 E-Mail Response Management System (ERMS)

E-Mail Response Management System (ERMS) is a tool for managing

large amounts of incoming e-mail. Instead of compiling all incoming e-
mails into one queue, ERMS provides services for automatically
processing and organizing incoming e-mail. There are several automated
activities that reduce the need for manual intervention by agents, thereby
substantially reducing costs associated with e-mail processing.

1. Integration with Outlook

Integration with outlook was performed using the following key steps:

a. Procurement and installation of a new exchange server

 Exchange Server transport rules can only be applied at the email domain level and not at
the email address level. Following are the options to address this limitations:
o Option 1: Use a separate Exchange Server for SAP ERMS related routing
o Option 2: Generate a new email sub-domain to use the existing Exchange Server
 In order to avoid creating a separate sub-domain, we configured a new exchange server
(Option 1) to ensure emails received at a particular email ID could be routed to SAP

b. Configure transport rule on the new exchange server

 Once the exchange server was configured, we created a transport rule to ensure that all
the emails received at the configured email id (Example:
CustomerSupportQuestions@outlook.com) will be routed to SAP

c. Transport Layer Security (TLS) Configuration:

 To ensure that the emails are encrypted, TLS needs to be enabled on the Exchange
Server.

Below picture provides a high level overview of Outlook – SAP Integration:

3. SAP Enhancements
Over and above the steps mentioned in the ERMS Configuration guide, we created a custom
service profile to ensure consistency with other objects in our environment.

a. Create Custom Service Profile

 b. Create custom policy

We then created a custom policy to define and execute rules. Below are some key steps in the
custom policy:

 Customized the service class ZCL_CRM_ERMS_AH_CREATE_IR to create a custom

interaction record. To ensure consistency with other SAP objects in our system, we
converted the inbound email into an office document using standard ERMS utilities. The
inbound email gets attached to an activity (BUS20000126)
 Once the email is received by SAP, an activity is created and the corresponding inbound
email is attached as a document in the ‘Transaction History’ assignment block
 User can then respond to the Inbound email by clicking the ‘Reply/Reply All’ button
 In the email editor, we will add an event as ‘Send button’ to perform the following
functions:
o Create the response email as an office document to ensure that the email is
shown as an outbound email
o Close the custom Interaction Record/Activity

2.1 SAPconnect Settings

A properly configured SMTP domain is required to establish the e-mail connections. You need to define these settings
according to your network policies.

Customizing Path SAP Solution Manager → Technical Settings → Set Up SAPconnect

Transaction SCOT

SAP Note 455140

These settings are normally configured by the basis team. An SMTP node labeled, for example, SMTP Mail Server is
normally already generated. For more information, see SAP Note 455140.

1. Double-click the SMTP node.

2. In the following dialog box, enter your Mail Host and activate Node in use.
3. In the Supported address types area, choose the Set button next to the Internet checkbox.
4. Enter * in the first row of the Address area.
5. In the Settings menu, choose Default Domain.

6. Define a mail (SMTP) domain, for example: <client>.<sid>.<subdomain>.<com>.

7. Make sure that the user and passwords are configured in the SAPconnect service.

Transaction SICF
8. Choose to execute the program.

9. Double-click SAPconnect.

10. Switch to change mode and go to the Logon Data tab page.
 11. Enter a user and password. For more information about how to create a user and for the other virtual host
settings, see SAP Help for SMTP Configuration Guide at:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/af/73563c1e734f0fe10000000a114084/frameset.htm

12. Make sure that the node is active.

2.2 Routing for Inbound E-Mails

Transaction SO16

For more information, see SAP Help for Shared Office Settings at:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_snc70/helpdata/en/6c/69c30f418d11d1896e0000e8322d00/frameset.htm
1. On the Addressing tab page, select the Organizational units and SAP Business Object checkbox.
2. Save your entries.

3 SAP Business Workflow and Communication Settings

3.1 Activating Business Workflow

To activate workflows, you need to configure the standard settings for SAP Business Workflow.

The SAP Business Workflow requires some client-dependent system settings.

Transaction SWU3

For more information, see the SAP Library at http://help.sap.com/crm → SAP CRM 7.0 or higher → Application
Help → Basic Functions → SAP Business Workflow.

1. Select the nodes Maintain Runtime Environment and Classify Tasks as General.

2. Select the generate icon for every activity.

A green checkmark icon indicates that the workflow/task is successfully activated.

Additionally, you have to activate the sub-nodes Classify Generic Standard Tasks as General beneath
node Guided Procedures.
3.2 Defining Communication Method Settings

Customizing Path Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient→ Agent Inbox →
Settings for Asynchronous Inbound Processing →Define Communication Method Settings

Transaction code CRMC_IC_AUIGNCOM

In this Customizing activity, you define settings for each inbox communication method. The relevant communication
method for the E-Mail Inbound Scenario is INT (e-mail).
The Category, Copy Subject, and Text ID fields are used when an incident or service request is created based on an
inbox work item.

You can also use default values.

3.3 Defining E-Mail Receiving Address

Customizing Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient → Agent Inbox → Settings for
Path Asynchronous Inbound Processing → Define Receiving

E-Mail Addresses/Fax Numbers

Transaction CRMC_IC_AUIADDR
code

In this Customizing activity, you define incoming e-mail addresses for the Inbound E-mail Inbox. E-Mail addresses must
exist in the system.

Customizing Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient →Agent Inbox →Settings for
Path Asynchronous Inbound Processing →Define Receiving

E-Mail/Fax Settings

Transaction CRMC_IC_AUIGNADR
code
 In this Customizing activity, you define settings for the receiving e-mail addresses. You can define the following settings:

 The workflow priority of the work item created

 How soon items are escalated
 What calendar the escalation uses to identify working times for your contact center
 Whether an automatic reply is sent

3.4 Customizing Due Date

Customizing Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient →Agent Inbox →Settings for
Path Asynchronous Inbound Processing →Define Receiving

E-Mail/Fax Settings

Transaction CRMC_IC_AUIGNADR
code
 3.5 Configuring Inbound Distribution

In this Customizing activity, you make settings to route the incoming e-mail via SAP Business Workflow to the ERMS.

Transaction code SO28

1. Choose the Insert line icon and configure the entries as described below.

2. Select the New recipient field and choose press the F4 key.
3. Choose SAP object instance and confirm your selection.

4. Select ERMS Support 2 and confirm your selection.

5. Use the search help to choose one of the e-mail addresses defined earlier as the receiver address.
 6. Confirm your selection.

7. Use the search help to choose one of the e-mail addresses defined earlier as the recipient.

8. Save your entries.

9. Repeat steps 1 to 8 for each recipient e-mail address.

3.5 Activating Agent Assignment

Transaction code CRM_ERMS_WF_CUST

You have to activate e-mail handling for the inbound e-mail to be processed by workflow and assign a rule that
determines the agents.
1. Choose Activate event linking

2. Expand the node WS 002000001

3. Choose the Detail view button to set the status to Activated.

4. Choose the icon to go back to the overview screen.

5. Choose Assign Agents.

6. Expand the node ERMS 1.

7. Select ERMS decision and choose Attributes.

8. Change the task type to General task.

9. Choose Transfer.
ERMS decision is now a general task.
10. Choose the icon to exit the transaction.

3.6 Configuring Event Queue Administration

The event queue administration is responsible for handling the initial routing of inbound e-mails and linking replies to an
existing service ticket (incident or service request).

Transaction code SWEQADM

Note: If 0 event linkages uses event queue, the node is showing red. If the number is greater than 0 then it is green like
in the picture area. It is not an issue to have 0 event linkage because using event queue is not a must.
1. On the Basic data tab page, make sure that Receiver error feedback is set to 3 Do not change linkage.

2. On the Activation tab page, enable Switch on event queue.

3. On the Background job tab page, you can change the Interval until event queue next checked value. By default, the
value is 5 minutes.
4. On the Overview tab page, check that all the statuses are now green.

3.7 Assigning Standard Tasks to Communication Methods

Define which SAP Business Workflow tasks are used to process inbound inbox items that are received from the
communication channels supported by the inbox.

Customizing Path Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient →

Agent Inbox→ Settings for Asynchronous Inbound Processing → Assign Standard Tasks to
Communication Methods

For E-Mail Response Management System (ERMS), workflow template WS00200001 (ERMS1), use workflow task
207914 (TS00207914) with communication method INT (E-Mail).
4 E-Mail Response Management System (ERMS)
Customizing
4.1 Mapping Business Transactions to Responsible Employees and
Groups

Customizing Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient → Agent Inbox → Map
Path Item Attributes to Inbox Attributes →

Map Business Transactions to Responsible Employees and Groups

Transaction CRMC_IC_AUI_PARTNER
code

In this Customizing activity, you assign partner functions for displaying search results and define partner functions for
searching using Assigned To. You define which partner functions are displayed in the Responsible
Employee and Responsible Group columns in the inbox result list.

For searches using Account, you define which partner functions appear in the inbox result list as contact persons and
sold-to parties.

This activity is necessary for inbox search using the Assigned To and Account search criteria.

4.2 Defining Service Manager Profiles

Service manager profiles determine which services and related properties are executed or performed and in what
sequence when called by the service manager.
 Customizing Customer Relationship Management → E-Mail Response Management System →
Path Service Manager → Define Service Manager Profiles

Transaction CRMC_ERMS_SM_PROF
code

1. Copy the factory Sevice Manager Profile AI_INBOX to your customer namespace (e.g. ZAI_INBOX).

2. Check out the properties of the Directly Called Services with Service ID RE_RULE_EXEC.
3. The property value for the ID POLICY represents the assignment of the used CRM Rule Policy required for automatic e-
mail processing (e.g. automatic Incident creation).
4. The related Rule Policy needs to be created later on. Therefor, refer to chapter 4.7.1.
 4.3 Assigning Service Manager Profiles

In this activity, you determine which service manager profile is used during E-Mail Response Management System
(ERMS) automated processing. The determination is based on the assignment of the service manager profile to the
incoming e-mail address, the workflow task that invokes the service manager, or the combination of the two.

Customizing Customer Relationship Management → E-Mail Response Management System →

Path Service Manager → Assign Service Manager Profiles

Transaction CRMC_ERMS_SM_PDET
code

1. Create a new entry for your incoming e-mail address and the Service Manager Profile you have copied to customer
namespace before.
2. Enter to the ObjectID the value 0.

4.4 Defining E-Mail Profiles

Customizing Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient B→

Path asic Functions → Communication Channels → Define E-Mail Profiles

Transaction CRMC_IC_EMAILX
code
 In this Customizing activity, you configure options for e-mail processing in the Interaction Center (IC) WebClient
including:

 Default to and from e-mail addresses

 Maximum e-mail attachment size
 E-Mail headers used for the mail client
 Transfer of information with the communication management software
 Form used to print e-mails
 E-Mail channel used
 Standard response group for outbound e-mails

To create an e-mail profile Z_ERMS_EMAIL_PROFILE, enter the following values:

NOTE

This profile is for both inbound and outbound e-mails.

4.5 Setting Sender E-Mail Address

 To create a general sender address, for example, for sending acknowledgements, you can create a sender e-mail
address.

Customizing SAP Solution Manager → Capabilities (Optional) → IT Service Management → Personalized E-

Path Mail → Maintain Sender Addresses for E-Mail

or

Customer Relationship Management → Marketing → Marketing Planning and Campaign Management à

Personalized Mail à Maintain Sender Addresses for E-Mail

Create an e-mail address that you can use as a sender e-mail address.

4.6 Testing Inbound E-Mail

It is important to check that inbound e-mail is being passed to the workflow engine and then onto ERMS. If Microsoft
Exchange is not connected to the SAP system, an inbound e-mail must be simulated using transaction SCOT or in
SOIN Utilities→ Import MIME.

Transaction code SCOT

Menu In the transaction, go to Utilities → Inbox Overview

1. Create a .txt file containing an e-mail.

2. Choose Utilities → Import MIME.
3. Select the .txt file.

4. Specify the address to which the e-mail is sent.

 Transaction code SWI1 Choose Execute on selection screen.

Incoming e-mails should be visible in the workflow transaction SWI1.

 4.7 Configuring ERMS Rule Policies

You create rule policies in the e-mail response management system (ERMS) context to handle and evaluate incoming
e-mails. Rules are evaluated every time an incoming e-mail is received. Rule policies are responsible for routing the
incoming e-mails to an organizational unit and sending auto acknowledgments.

For more information, see the SAP Library at: http://help.sap.com/crm → SAP CRM 7.0 or higher→ Application
Help → Interaction Center → E-Mail Response Management System.

4.7.1 Creating Rule Policies

Transaction code SM_CRM (Starts the Web UI)

1. Select business role SOLMANPRO or the corresponding custom business role and navigate to the Service
Operation work center.
2. Choose Rule Policy in the Create screen area.

3. Select the Context E-Mail Response MS for ITSM Inbox and enter the name of the rule policy which has been assigned
to the Service Manager Profile (chapter 4.2).
4. Enter a description and save the rule policy.
 4.7.2 Creating Folders

1. Switch to change mode and select Draft Rules.

2. Choose New to add a new rule folder (subfolder).

3. Enter a name and description for the rule.

4.7.3 Creating Rules

Select the line containing the folder icon under Draft Rules (the one you just have created in chapter 4.7.2) and
choose New to create a rule.
 4.7.4 Creating Conditions

1. In the rule you just have created in chapter 4.7.2, switch to Edit mode.
2. In the Conditions assignment block choose Add Entry to create a condition.
3. In the Attribute column, select the condition E-Mail Original Recipient.
4. In the Value column, enter the default e-mail address of your Solution Manager system, as defined above.

4.7.5 Creating Actions

 In the rule you have created in chapter 4.7.2, switch to Edit mode
 In the Actions assignment block choose Add Entry to create actions for acknowledgment and routing to an
organizational unit (for example, the dispatcher team).
 4.7.6 Releasing Rules

 Release your draft rule.

Your rule is now released.

 If you want to set up E-Mail Threading which ensures that inbound E-Mails are assigned to a business transaction if
referenced in a tracking text, check Wiki page https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/x/H4A2FQ
 If you define a rule that creates an incident from the received E-mail automatically, ensure that user WF-BATCH
has enough authorizations to create an incident. The user processing the workflow when an E-mail is received will
be the one creating the incident in this automatic incident creation process. Authorization object S_RFC is also
requested to call FM "AI_CRM_IM_EMAIL_RECEIVED" and "AI_CRM_IM_ERMS".

5 WebClient UI Customizing
 The Inbound E-Mail Inbox is delivered as part of the business roles SOLMANDSPTCH and SOLMANPRO. The Inbound
E-Mail Inbox work center is active in business role SOLMANDSPTCH and inactive in business role SOLMANPRO. If
you want to use the Inbound E-Mail Inbox work center with your own custom business role, you need to complete the
Customizing steps described in this section.

5.1 Inbound E-Mail Inbox WebClient UI Configuration

5.1.1 Defining Inbox Profiles

Create a new inbox profile to be used in the function profile of the business role. The inbox profile specifies the following
aspects of the inbox for the user role:

 Main categories
 Quick searches
 Time periods
 Search view
 Result list display

Customizing Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient → Agent Inbox →

Path Define Inbox Profiles

 You can create a new profile or copy the AI_IM_INBOX inbox profile or use the standard profile and business role if you
do not need to adjust them.

5.1.2 Business Role

The Inbound E-Mail Inbox work center is part of standard business roles SOLMANDSPTCH and SOLMANPRO.
In the SOLMANDSPTCH business role, the work center is delivered as active, in SOLMANPRO, it is delivered as
inactive.

Both business roles are using Inbox profile AI_IM_INBOX. If you need to adjust the inbox profile or business role, copy
the business role to the customer name space.

6 IT Service Management Customizing

6.1 Creating Mail Forms

Mail forms are used to provide personalized e-mail content used in auto acknowledgements, auto responses, and
standard responses, including tracking text for service tickets.

In a mail form, you define the layout and content of the personalized e-mail. You can insert static content that is the
same for all recipients or you can specify the insertion of personalized content. The system inserts the personalized
content when you send the personalized mail.

Transaction code SM_CRM (Starts the WebClient UI)

 Select business role SOLMANPRO or the equivalent customer business role and choose Service Operations.
 Choose Mail Forms and complete the required fields to create a mail form.

 You create your own custom e-mail notification including links, text elements, and context attributes for the incident or
service request-specific information, such as business partners, status values, and so on.
 You assign your newly created mail form ID to parameter MAIL_FORM_TEMPLATE of the PPF Action for sending
notification to the reporter (see Maintain PPF Action for E-Mail Notification).

For more information, see the SAP Library

at: http://help.sap.com/saphelp_crm70/helpdata/en/29/3ea450ad734304903f235f1e426c0d/frameset.htm.

6.2 Maintaining PPF Actions for E-Mail Notifications

Communication with the reporter of an incident or service request (the sender of the original e-mail) is carried out using
e-mails that are sent automatically from SAP Solution Manager on status change in the message. The e-mails are sent
by PPF actions and contain some information about the message, such as ticket ID or current user status. A mandatory
attribute of these e-mails is the tracking ID used to ensure that replies from the reporter are linked to the corresponding
message.

Perform the following steps to configure the e-mail notification:

 Customizing SAP Solution Manager → Capabilities (Optional) → IT Service Management → Define Action
Path Profile → Change Actions and Conditions →

Define Action Profiles and Actions

Transaction SPPFCADM
code

1. Select the action profile assigned to the transaction type that you are using.
2. Double-click Action Definition.
3. Action *_STD_MAIL_FORM (E-Mail to Reporter with Mail Form) is used to send a reply to the incident reporter.
4. Double-click Processing Types to view the settings.
5. Choose to view the processing parameters.








 MAIL_FORM_TEMPLATE: Assign the ID of the mail form to be used (see Mail Form - chapter 6.1.).
 DEFAULT_SENDER_EMAIL: Enter the SAP Solution Manager inbox address defined above (see chapter3.3.)
 USE_TRACKING_ID: Set to X to add a tracking ID at the end of the e-mail notification in order to link the e-mail to the
corresponding incident or service request.
 ADD_KNOW_ART_TO_MAIL: Optional. Used to add a knowledge article to the e-mail as PDF attachment if any are
attached to the incident/service request.
 SMARTFORM: Only when ADD_KNOW_ART_TO_MAIL is set to X. Assign the ID of the smartform to be used for the
knowledge article as attachment.
 KNOW_ART_STATUS: Only knowledge articles in the specified status are sent.
 KNOW_ART_AUTH_SCOPE: Only knowledge articles in the specified authorization scope are sent.

6.3 Mapping Text Types

Customizing SAP Solution Manager → IT Service Management → Inbound E-Mail (Inbox)→ Define User Status
Path after E-Mail Reply

Transaction SM30 Maintenance view: AICV_ERMS_TEXT

code

In this Customizing activity, you define the text mapping rules for e-mail and incident or service request according to the
current processing state (semantic user status) and the direction of the communication flow (new e-mail, reply to
reporter, or reply from reporter).

1. You specify which text types are used to transfer information between the text assignment block of an incident or
service request and an e-mail. You can assign several text types for each transaction type and communication flow
direction. You map the text types to the semantic status of an incident or service request, which is defined in table
AISTATUS.

The following types are available:

 Initial text transfer from new e-mail: Defines the text type to which the e-mail text is copied
 Reply from reporter via e-mail: Defines the text type to which the e-mail reply from the reporter is copied.
 Reply from processor to reporter: Defines which text types are copied to the outgoing e-mails when the message
processor sets the incident status to Customer Action or Proposed Solution.

2. You configure values for every transaction type in use with the Inbound E-Mail Scenario.
 6.4 Mapping Status

Customizing SAP Solution Manager → IT Service Management I→ nbound E-Mail (Inbox) D→ efine User Status
Path after E-Mail Reply

Transaction SM30 Maintenance view: AICV_ERMS_STATUS

code

In this Customizing activity, you define a status mapping rule for e-mails replies from the reporter to existing incidents or
service requests.

 You specify the user status to which the incident or service request is set after the reply is received and linked to the
corresponding ticket.

You need to specify the user status for every transaction type to be used with the Inbound E-Mail Scenario.
6.5 Inbox Status Customizing

In this Customizing activity, you map the Inbound Inbox statuses that you defined to the system statuses and user
statuses of the inbox item types. The inbox status represents the relationship between the current user status of a
service transaction (incident or service request) and the status of the inbox objects (e-mail objects).

6.5.1 Define Inbox Status

In this Customizing activity, you define statuses for the inbox. These statuses are available as values for the status
search criterion in the inbox search.

Customizing Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient → Agent Inbox →

Path Inbox Search Definitions → Define Inbox Status

6.5.2 Inbox Status Mapping

In this Customizing activity, you map the inbox statuses that you defined to the system statuses and user statuses of the
inbox item types.

Customizing Path Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient → Agent Inbox → Map
Item Attributes to Inbox Attributes →

Map Element Status to Inbox Status

6.5.3 Inbox Types for Searches
In this Customizing activity, you add your new document type to the Inbox Search.

Customizing Path Customer Relationship Management → Interaction Center WebClient → Agent Inbox → Inbox
Search Definitions →

Define Item Types for Searches

7 Authorizations

To use the Inbound Inbox Scenario, you need special authorizations. The most important authorization objects are listed
below.
For more information, see the SAP Solution Manager Security Guide in the SAP Service Marketplace,
under http://service.sap.com/instguides → SAP Components → SAP Solution Manager<current release>, under 4
Operations.

7.1 Work Center Inbound Inbox

Authorization Role SAP_SM_CRM_UIU_SOLMANPRO_PROC

Authorization Object UIU_COMP

Activities Component Name = AIC_INBOX

Inbound Plug = *

Component Window Name = *

7.2 Mail Forms

Authorization Role SAP_SUPPDESK_PROCESS

Authorization Object CRM_IM_ML

Activities 01, 03

7.3 Rule Policy

For more information, see the SAP Library at http://help.sap.com/crm → SAP CRM 7.0 or higher → Application
Help → Basic Functions R→ ule Modeler Rul→ e Policy Authorizations.

7.4 SAP Business Workflow

For more information, see the SAP Library at http://help.sap.com/crm → SAP CRM 7.0 or higher → Application Help →
Basic Functions→ SAP Business Workflow.