What can I do if after submitting an Ask a Question request, email receipt messages are not being sent to the end-user?

Environment:

Outbound E-mail messages

Resolution:

Verify Question Receipt is sent via Rules

First, verify in the Incident Rules that the Question Receipt should be sent in your case. Use the following steps:

1. Click the configuration button on the navigation pane.
2. Double-click Rules under Site Configuration. The Rules editor displays on the content pane.
3. If the Incident button is not selected on the ribbon, click it.
4. Click the Edit button on the ribbon.
5. If an initial state does not already exist for the incident rule base, create one.
6. Right-click the initial state and select New Rule. Note, the incident receipt rule must be the first rule in the initial state.
7. Type a name for the incident rule in the Rule Name field.
8. Click Add IF Condition Based On. Select Incident from the menu, and then select Source from the incident conditions menu.
9. Click the arrow in the Select Operator field and select Equals.
10. Expand the End-User Pages heading in the incident source menu and select the check box for Ask a Question
11. Click Add Action-Then. The actions menu opens.
12. Select Email and then select 'Send Receipt Email'.
13. Click Save.
14. Expand the initial state again and determine the location of the incident receipt rule. If it is not at the top of the list, drag it to the top position.
15. Click Activate, click OK at the confirmation message, and OK again at the message that says the rule base compiled without errors.
16. If incidents are in the Null state or a state that has been removed, you should move them into an active state in the rule base. Click the drop-down arrow to select a state where the incidents should be moved and click Save.

Verify Email Message is Enabled

Next, verify that the Question Receipt email message is enabled for the interface through which the incident was submitted.

November 2012 and newer releases (Message Templates Enabled)

1. From the Configuration items, select Site Configuration > Message Templates.
2. In the left frame, double-click on the interface.
3. On the ribbon, click the "Contact Emails" button.
4. Expand the Incident menu and ensure that the boxes for the Question Receipt message are checked.
5. If you wish to send the email as HTML, check the Send as HTML box.
6. Click Save.

May 2010 and newer releases (Message Templates Disabled)

1. From the Configuration items, select Site Configuration > Interfaces.
2. In the left frame, double-click on the interface.
3. On the ribbon, click the "Contact Emails" button.
4. Expand the Incident menu and ensure that the boxes for the Question Receipt message are checked.
5. If you wish to send the email as HTML, check the Send as HTML box.
6. Click Save.

Verify the Reply-To Address Used with the Interface

The reply-to address used with outgoing mail is configured in the mailbox settings. The default mailbox is used for responses to assistance requests submitted from the Ask a Question page. Therefore, the default mailbox must have a valid reply-to address configured. To check the configuration of the mailbox, use the steps below:

1. From the Configuration items, select Site Configuration > Mailboxes.
2. In the left frame, double-click on the default Service Mailbox.
3. On the ribbon, click the "Outgoing Email" button.
4. Ensure that the Reply-To Address field is correct.
5. Click Save.

Verify action items in rules matched

If a rule matched has the 'Send Email Response to Sender' rule action by itself, this will cause the question receipt message not to send.  This action is not intended to be used alone.  If the action is accompanied by a proper 'Append Response Template to Response field' action, then an email response will be sent. Do note, a question receipt message will still not be sent as it is overridden by a 'Send Email Response to Sender' action. Options for resolving this are available via the following answer link:

Answer ID 4893: Send response to sender rule action is not sending an email

NOTE: If you have message templates activated, then a business rule is required in order to send the receipt for incidents submitted via Ask A Question, Chat, or incidents created in the console. If you don't have message templates activated, then the receipt is being sent from a mail file which is automatically triggered by the system if activated.