Automatically Add External Correspondence to Correspondence History

Email messages generated by the EM/PM system are configured with a sender's email address (e.g., an editorial office address or the Corresponding Editor's address in the "From" field), so the recipient can reply to the email. However, the reply becomes an item of correspondence outside the EM system, and it is not included in the correspondence history of the related submission or schedule group.

The item may be added to the correspondence history manually by the Editor or editorial staff. In the case of messages that are responses to a system-generated email, these items may also be added to the correspondence history via a drop box. The publication can set up a drop-box email address for this purpose and share the address with Editors and editorial staff. The drop-box email address can be manually configured, so that it is easily recognized or remembered by Editor users.

The messages generated by the EM system include a unique identifier in the email's subject line, which allows the system to associate the message to the related submission or schedule group.

Attachments to external email are included when the email is added to the Correspondence History (if the publication has the Attachments feature enabled).

Import of external correspondence can also be configured to display the original subject line of the external email as the description in the Letter column of the Correspondence History grid. (If the original subject line is not configured to display, "Imported Email" appears as the description for all external correspondence.)

Notes on usage

To automatically add any email received in response to a system-generated notification to the Correspondence History, forward the email to the drop-box address. Do not change any of the email subject line (this contains the identifier).

It is recommended that the distribution of drop-box addresses be limited to key staff. Authors and Reviewers should not forward emails to the drop-box address themselves, because they cannot view the History page to confirm that emails have been successfully imported. Their email replies should be routed through an Editor, so that the Editor remains informed in regard to the communications. Additionally, the more users who have the drop-box address, the more there are who must be notified when the address changes.

An Editor who receives an Ad hoc from Author (or similar) email can include the drop-box address as a copied recipient on the reply; the response includes the identifier and will be imported. To avoid exposing the drop-box address to outside users, Editors should use the blind copy (bcc) option.

For security reasons, the identifier code is not attached to any email containing merge fields related to username or password.

To configure:

Go to PolicyManager > Email and Letter Policies > Configure Email Import. On the Configure Email Import page, set the email address for the drop-box and enter a contact email address to receive notifications when the system fails to import an email.

Set the email address for the drop-box. (This setting is saved only when you click Submit at the bottom of the Configure Email Import page.)
1. Use the radio button to select one of two options:
  - Configure manually: A pop-up overlay opens (after Create is clicked). Enter the configurable portion of the email address in the text box and click Save to close the overlay.
  - Generate automatically: The address will appear on the page next to the Clear Address button (after Create is clicked).
2. Click the Create button.
Enter a contact email address (e.g., an editorial staff contact) to receive notifications when the system fails to import an email.
To use the original email subject line as the description, check the box next to the setting: Display imported email subject in Correspondence History. (This setting will be available only after a drop-box email address is configured.)
When finished, click Submit.

Once the drop-box email address is configured, share it with your Editors. This is the address to which they will forward emails that are to be added to the Correspondence History.)

A drop-box email address may be retired and a new one generated (e.g., if the address has become the target of spam email). Click the Clear Address button and then click the OK button on the confirmation message. Then click the Generate New Address button and confirm. The old address is inactivated immediately, so all Editors should be warned before the old address is retired and asked not to import any email messages until you send them the new drop-box address.

Note: The drop-box email address should not be used as a publication's designated email "From" address. While the message would be added to the Correspondence History, no one at the publication would be notified of the import or receive the information/request in the message.

To include attachments, the publication must enable the Attachments feature. Contact your Aries Account Coordinator.