How are incoming email messages routed?

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avatar willemn Dev Apr 23. 2009. 5:36 pm #1
I need some clarification on the incoming mail feature.

How do response emails (with proper ID tags) get routed to the proper project when you can only setup incoming mailboxes to point to one project?
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avatar Guy C. Dev Apr 23. 2009. 7:36 pm #2
Hi - here is how I think the incoming mail feature works (since I am using it). Ilija can confirm.

If you setup the mailbox to accept emails from non-registered guests, then the automated action is to place those emails in the project of your choice, in either a discussion or a ticket. E-mails from registered guests use the ID embedded in the subject line to route to the proper project. For example, this is the subject line in one of my email used by the system - [Caleb Consulting - Contractor Access] New comment on 'Access Database Modifications' Discussion has been posted {ID10187}. The project name is "Caleb Consulting - Contractor Access", the project is "101" and the discussion is "10187". I found that I could use this method to also send emails to the system and post them in the proper project and location, if I know the proper ID for the discussion, etc.

In any case, that's how I think it works. I have also found that it is pretty useful to setup more than one incoming mailbox, so the system can collect emails from anyone, sent to your "contact" and "info" accounts and drop them right in a project of your choice (assuming you allow emails from non-registered guests). The incoming mail feature is a nice 2.0 addition and I use it all the time. Ilija - pls move this response and the original question about the incoming mail feature to another thread, as you see fit.

Guy
avatar willemn Dev Apr 23. 2009. 8:16 pm #3
OK, so from what it sounds like, all incoming emails that have the proper ID will end up in the right project, regardless of the project its pointed to. Thats quite confusing, but I guess logical if you don't have a "general incoming mailbox" in the system itself.

It would be more logical to me if and "incoming" mail setup was related to the "outgoing mail" setup (since it logically would be the same mail account.. no?)
People would "instinctively" return mail to where it came from if they are going to do anything like it at all.

Setting up extra mailboxes that point to specific projects would be a completely separate issue, and in that case I would not expect any need for an ID at all.

Its either that, or you would need to be able to have 2 way messages through mailboxes per project as well... as it is you can only send from one, and "receive" from many.

Don't take me wrong, I'm absolutely not complaining, just trying to make this a logical story in my own mind and its a bit fuzzy so far, since its not super consistent and somewhat cross intuitive.

It may just be that a bit of clarification regarding this issue should be added to the actual screens when setting this up.... ?
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avatar Ilija Studen Staff Apr 24. 2009. 6:54 am #4
Hi Willem,

System works as Guy described - new messages (without ID in subject line) end up in project you defined for a given mailbox as discussions or tickets (depending on your configuration). If email is a reply to the notification (has ID included in a subject line) it will be submitted as a comment to that object.

Support for multiple inboxes is really handy. This way, you can have activeCollab check addresses like: office@company.com, sales@company.com etc and submit the request to appropriate projects. When notification is set, in includes information about its "context" (discussion, task, ticket etc) so system knows where to submit a reply as a comment.

willemn:
all incoming emails that have the proper ID will end up in the right project, regardless of the project its pointed to


That is correct.
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avatar willemn Dev Apr 24. 2009. 7:24 am #5
Perfect. Thanks for the confirmation.
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avatar Rok Apr 27. 2009. 7:08 am #6
From what I can tell email can be used to post a new ticket to a project, a new response to a discussion, or a response/comment on any item. Is there a way that it can be used to report time to an object (ticket) or add a new time entry. I do not have 2.0 installed, but I am very interested in the mail in feature.
avatar willemn Dev Apr 27. 2009. 7:13 am #7
No, there is currently no time type input through email. There are a couple of tools developed (3d party) that track time and post it to a project etc. we used one for a while, but our users decided they rather go into AC at the end of a work period and check outstanding tasks as well as enter all logged time.

They felt that it helped them be more efficient overall that way, since they also needed to engage and respond on other issues on-line.

I'm not sure if these other solutions are still available and if they are (will be) compatible with 2.0.
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avatar Mat - Fusion Digital Pro Apr 28. 2009. 12:53 am #8
If you're using a Mac, Timepost works with AC2 (confirmed here). I haven't tried any of the PC solutions (actually can't find any apart from the Flex app somewhere on these forums) which is unfortunate since my development machine is my PC, not my Mac.
avatar Ilija Studen Staff Apr 28. 2009. 2:58 am #9
TimePost has a version for Windows - you can get it on their download page and try it.
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avatar Engelberth Pro Apr 30. 2009. 4:20 am #10
Hi,

is there an easy way to find out the relevant ID without triggering a ticket or reminder?
I thought it would be able to detect the ID from the project URL but this is not the case...
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