Send Email

Overview

The Send Email action sends email messages from your workflows to notify users, teams, or external systems. It's essential for alerts, notifications, and communication within automated processes.

📧 Purpose

Use Send Email to:

• Send notifications and alerts

• Report test results

• Notify teams of important events

• Send confirmations and receipts

• Distribute generated reports

---

When to Use Send Email

✅ Good Use Cases

Scenario	Reason
Failure Alerts	Notify team when test fails
Report Distribution	Email reports to stakeholders
Confirmation Emails	Send to users for verification
Status Updates	Periodic updates to team
Error Notifications	Alert on critical failures
Approval Workflows	Request decisions via email
Summary Reports	Daily/weekly digests

❌ Anti-Patterns (Don't Do)

• ❌ Send spam emails

• ❌ Send email on every step (overwhelming)

• ❌ Send without validation

• ❌ Use as primary alert mechanism (use dedicated platform)

• ❌ Include sensitive data in email body

---

Configuration

Basic Setup

1. Open your workflow

2. Click "Add Action" → Select "Send Email"

3. Configure email:

   • To: Recipient email address(es)

   • Subject: Email subject line

   • Body: Email content

   • Attachments (optional): Files to attach

4. Configure advanced options if needed

5. Save

Configuration Options

Send Email Configuration
├── Recipient(s):
│   ├── To: Email address or list
│   ├── CC: Carbon copy recipients
│   └── BCC: Blind carbon copy
├── Message:
│   ├── Subject: Subject line
│   └── Body: HTML or plain text
├── Attachments:
│   └── Files to include
├── From Address: Sender email
└── Template (optional): Pre-built template

---

Building Email Content

Subject Line Best Practices

❌ Bad subjects:
- "Email"
- "Important"
- "Test Report"

✅ Good subjects:
- "Test Failure Alert: Login Workflow - 2024-01-15"
- "Daily Report: E2E Tests - Pass Rate 95%"
- "Action Required: Approval Needed for Deployment"

Email Body Structure

# Email Body Template

## Header
- Include clear subject summary
- Add timestamp for context

## Status/Results
- Clear status indicator (✅ Pass / ❌ Fail)
- Key metrics or findings
- Important highlights

## Details Section
- Relevant test results
- Error messages (if applicable)
- Screenshots or logs (if needed)

## Action Items
- What needs to be done
- Who needs to do it
- Timeline/urgency

## Footer
- Links to full report
- Support contact
- Next steps

---

Practical Examples

Example 1: Test Failure Alert

To: [email protected]
Subject: Test Failure Alert: User Registration - 2024-01-15 14:30

Body:
---
⚠️ **CRITICAL TEST FAILURE**

**Test:** User Registration Workflow
**Status:** ❌ FAILED
**Time:** 2024-01-15 14:30 UTC
**Environment:** Production

**Error Summary:**
Email verification step failed at 14:28 UTC
Expected: Email delivered within 5 seconds
Actual: Email timeout after 30 seconds

**Affected:**
- User registration flow
- Email delivery service

**Action Required:**
1. Check email service status
2. Verify SMTP connectivity
3. Check email queue

**Full Report:**
[Link to detailed report]

**Support:**
Contact: [email protected]
Report ID: RUN-2024-001-5432
---

Example 2: Daily Test Report

To: [email protected]
Subject: Daily Test Report - 2024-01-15

Body:
---
**Daily E2E Test Report**
Date: 2024-01-15
Generated: 2024-01-15 23:59 UTC

**Summary:**
- Total Tests: 245
- Passed: 233 (95.1%)
- Failed: 8 (3.3%)
- Skipped: 4 (1.6%)

**Top Issues:**
1. API Timeout (3 tests) - Under investigation
2. Database Connection (2 tests) - Resolved
3. UI Element Not Found (2 tests) - Flaky test

**Key Metrics:**
- Average Duration: 2m 34s
- Success Rate: 95.1%
- Critical Failures: 0

**Trends:**
✅ Improving (7-day average: 92%)

**Recommendations:**
- Investigate API timeout issues
- Review flaky UI tests
- Consider performance optimization

**Links:**
- Full Report: [link]
- Failed Tests: [link]
- Performance Metrics: [link]

---

Example 3: Deployment Approval Request

To: [email protected]
Subject: Deployment Approval Required - v2.1.0 - 2024-01-15

Body:
---
**Release Approval Request**

**Release:** v2.1.0
**Date:** 2024-01-15
**Requested By:** [email protected]

**Test Summary:**
✅ All E2E tests passed (245/245)
✅ Performance tests acceptable
✅ Security scan passed
✅ Load testing successful

**Ready for Production?** YES

**Action Needed:**
Please review and approve deployment to production

**Approve:** [Link to approval form]
**Reject:** [Link to rejection form]

**Release Notes:**
- Bug fixes: 15
- New features: 3
- Performance improvements: 5

**Timeline:**
- Testing completed: 2024-01-15 18:00
- Scheduled deployment: 2024-01-16 10:00
- Approval deadline: 2024-01-15 22:00

**Contacts:**
- Release Manager: [email protected]
- Technical Lead: [email protected]
---

---

Email Templates

Template 1: Quick Status

To: {recipient}
Subject: {workflow_name} - {status} - {timestamp}

Body:
---
**Status:** {status} [✅/❌]
**Time:** {timestamp}
**Workflow:** {workflow_name}
**Duration:** {duration}

{summary_details}

[Full Report Link]
---

Template 2: Detailed Report

To: {recipients}
Subject: Report: {report_name} - {date}

Body:
---
**{report_title}**

**Date:** {date}
**Generated By:** {system_name}

## Summary
{summary_section}

## Details
{detailed_results}

## Metrics
{key_metrics}

## Issues
{issues_list}

## Recommendations
{recommendations}

## Links
- Full Report: {link}
- Dashboard: {link}

---

Template 3: Error Alert

To: {alert_recipients}
Subject: ⚠️ {error_type} - {timestamp}

Body:
---
⚠️ **ALERT**

**Type:** {error_type}
**Severity:** {severity}
**Time:** {timestamp}
**Affected:** {affected_system}

**Error Message:**
{error_message}

**Stack Trace:**
{stack_trace}

**Action Required:**
{recommended_actions}

**Investigation:**
- Check logs: {log_link}
- Monitor: {monitor_link}
- Previous incidents: {history_link}

---

---

Dynamic Content in Emails

Using Variables

Include data from workflow steps:

To: [email protected]
Subject: Test Result: {test_name}

Body:
---
Test: {test_name}
Status: {test_status}
Duration: {test_duration}
Failed Step: {failed_step}
Error: {error_message}

Details: {error_details}
---

Conditional Email Content

IF test_failed THEN
    subject = "❌ Test Failed: {test_name}"
    priority = "High"
ELSE IF test_slow THEN
    subject = "⚠️ Performance Issue: {test_name}"
    priority = "Medium"
ELSE
    subject = "✅ Test Passed: {test_name}"
    priority = "Low"

Including Attachments

Attachments:
- Test report PDF: {report_file}
- Screenshots: {screenshot_dir}
- Logs: {log_file}
- Data export: {data_file}

---

Best Practices

✅ Do

• Include clear subject - Recipient knows what it's about

• Use formatting - Make emails scannable

• Include timestamps - Understand when issue occurred

• Provide actionable items - Tell recipient what to do

• Include links - Direct to full reports or dashboards

• Use appropriate frequency - Don't overwhelm

• Validate before sending - Check recipient and content

• Include context - Provide relevant background

• Respect recipients - Don't send spam

❌ Don't

• Send on every step - Overwhelming volume

• Include sensitive data - Security risk

• Send empty emails - Provide meaningful content

• Forget subject line - Always include clear subject

• Include unnecessary details - Keep concise

• Send to wrong recipients - Verify recipients carefully

• Use generic messages - Personalize when possible

• Ignore formatting - Structure for readability

• Send without timestamps - Include when for context

---

Workflow Examples

Example: Test Results Email

Workflow: Send Test Results

Step 1: Run E2E Tests
   Output: results_json

Step 2: Process Results
   - Parse pass/fail counts
   - Identify failed tests
   - Generate summary

Step 3: Build Email Content
   - Status indicator
   - Summary statistics
   - Failed test details
   - Action items

Step 4: Send Email Action
   To: [email protected]
   Subject: "Daily E2E Test Report - {date}"
   Body: [Formatted results from Step 3]
   
Step 5: Log Email Status
   - Email sent successfully

Example: Conditional Alert Email

Workflow: Send Error Alert

Step 1: Execute Operation
   Tries: API call

Step 2: IF operation_failed THEN
   
   Step 3: Gather Error Details
      - Error message
      - Error code
      - Stack trace
      - Affected systems
   
   Step 4: Build Alert Email
      Subject: ⚠️ Alert: {error_type}
      Body: Error details + recommendations
   
   Step 5: Send Email Action
      To: [email protected]
      CC: [email protected]
      Body: [Alert with urgency indicator]
   
ELSE
   [Skip email, operation successful]

Example: Multi-Recipient Report

Workflow: Distribute Report

Step 1: Generate Report
   Output: report_pdf

Step 2: Prepare Email Recipients
   - Executives: [email protected]
   - QA Lead: [email protected]
   - Project Manager: [email protected]
   - Stakeholders: [email protected]

Step 3: Send Email Action
   To: [All recipients list]
   Subject: "Monthly QA Report - {month}"
   Body: [Executive summary]
   Attachments: report_pdf
   
Step 4: Send Summary Follow-up
   To: [email protected]
   Subject: "Report Details - {date}"
   Body: [Detailed analysis]

---

Troubleshooting

Issue: Email not received

Symptoms:

• Email doesn't arrive in inbox

• No error in workflow

Causes:

• Recipient address incorrect

• Email marked as spam

• Mail server issue

• Network connectivity

Solutions:

1. Verify recipient email address

2. Check spam/junk folder

3. Verify email service health

4. Check mail server logs

5. Test with different recipient

Issue: Email formatting broken

Symptoms:

• Email appears garbled

• Formatting not applied

• Links not clickable

Causes:

• HTML formatting incorrect

• Plain text instead of HTML

• Character encoding issue

Solutions:

1. Use valid HTML formatting

2. Send test email

3. Check character encoding

4. Verify email client compatibility

Issue: Attachments not sending

Symptoms:

• Email received but no attachments

• Attachment size error

Causes:

• File too large

• Wrong file path

• Missing permissions

• File not generated yet

Solutions:

1. Check file size limits

2. Verify file path correct

3. Check file permissions

4. Ensure file exists before sending

---

Integration with Other Actions

Send Email + Retry

Ensure email delivery:

[Send Email Action]
   Configuration:
   - Retry: 3 attempts
   - Backoff: Exponential

Ensures email is sent even if temporary failure

Send Email + Condition

Conditional sending:

IF test_failed OR performance_low THEN
    [Send Email: Alert team]
ELSE
    [Skip email]

Send Email + Wait

Batch emails:

[Collect test results]
[Wait: Collect more results]
[Send Email: Summarized results]

---

Related Topics

• Notifications Feature - Notification system overview

• Reports Feature - Report generation

• Workflows - Workflow basics

• Action Types Overview - All actions

• Data Propagation - Passing data between steps

---

Summary

• Send Email delivers notifications from workflows

• Use for alerts and important notifications

• Structure emails for readability and action

• Include context - timestamps, links, details

• Validate recipients - send to correct people

• Combine with conditions - send only when needed

---

Next: Learn about Data Hub Action for data management.