Using CA Service Catalog for Administrators › PDA Approval › Direct Email Approval

Direct Email Approval

You can optionally set up the approval directly through email processes in your system so that assignees of requests pending action approve or reject the requested services and service options directly through email. The assignees approve or reject such requests by replying directly to an email from the Catalog system, without logging in to CA Service Catalog.

Using such a direct email approval method eliminates the network and geographic dependencies required for logging in to CA Service Catalog to approve and reject requests securely. However, the network and geographic dependencies required for running email still apply.

For ease of reference, this topic and related topics use these terms:

• PDA Approval – for enabling users to approve and rejects requests using a PDA, either with or without logging in to CA Service Catalog.
• Direct email approval – for approving requests directly through an email generated by the Catalog system, without logging in to CA Service Catalog. Users approve and fulfill requests by clicking the Approve or Reject link in the email.
• Logged in approval – for approving requests by logging in to CA Service Catalog, using an email generated by the Catalog system. Users approve or reject requests by logging in to CA Service Catalog, displaying their own requests pending action, and acting on them.

Note: You can optionally implement both methods. However, as a best practice, for maximum efficiency of request processing, including maintenance and troubleshooting, we suggest that you use only one of these approval methods.

With or without direct email approval in use, CA Service Catalog records audit history, such as which user updated the statuses of a request, service, or service option.

Take special care when forwarding emails sent through direct email approval.