Ever feel like you're throwing emails into a black hole? You send out a message, only to receive a cryptic reply about it bouncing. This isn't just annoying; it can hurt your sender reputation and prevent important messages from reaching their destination. That's where email bounce management in ServiceNow helps us.
This post will break down how ServiceNow's bounce management system can help us keep email lists clean and our communication effective.
What's an Email Bounce, Anyway?
Think of an email bounce as a returned letter. It means your email couldn't be delivered. The reason for the bounce is usually included in a delivery status notification, along with a status code. These codes, like "5.1.1," offer clues about the delivery failure. For example, 5.1.1 often signifies that the recipient's email address is invalid.
Why Should You Care About Bounce Management?
Ignoring bounced emails is a bad idea. Sending emails to invalid addresses wastes resources and can even get you flagged as a spammer by email providers. This can lead to your emails being blocked or delivered to spam folders, impacting your overall communication effectiveness.
How ServiceNow's Bounce Management Helps
ServiceNow's bounce management system acts like a gatekeeper, preventing you from sending emails to addresses known to be invalid. Here's how it works:
- Tracking Bounces: The system monitors bounced emails and records the associated status codes.
- Blocking Addresses: After a certain number of bounces (the default is 10), the system automatically blocks the problematic email address. This prevents future emails from being sent to that address, saving you time and effort.
- Status Code Analysis: ServiceNow uses status codes to understand the reasons behind bounces. These codes are formatted like "class.subject.detail" (e.g., 5.1.1). The "class" indicates success or failure, the "subject" pinpoints the source of the problem, and the "detail" provides specific information about the error.
- Configuration Options: You have control over how bounce management works. You can configure the system to block addresses based on specific status codes, allowing you to fine-tune the process. (All > System Mailboxes > Administration > Bounce Email Address Status)
Understanding Status Codes
Status codes are key to understanding why emails bounce. Here's a simple breakdown:
- Class 5: Usually indicates a permanent failure (e.g., invalid address).
- Class 4: Often signals a temporary issue (e.g., mailbox full).
While ServiceNow typically blocks addresses associated with 5.0.*, 5.1.*, and 5.7.* status codes, some email providers might use non-standard codes. This means you might occasionally need to manually unblock valid addresses. You can find information about blocked status codes in the ServiceNow system logs (All > System Logs > Bounce Email Addresses).
Taking Control of Email Deliverability
ServiceNow's Email bounce management gives help us to maintain a clean and effective email list. By understanding how it works and configuring it to our needs, can ensure the messages reach the right people and avoid the frustration of sending emails into the void. Don't let bounced emails derail the platform communication strategy – take control with ServiceNow!
Link to docs : https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bundle/xanadu-platform-administration/page/administer/notification/c...
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