Send Email activity

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Send Email Activity

    The Send Email activity in ServiceNow allows playbook authors to create and send emails using previously gathered data. This feature requires authors to specify the recipients, subject, and body of the email, and it enables end users to confirm the email content before sending.

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    Key Features

    • Role Availability: Accessible to users with admin, playbook.admin, or pdauthor roles.
    • Inputs Configuration: Users can configure various inputs including the email label, description, recipient list, subject, body, and footer content. The pill-picker feature can be utilized for dynamic data retrieval.
    • Run Conditions: Conditions can be set to determine when the activity runs based on previous activities.
    • User Input Requirement: The activity can be set to wait for user input before completing, ensuring manual confirmation.
    • Advanced Inputs: Additional fields can be configured for task assignment, target records, and email addresses for Cc or Bcc options.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing the Send Email activity, customers can automate communication within their workflows, ensuring timely notifications and confirmations. The structured input options allow for customization and flexibility, enhancing the overall efficiency of playbook execution. Customers can expect improved engagement through targeted emails with relevant information, resulting in better process outcomes.

    Create an email from previously gathered or generated data. Use this activity to send an email. This activity requires the playbook author to define who the email should be sent to, the subject, and the body. This activity surfaces the pre-defined content for the email to the end user so that the end user can confirm before sending the email.

    Roles and availability

    This activity is available as a common activity. Users with the admin, playbook.admin, or pd_author can add this activity to a playbook.

    Inputs

    Open the activity properties panel and configure your activity to add values for the following inputs. If the input value varies, use the pill-picker to show where to get the value. To learn more about the pill-picker, see Dot-walking examples.
    Input Type Description
    Label String Title to display as activity and playbook card.
    Description String Information to display about activity usage or outcome.
    Run condition Condition Builder Conditions that must be met to run an activity or stage. You can use data from prior activities to build conditions.
    Note:
    Select Show additional options to see this field.
    Start Rule Choice Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your stage should start running:
    • When process starts: Your stage starts running as soon as the playbook starts.
    • After specific stages: Your stage starts running after specified stage(s) have finished running.
    Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your activity should start running:
    • When stage starts: Your activity starts running as soon as its stage starts running. Your stage starts running when your playbook is triggered.
    • After specific activities: Your activity starts running after specified activities have finished running.
    Start with delay True/False Option to wait for a duration of time before running an activity or stage. When enabled, this input displays the Start with delay input properties.
    Note:
    Select Show additional options to see this field.
    To List of Users Recipient list for the email. There are 2 ways to configure this field:
    • Enter email addresses as strings if you want the emails to go to the same addresses every time.

    • When the email address value varies, use the pill picker to indicate where to find the recipient email address. For example, you would use the pill picker if you wanted to automatically notify credit card applicants of a rejection, because each applicant has a different email.

      You would select the customer record from the trigger (when the application was submitted), because that is where the applicant's email address is found.


      Using the pill picker to reference the email address.
    Cc List of Users Cc recipient list for the email.
    Subject String Subject of the email.
    Body HTML Body of the email.
    Tip:
    You can use both text and multiple pills in your message, and any other rich text or HTML field.
    Wait for user input Choice Option to pause the playbook until the end user manually completes or skips the activity. Only users with the playbook.admin role can edit this field. By default, the activity waits for user action or data before it completes.
    Tagline String Activity tagline to display to end users.
    Record fields Reference Any additional record fields you want in the email.
    Note:
    This field cannot be edited during a playbook run.
    Footer String Footer content for your email. You can enter a footer as a string, or use the pill picker to reference data (e.g. a timestamp) that you want to display at the bottom of the email.
    Note:
    This field cannot be edited during a playbook run.
    Form View String Form view to use for sending an email. If you don't provide a form view, the system uses the default view. Use the new tab button a button that opens a new tabto open and edit a form view with Form Builder in a new Workflow Studio tab.
    Note:
    Many form views are not supported in Workspace.
    Form fields Reference Any additional fields you want in the playbook activity card.
    Note:
    This field cannot be edited during a playbook run.

    Advanced inputs

    After configuring the required inputs for your activity, you can also choose to configure additional inputs. In the side panel, select Show additional options to display these advanced inputs. For more information, see Activity experience.
    Input Type Description
    Assigned To Reference.User [sys_user] User responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Select Show additional options to see this field.
    Assignment Group Reference.Group [sys_user_group] Group responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Select Show additional options to see this field.
    To Email Address String Comma-separated list of email addresses.
    Cc Email Address String Comma-separated list of copied email addresses.
    Bcc List of Users Bcc blind copy recipient list for the email.
    Bcc Email Address String Comma-separated list of blind copied email addresses.
    Target Record Reference.Task [task] Reference to the record that the system attaches the email to.
    Table Table Name Table containing activity or playbook data.

    Outputs

    These outputs can provide data to other activities in your playbook. You can access this data as activity inputs when you configure your activity:
    Output Type Description
    Automated True/False Whether the flow automatically completes or requires user input. If set to True, the activity card in Playbook Experience displays a Automated Task tagline.
    Record Reference.Task[task] Reference to record created.
    Email Reference.Notification[sysevent_email_action] Reference to the newly created email notification record