--- sourceDocument: Zurich ServiceNow AI Platform Administration sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/platform-administration Release : - zurich ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Zurich ServiceNow AI Platform Administration ft:clusterId : - platadm bundleId : - platadm workflow : - Platform --- # Watermarks on notification emails # Watermarks on notification emails {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Zurich * * Updated July 31, 2025 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read By default, a unique watermark label will be generated at the bottom of each notification email to allow matching incoming email to existing records. Starting with the Jakarta release, randomized watermarks will be automatically generated for notification emails in base systems. The random character string succeeded by an underscore reduces the possibility of a watermark being guessed or coincidentally matching the watermark of an email from another instance. Note: If you are upgrading from a release before Jakarta, random watermark support is optional and requires the Random Watermark Support plugin to be activated. ## Watermark format The email watermark always begins with "Ref:" to identify the label as a watermark. After this identifier, the default label is 31 characters in length and consists of: * A customizable prefix --- The default prefix is MSG. * An auto-numbered identifier --- The numeric string identifying the source record, such as incident, problem, or change request. * An underscore character followed by a random character string. {#c_WorkingWithWatermarks__ul_hl5_sz1_2z} Figure 1. Randomized watermark example When inbound emails are processed, the system matches random watermarks to the appropriate source records. ## Watermark configuration Watermarks are always generated, but you can configure them as follows: * Create a custom watermark prefix for each instance to prevent accidentally triggering events in the wrong instance. * Use custom prefix characters after MSG. * Hide all email watermarks globally. * Omit watermarks from individual email messages. {#c_WorkingWithWatermarks__ul_erl_hyf_2z} If watermarks are omitted from email notifications, inbound email actions might not work properly. Without a watermark, the system processes inbound email messages as described in [Criteria for matching email to inbound actions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/WIkJ8YXezRIVdHx2r9m4aA "The system matches incoming email to the conditions of the active inbound actions."). Note: Email clients that use the plain text version of the email still show the watermark. * **[Create a custom watermark prefix for email notifications](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/qFVPEpxNaZxAHuJsp9QwHw)** By default, email notifications use the watermark prefix MSG, but you can create a custom watermark prefix. * **[Omit an email notification watermark](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/gOWqC4dX4cQuWde8o54X_w)** You can omit watermarks on email notifications if you do not want the instance to match the notification to an existing record. * **[Hide email watermarks globally](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/In9PJ2i6mZ1lHaU_MSYV4w)** Rather than omitting watermarks, it is possible to hide watermarks for global application using HTML markup. **Related concepts** * [Email notifications dashboard](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/g3Dcacjho9Ynr52tykaThA "The email notification dashboard provides visibility into key metrics and enables admins to configure the dashboard to enable access to other users.") * [Email diagnostics dashboard](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/DGk9TINPzf9pzEgP~yIOjw "The email diagnostics dashboards provide visibility in to email delivery metrics that can help in improving the email health by identifying errors and areas that need deeper investigation.") * [Email templates](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/n6j9VzVcw~AvpCCJhaLbCw "Email templates enable administrators to create reusable content for the subject line and message body of email notifications.") * [Email layouts](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/GvryQ~1tF3SgkrMe1ZUfjg "Create reusable content for the message body of email templates.") * [Email retention](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/4S~MW0dgibbUAlrUypRCXw "You can archive and eventually destroy email messages that you no longer need or if your Email table is excessively large.") * [Email digests](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/obXjIs~W2kIIoxbmP4M~yg "An email digest is a single email that summarizes the activity for a selected notification and its target records during a specified time interval. You can enable an email digest to reduce the number of notifications received when frequent updates to the associated records occur within a short time period.") * [Domain separation and Notifications](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/0kdwbFiVtd42Sbo0cdn4Zw "Domain separation is supported in the Notifications application. Domain separation enables you to separate data, processes, and administrative tasks into logical groupings called domains. You can control several aspects of this separation, including which users can see and access data.") * [Email FAQs and troubleshooting notification emails](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/4r6nxSW0b2p4_GmWhw_7iQ "Logs and diagnostics are provided to help determine whether notification emails are being sent and received successfully, what any issues are, and who receives the email.") **Related tasks** * [Create notification categories](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9g~5z26wId3k8o7CR2wImw "You can create notification categories to identify and group related notifications that are listed in the notification settings for your users.") * [Create an email notification](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/arqcJvflekHKxKqf4TzPqg "Create an email notification specifying when to send it, who receives it, what it contains, and if it can be delivered in an email digest.") * [Parse an email thread](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/SwVc01dyjGcmXs2aV8aQCQ "When an email is received, parse the most recent message in an email thread by creating Email Reply Separators using specified string or regular expressions.")