---
sourceDocument: Australia Customer Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/customer-service-management

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Customer Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - csm

bundleId :

    - csm

workflow :

    - Customer and Industry


---

# Using Email Interaction for CSM

# Using Email Interaction for Customer Service Management {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated May 11, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 5 minutes to read
Summarize  
![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI  
This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.  

## Summary of Using Email Interaction for Customer Service Management

The Email Interaction for Customer Service Management (CSM) application enables agents to manage customer emails as interactions rather than immediately creating cases.
This allows agents to efficiently resolve simple queries through email interactions and create cases only when further investigation is necessary.
The approach clarifies the distinction between effort spent on initial customer query intake and the deeper investigation required for resolution, streamlining case management and improving agent workflows.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Email Interaction Creation and Routing:** Customer emails automatically generate inbound interactions routed via Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) or Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) platforms, ensuring proper assignment to agents.
* **Interaction to Case Escalation:** Agents can convert interactions into cases while preserving full communication history when queries require more detailed resolution.
* **Email Reply Linking for Closed Interactions:** Replies to closed email threads are automatically linked to the correct open case or interaction, maintaining conversation continuity and avoiding duplicate records.
* **Outbound Email Interactions:** Agents can initiate outbound emails directly from contact or consumer records, creating Work-In-Progress (WIP) interactions that track email drafts and customer responses.
* **Multiple Agent Collaboration:** The system can consolidate drafts from multiple agents into a single WIP interaction or, optionally, create separate interactions per agent, based on configurable system properties.
* **Wrap-up Codes:** Agents select wrap-up codes to categorize interaction outcomes, enhancing reporting accuracy. Codes are also assigned automatically in specific scenarios, such as case creation or inactivity closures.
* **AI Summarization:** Agents can generate AI-based summaries of email threads on-demand, providing quick insights into the key context without reading every message (subject to entitlement).
* **Interaction Transfer (CCaaS-routed):** Agents can transfer email interactions to authorized queues or agents within the CCaaS environment, updating ownership and capacity accordingly.

## Benefits and Practical Outcomes

* **Operational Efficiency:** Prevents duplicate or unnecessary case creation by handling many customer queries within email interactions first.
* **Consistent Multichannel Experience:** Treats emails as interactions alongside voice, chat, and messaging channels, providing agents with a unified approach.
* **Clear Effort Tracking:** Differentiates between time spent on initial query intake (interactions) and detailed resolution (cases), supporting better resource management.
* **Improved Customer Engagement:** Automatic linking of replies and consolidated outbound email management ensure continuous, contextual communication with customers.
* **Enhanced Reporting and Compliance:** Wrap-up codes enable detailed tracking of interaction outcomes and agent conformance.
* **Flexibility and Customization:** System properties allow tailoring of outbound interaction behavior to fit organizational workflows and agent collaboration needs.  
Email Interaction for CSM application enables agents to create interactions from customer emails, helping them resolve simple customer queries through these interactions. They can create a case from an interaction when
further investigation is needed for resolving the customer query. This process provides clarity of the effort needed for customer query intake and actual investigation needed for query resolution.
Figure 1. Email Interaction for CSM workflow overview  
The Email Interaction for CSM application offers several key benefits:

* Streamlines operations by helping to prevent the creation of duplicate or unnecessary cases.
* Provides a consistent experience for agents across channels by modeling emails as an interaction, alongside voice, chat, and messaging channels.
* Clarity of effort needed for customer problem intake, represented by interactions.
* Clarity of effort needed for investigation and resolution, represented by cases.
* Enables agents to initiate outbound email interactions directly from contact or consumer records.
{#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__ul_vsk_jbl_wdc}

## Email interaction routing {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_tyh_tdz_33c}

Email interactions can be routed through Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) or through an external Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solution. The system detects the routing source for each interaction, which determines the available agent actions such as wrap-up
and transfer capabilities. For AWA-routed interactions, wrap-up codes are saved in the wrap-up segment table. For CCaaS-routed interactions, wrap-up codes are synced to both instance and the CCaaS system, and agents can transfer the
interaction to another queue or agent.

## Inbound email interactions {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_m1n_5dz_33c}

When a customer sends an email, the system creates an inbound interaction instead of a case. The interaction is routed to an available agent through Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) or a CCaaS provider. The agent reviews the interaction, responds through the activity stream, and resolves the query directly within the interaction. If the query requires further
investigation, the agent creates a case from the interaction while preserving all communication history and context.  
Inbound email interactions support the following features:

* Email-to-interaction conversion with automatic agent routing through AWA or CCaaS.
* Activity stream for viewing email threads and agent responses.
* Case creation from an interaction only when deeper investigation is needed.
* Interaction closure with wrap-up codes for reporting and conformance.
{#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__ul_ack_ydz_33c}

## Email replies on closed interactions {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_email_replies_closed_interactions}

When a customer replies to an email thread linked to a closed interaction, the system automatically links the reply to the correct open case or interaction. This prevents the creation of a new interaction. This preserves conversation
continuity and confirms the assigned agent receives the reply in context. If no open cases or interactions are linked to the closed interaction, the system creates a new interaction for the email reply.  
Email replies on closed interactions support the following:

* Automatic routing of customer replies to the correct open case or interaction without agent action.
* AI-based context matching when multiple open cases exist, using keyword matching. Check your entitlements to determine whether you have access to this feature.
* Fallback linking to the most recently opened case when no confident match is found.
* Agent notification through the bell icon when a reply is linked to an open case.
* Support for standard cases and extended case types.
{#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__ul_email_replies_closed}

For more information on how the system evaluates and routes replies, see [Email reply linking for closed interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/_UXFqdCI9GljNb5yt_FnPQ "When a customer replies to an email associated with a closed interaction, Email Interaction automatically links the reply to the correct open case or interaction without creating a duplicate interaction or requiring agent intervention.").

## Outbound email interactions {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_jkl_zdz_33c}

Agents can initiate outbound email interactions directly from contact or consumer records in the CSM Configurable Workspace. When an agent composes and sends an email from a contact or consumer record, the system automatically creates a Work-In-Progress (WIP) outbound interaction. The interaction is assigned to the
agent.  
Outbound email interactions support the following features:

* Automatic WIP interaction creation when an agent opens the email composition window from a contact or consumer record.
* Draft email preservation with linking to the outbound interaction.
* Consolidation of drafts from multiple agents into a single WIP interaction (configurable).
* Configurable automated reminder emails for customers who haven't responded.
* Automatic closure of inactive outbound interactions in the On Hold state after a configurable period, with the default set to 30 days.
* Automatic association of customer response emails to the same outbound interaction, with agent notification on the Ongoing tab.
{#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__ul_qsv_b2z_33c}

## Multiple agents composing email for the same customer {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_rzt_g2z_33c}

By default, when multiple agents initiate outbound emails for the same customer, the system consolidates all drafts into a single WIP interaction. The outbound interaction is assigned to the agent who initiates the email. If the
agent composes the email but doesn't send it immediately, the draft remains in the WIP interaction. When another agent composes an email to the same contact or consumer, the system links the second email to the same outbound interaction. The system reassigns ownership to the second agent. When the email is sent, the interaction is assigned to the agent who sends it.

This behavior is configurable using the (sn_eaai_core.create_outbound_interaction_per_agent.target_tables) system property. When a table is listed in this property, a new outbound interaction is created for
each outbound email initiated by different agents for the same customer. For example, if Agent A and Agent B both compose emails to the same contact, each agent gets a separate outbound interaction instead of sharing one. When a
table isn't listed, all agent drafts are consolidated into a single WIP interaction.

For more information, see [System properties for configuring Email Interaction](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ub9hSeMGizbfyL~dWptuBw "You can configure system properties to manage Email Interaction workflows, such as interaction creation, closure, rerouting, and reminder or notification settings.").

## Wrap-up codes for email interactions {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_t1n_j2z_33c}

When closing an email interaction, agents select an internal wrap-up code to categorize the outcome. Wrap-up codes support both AWA-routed and CCaaS-routed email interactions, improving reporting reliability and conformance
tracking.  
The following default wrap-up codes are available:

* Issue resolved: Agent resolved the customer query within the interaction.
* Task created: Automatically assigned when a case is created from the interaction.
* Closed due to customer inactivity: Automatically assigned when the system closes an inactive interaction.
{#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__ul_u1n_j2z_33c}

## AI summarization of email interactions {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_ai_summarization_email_interactions}

Agents can generate AI summaries of email interaction threads to get the key context without reading every message. AI summarization of email interactions supports on-demand summary generation when an agent selects
Summarize on the interaction page.  
Note:  
Check your entitlements to determine whether you have access to AI summarization.

For more information, see [AI summarization of email interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/JBu5TFnYhSv8O68FCcjV_g "Email Interaction uses AI to generate summaries of email threads, reducing the time agents spend reading full conversation histories. Summaries can be generated on demand.").

## Automatic wrap-up code assignment {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_tf2_p2z_33c}

In the following scenarios, the system assigns a wrap-up code automatically without agent selection:{#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__table_btf_r2z_33c__entry__3}

| Scenario | Wrap-up code | Action |
|-|-|-|
| Agent creates a case from the interaction | Task created | Interaction is automatically closed. If the interaction is routed through CCaaS, the code is synced to CCaaS. |
| System closes inactive interaction (no customer response) | Closed due to customer inactivity | A scheduled job checks for On Hold interactions with no customer response and closes them. |
| Agent doesn't submit a code within the timeout | Issue resolved (default) | The default code is applied automatically after the configured timeout period. The default timeout is 2 minutes. |
[Table 1. Automatic wrap-up code assignment]

{#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__table_btf_r2z_33c}

## Transfer email interactions (CCaaS-routed) {#using-email-interaction-customer-service-management__section_nmw_n2z_33c}

For CCaaS-routed email interactions, agents can transfer the interaction to another queue or agent using the Transfer Email action. Only CCaaS-authorized queues and agents appear in the transfer options. When a transfer is
initiated, the interaction record is updated in both CCaaS and the instance, and the current agent's ownership and capacity is released.
**Related concepts**   

* [Omnichannel](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vNG5knwWdmprLGDxy5i67Q "Omnichannel routes customer conversations from every channel into one workspace. Agents can see the full interaction history and resolve issues without switching context.")
* [Routing and assigning an email interaction to agents](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/M8TWiDUIZ1Fav1i03hNg2w#routing-assigning-email-interaction-agents "Route and assign email interactions to the appropriate agents based on predefined rules and criteria.")
* [Email reply linking for closed interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/_UXFqdCI9GljNb5yt_FnPQ "When a customer replies to an email associated with a closed interaction, Email Interaction automatically links the reply to the correct open case or interaction without creating a duplicate interaction or requiring agent intervention.")
* [AI summarization of email interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/JBu5TFnYhSv8O68FCcjV_g "Email Interaction uses AI to generate summaries of email threads, reducing the time agents spend reading full conversation histories. Summaries can be generated on demand.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Wrap up email interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/dkm~wEuGVUMd~eKnmqDfRw "Close email interactions with a wrap-up code to categorize the interaction outcome. Wrap-up codes support both AWA-routed and CCaaS-routed email interactions.")
* [Transfer email interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bMBZQ8gx1UZcWGvKWhZftA "Transfer an email interaction routed by AWA or CCaaS to another agent or queue when the interaction needs to be handled by a different team or individual.")
* [Create outbound email interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/BOZeuNulfB_lsvaRdy6z_A "Initiate an outbound email interaction from a contact or consumer record to proactively engage with a customer. The system automatically creates and tracks the interaction.")
* [Configure wrap-up codes for email interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bmeaNp~ZTIrNkdXDnpGAuw "Configure internal wrap-up codes that agents use to categorize email interactions when closing them. Wrap-up codes work with both AWA-routed and CCaaS-routed email interactions.")
* [Associate wrap-up codes with email interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/pF21S~54s~ZI4jY~QcCehQ "Associate wrap-up codes with the email interaction wrap-up configuration so that agents can select them when closing an interaction.")  
**Related reference**   

* [System properties for configuring Email Interaction](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ub9hSeMGizbfyL~dWptuBw "You can configure system properties to manage Email Interaction workflows, such as interaction creation, closure, rerouting, and reminder or notification settings.")
* [Email reply linking scenarios for closed interactions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/v1JaAlO8KNShukDMDTyvWA "Describes how Email Interaction links a customer email reply when the reply references a closed interaction. The system evaluates conditions in the order listed.")