Setting up Email Retrieval from External Server

Service Desk can be configured to retrieve emails from an email account external to Service Desk (e.g. Outlook 365, Gmail etc.). Emails are collected and then converted into tickets and placed in a specific queue for processing. This mapping means that emails requesting support can be routed into the system directly and dealt with more effectively.

This process requires that you carry out the following tasks in Service Desk:

  1. Step 1 - Set up Email Retrieval - Service Desk will retrieve emails from an existing email account (e.g. your support email address: support.mydomain.com) and pull them into your Service Desk installation where they are converted into tickets. See below.
  2. Step 2 - Set up a Ticket Queue for Retrieved Emails - So that emails sent to the mapped address are converted into tickets and stored in the correct Ticket Queue. See Setting up a Ticket Queue for Retrieved Emails.

To set up email retrieval:

  1. Go to Settings - Support Channels - Email to display the Email page with Email servers tab open.
  2. Click New to open the Mail server page.
  3. Configure the following settings as required:
  4. Field/Option Description
    Method* The protocol that your remote mailbox supports i.e. POP, IMAP
    Host* The address to your mail server e.g. mail.mydomain.com.
    Username*

    The address of the email account used to access the external mail server - Service Desk uses this username to access the mail server and pull emails from it e.g. support@mydomain.com.

    Tip - The address entered in the Username field is usually the same as the address entered in the the Ticket Queue - Incoming Email Mapping field when Setting up a Ticket Queue for Retrieved Emails, however, it may not always be an individual email address e.g. support@mycompany.com, it could be an alias e.g. 'support' or it could be a catch-all account.

    See Setting up a Ticket Queue for Retrieved Emails for more details.;

    Password The password for this email account.
    Port

    The email port e.g. 110 for POP, 995 for POP SSL; 143 for IMAP, 993 for IMAP SSL.

    When using secure ports (SSL) you must select the Use SSL? option at the bottom of the page.

    Retrieval interval

    The email retrieval interval
    Connection string

    Choose from:

    • Default: Recommended
    • novalidate-cert
    • notls
    Use SSL? Should this connection be over secured SSL? Select this option if you are using secure port (POP3 port 995; IMAP port 993)
  5. Click Save to save your settings.
As well as performing these steps in Service Desk, you must also ensure that the external mail server has IMAP/POP enabled. For example, in Gmail, you can do this in Settings - Forwarding and POP/IMAP.

Additionally, If you are using a Gmail retrieval account, Service Desk will be prevented access until you change the following Google security settings described here https://support.google.com/a/answer/6260879?hl=en

You now need to go on to Step 2 - Setting up a Ticket Queue for Retrieved Emails to make sure emails sent to the mapped address are routed properly by the system into the correct ticket queue.