close incident in email

[Hafila Hatta]

hi. when user login to employee center, they can view request and have this action button.

is it achievable to have this "link" in email where user can click "reopen/close" but it the action will be done at the back end without user having to login to the portal.

thank you. 

[Bhimashankar H · Accepted solution]

Hey @Hafila Hatta ,

To provide "Reopen" and "Close" actions in email notifications such that users can click these links and trigger backend updates in ServiceNow—without logging into the portal. While direct no-login "one-click" REST actions via links are usually avoided due to security risks, ServiceNow best practice is to utilize inbound email actions.

Example:

<a href="mailto:servicedesk@yourcompany.com?subject=Reopen Request INC0012345">
  Reopen
</a>
|
<a href="mailto:servicedesk@yourcompany.com?subject=Close Request INC0012345">
  Close
</a>

When the user clicks the link, their email client opens a reply with the required content.

The inbound action script parses the email, matches the request, and updates the record's state (e.g., sets to "Reopened" or "Closed") on the backend, all without requiring login

Why not to use Direct actions URLs in Email?

• Security: Allowing email links to trigger direct REST updates without authentication is considered unsafe and is not supported out-of-the-box.

• Email reply actions leverage the sender’s address and internal controls to ensure only authorized users update requests.

• Avoid exposing unauthenticated REST endpoints for security reasons.

For more detailed steps, please refer the below

Add Button in Email Notification , Email Reopening Closed Inc , Reopen and Close Inc links in resolved incident email notification 

Thanks,
Bhimashankar H

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If my response points you in the right directions, please consider marking it as 'Helpful' & 'Correct'. Thanks!

[Hafila Hatta]

thanks. this works well.

in addition to this, can we set a template email body, aside from the email subject?

[Ankur Bawiskar]

@Hafila Hatta 

You asked a solution so that user need not login and should be able to reopen/close.

But the above answer has logic of inbound email action and will require person to reply to the email received.

how does that help you?

[Ankur Bawiskar]

@Hafila Hatta 

you can send the buttons in the outbound email but they will have to use either of these 2 approaches

1) they reply to that email and inbound email action updates the record

OR

2) login to the instance and take them to the portal page and they can click on either of those 2 actions

If my response helped please mark it correct and close the thread so that it benefits future readers.