nom.nom and fill out the form to order online
• email an order to them
• call the shop and verbally place an order

In all these cases, I'm sending information to the supplier to trigger some action.

Aim is, The end users should be able create tickets (through email, excel spreadsheet or anything that would be a feasible way of sending a query) 

In promotional videos, ServiceNow's prior head honcho (Frank Slootman) said that people shouldn't be using excel to maintain data and email to communicate it around - that there should be an enterprise system centralising business data and keeping stakeholders appraised with changes of interest, which is how SN got the motto "changing the way people work".   Excel isn't really an incident management toolset, so not sure how that is going to be used to create tickets.

 for which a template will be provided and the template fields will be matched with the fields of the ServiceNow incident form.

This sounds like:

1. visit www.pizzashop.nom.nom
2. taking a screenshot
3. asking someone to write information in the screenshot
4. now pondering how to communicate that order to the takeaway meal place.

Rather than fill out a template in Excel, why not have users log into ServiceNow then fill out a form directly?   The feature is already there.

What you have mentioned above is something we are looking for, Use REST API so that Inbound actions are replaced.

What you're after already exists as stock platform functionality.   However, rather than the provided methods, it sounds like you're suggesting:

• Rather than use inbound email actions... I email my wife with my pizza order, and she needs to work out some REST API to have that create an incident
• Rather than use the online form... I open excel, use it to access a spreadsheet template, add some meal requirements in there then wonder what REST API I can use to communicate that as meal order

Now.. is this what you're seeking to do?   Because if so, it's possible... but it sounds too much like an unnecessary layer adding to the process which not only serves to slow it down but creates an additional maintenance overhead long-term.

[Jagadish10]

Hi Dave,

The think the same scenario is used for integrating ServiceNow with third party applications. Ex: SCOM, Solarwinds with ServiceNow integrations etc.

REST API. Some automated system could email a SD agent with an alert, who could then manually raise an incident... or the automated system could use the REST API to raise a ticket directly. An integration consultant would map specific actions in the external system to incident fields, so that it would trigger some process and the end result would be: a new record in the [incident] table.

I understand the platform already provides what I'm looking for. In fact, Inbound actions are simpler to configure and script.

But, my lead's are keen in adapting REST API for this purpose.

What you're after already exists as stock platform functionality. However, rather than the provided methods, it sounds like you're suggesting:
Rather than use inbound email actions... I email my wife with my pizza order, and she needs to work out some REST API to have that create an incident
Rather than use the online form... I open excel, use it to access a spreadsheet template, add some meal requirements in there then wonder what REST API I can use to communicate that as meal order
Now.. is this what you're seeking to do? Because if so, it's possible... but it sounds too much like an unnecessary layer adding to the process which not only serves to slow it down but creates an additional maintenance overhead long-term.

As per my understanding so far, the way we can achieve this is,

So here, we have to build the script on the exchange server and then trigger a REST API call to our instance is it ?
Assuming we would be configuring this, what are the additional maintenance that we need to take care of considering long run ?

Also, Please pass on any docs or reference materials that you have for configuring/Integrating ServiceNow with 3rd party applications using REST API.

Thanks

Jagadish K