Email accounts store the connection details and credentials the system uses to access external email servers and services.

By default, instances come with email accounts for ServiceNow - managed SMTP and POP3 servers to send and receive email. These accounts cannot be modified, but can be deactivated if you do not want to use them. To connect to other email servers and services you must create email accounts for them. You can create email accounts for servers and services that use these protocols:
  • SMTP
  • POP3
  • IMAP
Note: The system only allows one SMTP email account to be active at a time and sends all email through this account. You can however receive email from multiple POP3 or IMAP accounts.

The system stores individual email accounts in the sys_email_account table. Create separate email accounts to send and receive email. Use email properties to define how the system processes email for all email accounts.

By default, the ServiceNow POP3 server provides each instance with its own mailbox at the address instance@service-now.com. Likewise, the ServiceNow SMTP server sends email from the address instance@service-now.com. To create another mailbox, provision your own POP3 or IMAP server and create an email account to the server on the instance. To change the sent from email address, update the address in the email account you use for sending email.

Emails received via a POP3 or IMAP server account are stored in the Email [sys_email] table and then deleted from the account.
Note: ServiceNow has exclusive access to an account you configure. After a mail is read from a POP or IMAP account that you have configured, ServiceNow deletes the email from the server.