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Event Notifications & Script Actions

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • How a notification can send when an event fires
  • How to send to the people in parm1 and parm2
  • What a script action is, and when to use one

1 Two ways to react to an event

An event on its own does nothing. It needs a listener. The two most common listeners are notifications (send an email) and script actions (run a script). 👂

One event, snwr.incident.vip, with two listeners. Left: an email notification with When to send set to Event is fired, Event name snwr.incident.vip, and Event parm 1 contains recipient checked, so the email goes to the VIP caller. Right: a script action on the same event that runs a script using event.parm2 to add a work note for the assignment group.
Figure 1. A notification and a script action listening to the same event.

2 Event-based notifications

In Lesson 24.1, notifications sent when a record was inserted or updated. They can also send when an event is fired.

  1. Open the notification. On When to send, set Send when to Event is fired.
  2. Pick the Event name, like snwr.incident.vip.
  3. On Who will receive, check Event parm 1 contains recipient (or parm 2) to email the person passed in the event.

💡 Good to know: Events are great when the “who” isn’t a field on the record. The script that fires the event decides who to pass in parm1 or parm2.

3 Script actions

Key term: Script action

A server-side script that runs when a certain event is processed. Find them in System Policy > Events > Script Actions.

In a script action, you can use current (the record) and event (the event, with event.parm1 and event.parm2).

// Script action on snwr.incident.vip
var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');
if (inc.get(current.sys_id)) {
  inc.work_notes = 'VIP caller. Group notified: ' + event.parm2;
  inc.update();
}
Listener Does Good for
Notification Sends an email Telling people
Script action Runs a server script Background work after an event

📝 Note: Script actions run in the background, like async business rules. The user who caused the event doesn’t wait for them.

⭐ Remember: Notification = email when an event fires. Script action = script when an event fires. Both use parm1 and parm2.

4 Let’s try it: a VIP email

  1. Create an after insert business rule on Incident with condition current.caller_id.vip == true. Script: the gs.eventQueue() line from Lesson 41.1.
  2. Create a notification: Send when Event is fired, Event name snwr.incident.vip, check Event parm 1 contains recipient. Subject: “We got your request, ${number}”.
  3. Create an incident for Riya (a VIP from Lesson 39.3).
  4. Check System Logs > Emails. Was an email sent to Riya?

5 Quick recap

  • Notifications can send when an event is fired
  • Event parm 1 / parm 2 contains recipient emails the people passed in the event
  • Script actions run a script when an event is processed
  • Script actions can use current and event.parm1 / event.parm2

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 Which “Send when” option lets a notification react to an event? Show answer

Event is fired.

2 In a script action, how do you read the second event parameter? Show answer

event.parm2

3 The email should go to the user passed in parm1. What do you check? Show answer

Event parm 1 contains recipient.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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