Inbound email attachment processing

[MEnOW]

https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-administration/r_AttachmentLimitProperties.html
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under the Inbound email attachment processing, was mentioned that "The discarded file remains in the Email [sys_email] record".

For testing, i set the glide.email.inbound.max_total_attachment_size_bytes to 50 MB,I sent an email with an attachment 40 MB, once it reached the instance, the attachment got discarded as expected, and under the attachment tab it mentioned the file name but marked as discarded with the message "Maximum attachment size of 52428800 bytes exceeded" as on rough math 40 MB *1.4 = 56 MB due to the SN encoding.

As per that line, my understanding the attachment received in SN but not attachment to the sys_email_attachment table. I am unable to find the file anywhere in sys_email or sys_attachment table.  so wonder what the meaning of that line?

[Tanushree Maiti]

Hi @MEnOW 

If you are an admin, In Application Navigator , type sys_email.list and hit Enter key  -> you can see all email log record

Type sys_attachment.list -> you will find all attachment record.

Calendar, image, octet stream and RFC822 compliant message attachments are separately limited in size by glide.email.inbound.max_total_attachment_size_bytes.

If any one attachment exceeds the limit defined there then that attachment will be discarded completely and a reason will be logged. If the limit is reached prior to reading remaining attachments, the remaining attachments are not stored.

Refer: https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0785037

Apart from referring ServiceNow Doc link: you can check this KB to increase attachment size: KB0718101 How to change the maximum attachment size for records 

https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0521772

[Sandesh Powar]

Hi  @MEnOW ,

Your understanding is mostly correct. According to the ServiceNow documentation, when an inbound email attachment exceeds the configured size or attachment-count limit:

1. ServiceNow discards the attachment, preventing it from being attached to the target record.

2. A record is created in the Email Attachments [sys_email_attachment] table containing the discarded file's name and the reason for discarding it.

3. The documentation explicitly states that the discarded file remains in the Email [sys_email] record.

So, there is an important distinction:

• sys_email_attachment – Stores information about the discarded attachment, including its filename and discard reason.

• sys_email – Retains the discarded file as part of the original inbound email.

• Target record – The discarded attachment is not attached to the target record.

You can verify the attachment status by navigating to the sys_email_attachment table and checking the corresponding email record.

Official reference: ServiceNow – Attachment Limit Properties (Inbound Email Attachment Processing)

Hope this helps! If this resolves your issue, please mark the response as helpful and accept it as the solution.

Regards,
Sandesh Powar
ServiceNow Rising Star