Automated Send Email activity
Create an email from previously gathered or generated data without pausing the playbook to ask for user input. When the activity runs, it immediately sends the email and continues to the next activity in the playbook.
Roles and availability
This activity is available as a common activity. Users with the admin, playbook.admin, or pd_author can add this activity to a playbook.
Inputs
Open the activity properties panel and configure your activity to add values for the following inputs. If the input value varies, use the pill-picker to show where to get the value. To learn more about the pill-picker, see Dot-walking examples.
|
Input |
Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Label |
String |
Title to display as activity and playbook card. |
|
Description |
String |
Information to display about activity usage or outcome. |
|
Run condition |
Condition Builder |
Conditions that must be met to run an activity or stage. You can use data from prior activities to build conditions.Note: Select Show additional options to see this field. |
|
Start Rule |
Choice |
Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your stage should start running:- When process starts: Your stage starts running as soon as the playbook starts.
Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your activity should start running:- When stage starts: Your activity starts running as soon as its stage starts running. Your stage starts running when your playbook is triggered.
|
|
Start with delay |
True/False |
Option to wait for a duration of time before running an activity or stage. When enabled, this input displays the Start with delay input properties.Note: Select Show additional options to see this field. |
|
To |
List of Users |
Recipient list for the email. There are 2 ways to configure this field:- Enter email addresses as strings if you want the emails to go to the same addresses every time.
You would select the customer record from the trigger (when the application was submitted), because that is where the applicant's email address is found. [Omitted image "send-to-customer-pillpicker.png"] Alt text: Using the pill picker to reference the email address. |
|
Cc |
List of Users |
Cc recipient list for the email. |
|
Subject |
String |
Subject of the email. |
|
Body |
HTML |
Body of the email.Tip: You can use both text and multiple pills in your message, and any other rich text or HTML field. |
After configuring the required inputs for your activity, you can also choose to configure additional inputs. In the side panel, select Show additional options to display these advanced inputs. For more information, see Activity experience.
| Input | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| To Email Address | String | Comma-separated list of email addresses. |
| Cc Email Address | String | Comma-separated list of copied email addresses. |
| Bcc | List of Users | Bcc blind copy recipient list for the email. |
| Bcc Email Address | String | Comma-separated list of blind copied email addresses. |
| Target Record | Reference.Task [task] | Reference to the record that the system attaches the email to. |
| Table | Table Name | Table containing activity or playbook data. |
Outputs
These outputs can provide data to other activities in your playbook. You can access this data as activity inputs when you configure your activity:
| Output | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Record | Reference.Task[task] | Reference to record created. |
| Reference.Notification[sysevent_email_action] | Reference to the newly created email notification record |
--- title: Automated Send Email activity description: Create an email from previously gathered or generated data without pausing the playbook to ask for user input. When the activity runs, it immediately sends the email and continues to the next activity in the playbook. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/build-workflows/workflow-studio/automated-send-email-activity.html release: brazil product: Workflow Studio classification: workflow-studio topic_type: reference last_updated: "2026-09-10" reading_time_minutes: 3 breadcrumb: [Non-Interactive activities, Playbooks reference, Playbooks, Workflow Studio, Build workflows] --- # Automated Send Email activity Create an email from previously gathered or generated data without pausing the playbook to ask for user input. When the activity runs, it immediately sends the email and continues to the next activity in the playbook. ## Roles and availability This activity is available as a common activity. Users with the admin, playbook.admin, or pd\_author can add this activity to a playbook. ## Inputs Open the activity properties panel and configure your activity to add values for the following inputs. If the input value varies, use the pill-picker to show where to get the value. To learn more about the pill-picker, see [Dot-walking examples](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/platform-user-interface/dot-walking-examples.md). <table id="table_ajt_sr3_plb"><thead><tr><th> Input </th><th> Type </th><th> Description </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> Label </td><td> String </td><td> Title to display as activity and playbook card. </td></tr><tr><td> Description </td><td> String </td><td> Information to display about activity usage or outcome. </td></tr><tr><td> Run condition </td><td> Condition Builder </td><td> Conditions that must be met to run an activity or stage. You can use data from prior activities to build conditions.**Note:** Select **Show additional options** to see this field. </td></tr><tr><td> Start Rule </td><td> Choice </td><td> Under **Schedule** > **Start Rule**, select a start rule for when your stage should start running:- **When process starts**: Your stage starts running as soon as the playbook starts. - **After specific stages**: Your stage starts running after specified stage\(s\) have finished running. Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your activity should start running:- **When stage starts**: Your activity starts running as soon as its stage starts running. Your stage starts running when your playbook is triggered. - **After specific activities**: Your activity starts running after specified activities have finished running. </td></tr><tr><td> Start with delay </td><td> True/False </td><td> Option to wait for a duration of time before running an activity or stage. When enabled, this input displays the [Start with delay input properties](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/build-workflows/workflow-studio/start-with-delay-properties.md).**Note:** Select **Show additional options** to see this field. </td></tr><tr><td> To </td><td> List of Users </td><td> Recipient list for the email. There are 2 ways to configure this field:- Enter email addresses as strings if you want the emails to go to the same addresses every time. - When the email address value varies, use the pill picker to indicate where to find the recipient email address. For example, you would use the pill picker if you wanted to automatically notify credit card applicants of a rejection, because each applicant has a different email. You would select the customer record from the trigger \(when the application was submitted\), because that is where the applicant's email address is found. \[Omitted image "send-to-customer-pillpicker.png"\] Alt text: Using the pill picker to reference the email address. </td></tr><tr><td> Cc </td><td> List of Users </td><td> Cc recipient list for the email. </td></tr><tr><td> Subject </td><td> String </td><td> Subject of the email. </td></tr><tr><td> Body </td><td> HTML </td><td> Body of the email.**Tip:** You can use both text and multiple pills in your message, and any other rich text or HTML field. </td></tr></tbody> </table>## Advanced inputs After configuring the required inputs for your activity, you can also choose to configure additional inputs. In the side panel, select **Show additional options** to display these advanced inputs. For more information, see [Activity experience](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/build-workflows/workflow-studio/activity-definitions.md). |Input|Type|Description| |-----|----|-----------| |To Email Address|String|Comma-separated list of email addresses.| |Cc Email Address|String|Comma-separated list of copied email addresses.| |Bcc|List of Users|Bcc blind copy recipient list for the email.| |Bcc Email Address|String|Comma-separated list of blind copied email addresses.| |Target Record|Reference.Task \[task\]|Reference to the record that the system attaches the email to.| |Table|Table Name|Table containing activity or playbook data.| ## Outputs These outputs can provide data to other activities in your playbook. You can access this data as activity inputs when you configure your activity: |Output|Type|Description| |------|----|-----------| |Record|Reference.Task\[task\]|Reference to record created.| |Email|Reference.Notification\[sysevent\_email\_action\]|Reference to the newly created email notification record|
| title | Automated Send Email activity |
| description | Create an email from previously gathered or generated data without pausing the playbook to ask for user input. When the activity runs, it immediately sends the email and continues to the next activity in the playbook. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/build-workflows/workflow-studio/automated-send-email-activity.html |
| release | brazil |
| product | Workflow Studio |
| classification | workflow-studio |
| topic_type | reference |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 3 |
| breadcrumb | Non-Interactive activitiesPlaybooks referencePlaybooksWorkflow StudioBuild workflows |