Doc Summary 
This article explains how Symbiant’s automated emails work, so you can choose, activate and adjust them with confidence.
Applies to: System administrators (
adminrole) ยท Module: Set up > Triggers, Schedules and Log viewer
Two Kinds of Automated Email #
| Trigger (task-based) | Schedule (time-based) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fires when | A record is created, updated or deleted | At set times (the Recurring grid, in UTC) |
| Typical use | “New risk added”, “Action assigned”, “Level set to High” | “Review due tomorrow”, “Action overdue” |
| Finds its records by | The record being saved | A query on the module |
| Where | Set up > Triggers | Set up > Schedules |
Shipped Emails #
Each module comes with a set of ready-made emails named <module>-<what>-generic, for example register-risks-new-risk-generic or register-risks-risk-review-overdue-generic. The Info column describes each one. They all arrive inactive, so nothing is sent until you choose what your organisation needs and activate it. See Activating and Deactivating an Automated Email.
Note: Don’t edit a shipped email heavily. If you need something different, build a copy with your company name in the name and leave the generic one inactive.
The Function Chain #
Both kinds of email are built from a function chain (the ฦ chain panel): a list of steps called interceptors that run from top to bottom. Each interceptor can use the result of the ones above it, chosen in its Data source. If a step finds nothing, the chain stops and no email is sent.
| Interceptor | What it does |
|---|---|
| tx-check | Triggers: continue only if the change matches, for example Level equals High |
| tx-entity | Triggers: load the record, After change (create and update) or Before change (delete) |
| tx-user | Triggers: collect the user who made the change |
| query | Schedules: find the records that match a condition, for example Review Date equals Tomorrow |
| manager | Find users with a role (for example risk_admin) through a user field such as Owners |
| format-date | Set how dates appear in the email, for example dd MMMM yyyy |
| template | Write the email (From, To, Cc, Subject, body), or a reminder tag in schedules |
| tag-filter / tag-record | Schedules: skip records already emailed, then remember the ones just emailed |
| Send the template as HTML or plain text | |
| log | Record the email in the Log viewer |
Who Fires a Trigger and Who Receives It #
- A trigger’s Assignments (who can cause this trigger to fire) decide whose changes fire it. They are not the recipients. Assign the root division to cover everyone.
- The recipients are set on the template’s
To:andCc:lines with names, addresses or recipient codes:
| Send to | Code |
|---|---|
| Record owners | {{<generic/owners}}{{sm.user/name}}, {{>generic/owners}} |
| Record creator | {{<created/user}}{{sm.user/name}}, {{>created/user}} |
| Last person to change the record | {{<modified/user}}{{sm.user/name}}, {{>modified/user}} |
| Users with the manager interceptor’s role | {{<generic/owners}}{{<manager}}{{sm.user/name}}, {{>manager}}{{>generic/owners}} |
- Emails sent “to the admins” use module roles such as
risk_admin. The systemadminrole on its own doesn’t receive module emails. See How to Receive Module Specific Emails as System Admin.
What Triggers Can and Can’t React To #
- Update triggers react to a field changing to a value (for example a Status set to Submitted), checked by tx-check. They don’t fire on every edit.
- Saving is what fires a trigger: changing a field and cancelling sends nothing.
- Some module features depend on a schedule being active, for example re-issuing scheduled surveys or assessments (
...-scheduled-re-issuing-generic).
Checking What Was Sent #
Set up > Log viewer lists the emails each automated email has logged, by log group. Search it to confirm an email went out and to whom.
If Emails Don’t Arrive #
- Is the trigger or schedule Active?
- For a trigger, does its Assignments cover the user who made the change?
- Does the recipient have the right module role, and an email address?
- Is there an entry in the Log viewer? If yes, the email left Symbiant: ask IT to check spam filtering and allow Symbiant’s no-reply address.
