ServiceNow Notifications allow you effectively and efficiently implement email notifications. We use email notifications to send selected users email about specific activities in the system, such as updates to incidents or change requests. I will show the results of my testing with the 'Sys version' and the 'content type' options. Both configurations change the message sent behavior.
Email Notifications 'Sys version' and 'Content type' fields
Here is how it looks on the email notification table:
After performing some test by setting and changing the Sys Version, content type, Message, 'Message HTML' and 'Message Text' and reviewing the Email notification sent, find my results below:
With Sys Version V2 set, the followings are the results:
Notification | N1 | N2 | N3 | N 3 |
Content Type | HTML+PLAIN | HTML+PLAIN | HTML+PLAIN | HTML+PLAIN |
Sys Version | V2 | V2 | V2 | V2 |
Message (M) | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- |
Message HTML (MH) | MH | MH | -blank- | -blank- |
Message Text (MT) | MT | -blank- | MT | -blank- |
EMAIL RESULT | ||||
Body | MH | MH | MT*escaped | watermark |
Body Text | MT | MH*stripped | MT | watermark |
Context Type | multipart | multipart | multipart | multipart |
… | ||||
Notification | N5 | N6 | N7 | N8 |
Content Type | HTML only | HTML only | HTML only | HTML only |
Sys Version | V2 | V2 | V2 | V2 |
Message (M) | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- |
Message HTML (MH) | MH | MH | -blank- | -blank- |
Message Text (MT) | MT | -blank- | MT | -blank- |
EMAIL RESULT | ||||
Body | MH | MH | MT*escaped | watermark |
Body Text | -blank- | -blank- | -blank- | watermark |
Context Type | text/html | text/html | text/html | text/html |
… | ||||
Notification | N9 | N10 | N11 | N12 |
Content Type | Plain Only | Plain Only | Plain Only | Plain Only |
Sys Version | V2 | V2 | V2 | V2 |
Message (M) | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- |
Message HTML (MH) | MH | MH | -blank- | -blank- |
Message Text (MT) | MT | -blank- | MT | -blank- |
EMAIL RESULT | ||||
Body | -blank- | -blank- | -blank- | watermark |
Body Text | MT | MH*stripped | MT | watermark |
Context Type | text/plain | text/plain | text/plain | text/plain |
Sys Version V2 do not uses the Message field. Instead it uses Message HTML or Message Text fields based on the Content Type selected
With Sys Version V1 and -none- set, the followings are the results:
Notification | N13 | N14 | N15 | N16 | N17 | N18 |
Content Type | HTML+PLAIN | HTML+PLAIN | HTML only | HTML only | Plain Only | Plain Only |
Sys Version | None/V1 | None/V1 | None/V1 | None/V1 | None/V1 | None/V1 |
Message (M) | M | -blank- | M | -blank- | M | -blank- |
Message HTML (MH) | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- |
Message Text (MT) | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- | -no effect- |
EMAIL RESULT | ||||||
Body | M | watermark | M | watermark | -blank- | watermark |
Body Text | M*stripped | watermark | -blank- | watermark | M*stripped | watermark |
Context Type | multipart | multipart | text/html | text/html | text/plain | text/plain |
- MH*striped means that the HTML tags are removed. String fields inside ARE NOT stripped. HTML fields get stripped as well.
- MT*escaped means that any HTML inside are escaped to HTML (e.g > translated to >). HTML fields inside are NOT escaped.
- M*stripped means that any HTML tag inside is removed*.
Sys Version V1 or -none- do not uses the Message HTML or Message Text fields. Instead it uses Message field.
As you can see, Sys Version controls whether Message or Message HTM/Text is used.
Here is how it looks messages with Sys Version = V1 and Content type = HTML+Plain:
Sys Version, Content type, Message, and Message HTML on Email Notifications
Here are a few fields on the Email Notification form (sysevent_email_action):
Email Notifications | ||
'Sys version' (sys_version): | It indicates which notification version is used. On Fuji, sys_version can be none,"V1" or "V2". V2 is the default | |
'Content type' (content_type): | It contains the type of email notification to be sent. It can be HTML and plain text, HTML only or Plain text only. | |
'Message' (message): | It contains a max 4000-char string* (it can contain mail script) that will be part of the output notification. When sys_version = "V2", this field is ignored. | |
'Message HTML' (message_html) and 'Message Text' (message_text): | It contains a max 4000-char string* (it can contain mail script) that will be part of the output notification. When sys_version = "V1" or -none-, these fields are ignored. |
Content type, Body and Body text field on the email table
Here are a few fields on the outbound Email (sys_email):
Outbound emails | ||
Content type (content_type): | It is a string that identifies the content type of the email. | |
Body (body): | It is a 8000 string that contains HTML compatible text that will be part of the outbound email. HTML email needs to be properly coded. HTML lets you include your logo or brand colors to provide a professional look and make your emails quickly recognizable. Used for "multipart/mixed" or "text/html" mail | |
Body text (body_text): | It is a 8000 string plain text. It is exactly a text-only format. Any device and email service provider displays plain text well. Used on "multipart/mixed" or "text/plain" mail |
Conclusion
Email notification option Sys Version empty or V1 makes notifications to use Message, whether Sys Version V2 makes notification to use Message HTM or Message Text according to the content type set.
More information can be found here:
- Email Resources Page (KB0540674)
- Incoming email classified as reply to 'null' via watermark
- Two watermarks in incoming Email messages
- 3 steps to determine if and why the event processor is unable to start
- Diagnosing and remedying stuck event processes
- Docs: Additional email properties
- Docs: Available system properties
- Docs: Create an email notification
- Docs: Notification examples
- Docs: Notifications
- Docs: Scripting for email notifications
- Troubleshooting email notifications - Send to the Event Creator
- Troubleshooting Outbound Email (KB0521382)
- Troubleshooting stuck event process (KB0547784)
- Verifying the recipient has an email address (KB0528669)
- Verifying the recipient's email address is properly formatted (KB0528671)
- Speed up your email delivery by validating recipients
- My other blogs
NOTE: Tested in Fuji, using Chrome
