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Access raw inbound email fields (from name / reply to address) via API

  • 22 September 2020
  • 6 replies
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Hello,

I'm trying to setup inbox app to add canvas content with inbound email details for replies from 3rd party service (we need from name / reply to address as it's always forwarded from the same email and appear as conversation under same contact)

 

raw_email

 

It's visible via "raw email" in web UI

(in this case forwarded@email.com is always the same and we need to get Alex and alex@email.com)

 

But looks like API has no access to those fields (it only shows subject/body and author email, which is always the same)

 

conversation

 

Is there a way to access those fields via API?

Thanks

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Best answer by Roy 23 September 2020, 00:42

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6 replies

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Hello @alex u​ , You can access this fields via API.

In conversation response found Admin ID:

      "assigned_to": {

        "type": "admin",

        "id": "ID"

 

Then: https://api.intercom.io/admins/b>ID

 

{

  "type": "admin",

  "id": "ID",

  "name": "First.Name Last.Name",

  "email": "eMail"

 

Keep in mind that there 2 options for outbound e-mails in Intercom:

1) Use FirstName.LastName@AppID.intercom-mail.com domain.

2) Use teammate's signed up email (Alex@company.com). 

 

If you are using the first one, you should use this API to find Firstname and Lastname and combine it to appID@intercom-mail.com

If you are using the second one, you just need to grub the email of the admin user (Alex@company.com).intercom-email

Let me know if this helps.

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BTW: If Admin already replies to conversation, it will appears like this:

 

      "author": {

        "id": "ID",

        "type": "admin",

        "name": "Admin First Name, Last Name",

        "email": "Admin e-Mail."

      },

Hey @roy s11​ 

thanks for the reply, but I think you misunderstood my issue - I need to get fields from inbound email, not outbound 🙂

As we have the following situation:

  1. We have 3rd party service that sends out emails to our clients
  2. It uses forwarded@email.com as reply-to address (for tracking purposes)
  3. When client replies to that forwarded@email.com email the reply is then forwarded to our Intercom inbox email (keeping the original client email in reply-to field)
  4. Since all replies are coming to Intercom inbox from the same email address they all appear as conversations under same Intercom user account (forwarded@email.com)
  5. Original name and email of the client is still visible when clicking View raw email button in UI (see screenshot #2, we need to get Alex and alex@email.com)
  6. My question was - how I can access those fields via API? As default API endpoint for conversation details is always showing same data for source->author (as it's always the same account forwarded@email.com) and missing details of the original client sending the reply, so we need additional details from the source/inbound email (that appears to be in reply to field, accessible via web UI).

 

raw_email4

 

raw_email3

 

conversation_source

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Sorry @alex u​ , Now I see your point.

 

It's not possible to get raw e-mail via API 😕

 

If your system will put customer e-mail in CC, you can get details via API.

 

1 other

 

Can you tell me, who is this one other there? Is it a customer? (If yes, you can get e-mail via API).

 

BTW: Why not just forward e-mails to Intercom? or create conversation via API? (This hole system is not correct here).

> It's not possible to get raw e-mail via API :/

Ok, sad to hear that..

 

> If your system will put customer e-mail in CC, you can get details via API.

I'm afraid it's not gonna work, the system already puts customer email in "to" field, and when customer replies to that email the reply is forwarded to Intercom. Customer doesn't want their own reply CC'd back to them :)

 

> Can you tell me, who is this one other there? Is it a customer?

That's an account with "to" email.

 

> Why not just forward e-mails to Intercom?

A reply has to be sent to 3rd party email address first for tracking (used in logic for different client flows), and then it's forwarded to Intercom.

But appears we're using Google Groups for forwarding it further, and I just found a note regarding it here

https://www.intercom.com/help/en/articles/174-forward-your-email-to-your-team-inbox

Going to explore routing option now :)

Appears, Groups vs Routing is not the issue here, as that system is already forwarding with altered From address, like:

 

from: Alex at alex@email.com <forwarded@email.com>

reply-to: Alex <alex@email.com>

 

So the only way to obtain the original address - access reply-to field via Intercom API which is not possible atm 😞

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