Configure inbound email routes

Updated Monday, October 26, 2026 · Marc Staine

Email routes turn forwarded support mail into new cases or replies on existing cases. Each route has a generated forwarding destination and a predictable set of case, matching and contact-handling rules.

Applies to: Supportbench Core. Location: Settings → Email configuration → Routes (inbound email). Access and available controls depend on your role and account capabilities.

Before you begin

You need permission to edit this configuration. Ask an administrator if the page is available but its editing controls are not.
Review the current configuration and where it is used before making a change. Available choices depend on your account, enabled modules, division access and role.
Use a test record or a controlled test account for behavior checks. Do not change production routing or send customer messages just to try an example.

Configure and verify

Create or open a route and set the case defaults.
Choose matching and contact rules, then save.
Copy the generated forwarding address.
Configure the shared mailbox or distribution group to forward to that address using your provider’s administration tools.
Send one new test message and one reply; confirm case creation, attachment to the expected case, contact identity and queue.

Settings reference

Route details and case defaults

Setting	What it controls	How to choose
Name / Description	Administrative identity and explanation for the route.	Name it after the shared mailbox or channel.
Forwarding address	Generated read-only destination available after save; Copy puts it on the clipboard.	Use the exact destination in your mailbox provider’s forwarding configuration.
Active route	Controls whether the route processes forwarded mail.	Only activate a route that is ready to receive the intended mailbox.
Division	Division for cases created through this route.	Choose the team’s intended case scope.
Priority	Starting priority for newly created cases.	Choose a normal baseline and let reviewed workflows handle exceptional urgency.
Queue	Initial work queue for new cases.	Choose a monitored queue with a clear owner.
Email forms	Optional parsing forms that extract structured content into fields.	Add only forms that match the sender and format of this mailbox.

Matching and contact handling

Setting	What it controls	How to choose
Match by message references	Uses email conversation headers to attach replies to existing cases.	Preserve message references in forwarding and test a reply to an existing case.
Match by subject	Uses subject text to find a case when references are unavailable.	Review repeated-subject messages to avoid unintended grouping.
Create missing contacts	Creates a contact when the sender is not already known.	Enable when this mailbox accepts legitimate new customer contacts.
Use forwarded sender as contact	Uses the original sender on a forwarded message instead of the forwarding mailbox.	Test the exact forwarding format your provider produces.

Behavior to know

Deactivating or deleting a route stops mail processing through it. Plan mailbox forwarding changes before removing a route.

Recommended use

Keep spam and security filtering in the mailbox provider.
Avoid catch-all and personal-inbox forwarding unless its scope is intentional.
Keep inbound routes and outbound reply identities documented separately.

Worked example

Create a route for the support mailbox.
Set the Support division, normal priority and triage queue.
Save and configure provider forwarding to its generated address.
Send a new message and reply to its response; confirm the reply stays on the original case.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to check
The item is missing from a picker.	Check Active, division access, parent hierarchy, enabled modules, and the user’s role. Reopen the consuming form after saving.
The form rejects a save.	Read the displayed validation message. Check required values, text limits and permitted scope; do not change unrelated settings to bypass validation.
An existing record still shows an old value.	A configuration change and a record change are different operations. Inspect the record and relevant references before assuming the save failed.

Email configuration → Configure reply addresses and signatures
Email configuration → Parse structured inbound email with route forms
Configuration → Configure workflows and automation

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