Sending modify instructions in HTML

Scenario

An HTML-formatted outgoing message allows Joe User to do the following tasks with entry 00005:

• Enter a password in an input-type Password control field.
  When users enter their password, stars appear instead of the typed symbols or letters.
• Modify the contents of the Assigned To and Short Description fields.

• Modify the status in an input-type Radio control field.
  Users can select only one radio button option.
  With HTML format, you can also include system information, for example, server name or form name, in hidden fields. The data is still within the message, but users do not see it.
  The following example is a Help Desk request message with Schema and Action as hidden fields with default values supplied:

  <h1>Help Desk Request</h1><hr>
  <input type=hidden name="Schema" value="Help Desk"/>
  <input type=hidden name="Action" value="Submit"/>
  Name: <input type=text name="Login"/><br/>
  Password: <input type=password name="Password"/><br/>
  Problem Description: <input type=text name="Short Description"/>

  To learn how to define input type controls, see any standard HTML reference book or reputable online source (http://www.w3.org/).

To send modify instructions using HTML

1. Using the AR System Email Messages form, create an outgoing message in New mode.
   For sample contents of an outgoing message, see Sending-modify-instructions-in-plain-text.
2. Click the HTML Body tab.

3. Enter contents like the following example:

   Server: polycarp
   <BR> Login: Joe User<BR>
   Password <input type="password" name="Password" size="15" maxlength="14"> <BR>
   Key:1234<BR>
   Action: Modify<BR>
   Form:HD Incident<BR>
   Request ID: 00005<BR>
   Assigned To <input type="text" name="!4!" size="20" value="Assignee"> <BR>
   Short Description <input type="text" name="!8!" size="40" value="Enter a short description"> <BR>
   Status
   <input type="radio" value="New" name="!7!"/> New
   <input type="radio" value="Assigned" name="!7!" /> Assigned
   <input type="radio" value="WIP" name="!7!"/> WIP
   <input type="radio" value="Resolved" name="!7!"/> Resolved
   <input type="radio" value="Closed" name="!7!"/> Closed
   <BR>
4. Send the outgoing email.
   The user receives an email that looks like the following figure.
   A Modify instruction (HTML format) sent to the user
   
5. To execute the modification, reply to the email received with the modified values for the HTML fields that you can see and have permission to change.
   Responding to the Modify instruction (HTML format) sent to a user
   

Using the HTML controls you have defined, click in a field to modify its contents, for example, enter Assigning this ticket to Bob Backline in the Short Description field. Also, observe that Joe's password is encrypted.

With HTML, users can modify only the fields you provide. As a result, creating outgoing HTML emails requires some planning by administrators. For example, if Joe User could not enter his password, the Email Engine would reject the modify action due to permission problems. Email is no different than any other AR Systemclient. Like logging in to the Mid Tier, he could not use email to "log in" to the Email Enginewithout entering a password.