"Send Email" task behavior - for different application states

[Former Community Member]

This question has come up in various threads, figured it was best to summarize it here so there is clarity around the intended functionality. Here is how the “Send Email” task supposed to work for various states:

• App in PROTOTYPE state: Email is sent only to app owner
• App in DEPLOYED state: Email is sent to any recipient(s)
• TEST Button (In wokflows/Bots) - Email is sent only to app owner

Looks like some have encountered a bug whereby emails are accidentally sent to recipients other than the app owner when the app is in a PROTOTYPE state. We are working to address this as soon as possible.

[Yogesh_laddha]

Thanks for the clarification.

Honestly, I think if the App is deployed then the emails should be sent to Any recipient(s) even if we are using TEST button.
It worked that way earlier and it was very helpful to test all the workflows.

[Marc_Dillon]

Yogesh_laddha:

Honestly, I think if the App is deployed then the emails should be sent to Any recipient(s) even if we are using TEST button.
It worked that way earlier and it was very helpful to test all the workflows.

Agreed, Please don’t change this.

If you do want to change it, allow us to set a specific email address for TESTs to send to, for cases where the app editor is NOT the app owner.

[Yogesh_laddha]

Yes, Exactly.

There are lots of cases over the last couple of days where I am working on a client’s app and testing the emails and wondering why I am not receiving any emails even though the app is deployed.
The client in return was bombarded with all the test emails.

I don’t understand the reason why would Appsheet want to change the workflows like this for the test.

@praveen @Steve Is it possible you can review this again? I am very positive that most of the appsheet developers would not be very comfortable with the change.

Thank you.

[Steve]

Yogesh_laddha:

Is it possible you can review this again? I am very positive that most of the appsheet developers would not be very comfortable with the change.

I have no decision-making authority here, but I agree with you 100%!

[Former Community Member]

What I had posted couple of days was a proposal to provide clarity on how we felt that the TEST capability should work. Certainly open on hearing additional feedback from others as well.

If the App is in “deployed” state, I am curious why would you want to TEST to send it to other recipients. TESTing indicates that you are trying to “test” a given workflow rule/bot so you have the confidence that it would run the way you expect it to when the workflow rule fires or a bot triggers the process.

Thoughts?

[Yogesh_laddha]

Hi Prithpal, Thanks for your response.

Let’s take a scenario where I am not the app owner and just co-author and working on that app.

In this case, If I have to test certain workflows which are either triggered on “ADD” or “UPDATES”, I will have to add a record or update an existing record to trigger it to test.

In case of Production(Deployed) apps, we don’t want to add any additional test data, as it might interfere with other live data and also other workflows and actions.

So to test, I use the TEST in the automation for any existing record. I can just press “Execute” and test whether everything is working as expected without needing to add any new record or update existing ones.
The reason why it should send emails to the recipient(s) is I can add my email to the recipient list and test everything in a deployed app without bombarding my client or app owner with test emails.

It used to work that way with Workflows and it was very helpful when I am working on an app where I am not the app owner.

Hope this makes sense.

Thank you for looking into it.

[Koichi_Tsuji]

You need to understand what the test means in context. Even after we deploy apps we keep adding new functions and features all the time. Then we test those whilst the app is under deployed status which is quite notmal when we deal with appsheet

[Steve]

prithpal:

If the App is in “deployed” state, I am curious why would you want to TEST to send it to other recipients. TESTing indicates that you are trying to “test” a given workflow rule/bot so you have the confidence that it would run the way you expect it to when the workflow rule fires or a bot triggers the process.

Why is the button called TEST if not to allow the app creator to test? If testing should not be done from a deployed app, don’t offer the option.

The behavior was well established. Why was it changed?

[Koichi_Tsuji]

Steve:

Why is the button called TEST if not to allow the app creator to test ? If testing should not be done from a deployed app, don’t offer the option.

The behavior was well established. Why was it changed?

Yeah, currently this test button is behaive a button for “Do you want to execute this task now？” type of operation… @Steve, I follow you.

@Takuya_Miyai

[Former Community Member]

Clearly it wasn’t an intentional change. The reason we started this thread was to share how we feel it should work and at the same time understand how our customers are using it.

As mentioned we are looking into it and will come back with a game plan shortly.

[Koichi_Tsuji]

yes we reported here.

IMPORTANT: You won't be able to create new Workflow rules / reports starting May 10, 2021 Announcements

@dzini @prithpal This may not be a relevant topic. Currently, in the case of Automation, I can see that emails are sent in the prototype app. In the case of Workflow, the prototype app did not send emails to anyone but the app creator. I wonder if Automation will continue to be able to send emails even for prototypes in the future: …:thinking:

Hope this issue would be fixed soonest to avoid unexpected trouble by sending mails to the app users.

@Takuya_Miyai

[Former Community Member]

Quick update on this topic. We heard you all, took the feedback and have released the fix in production. This is how the TEST button will work now:

• App in PROTOTYPE state: Email is sent only to app owner
• App in DEPLOYED state: Email is sent to any recipient(s)

Thanks for patience.

[Koichi_Tsuji]

prithpal:

• pp in PROTOTYPE state: Email is sent only to app owner
• App in DEPLOYED state: Email is sent to any recipient(s)

We will test and get back with feedback.
Thanks for listening to us and deploying a fix so quickly.

[Koichi_Tsuji]

Hang on,
Sorry I re-read your thread.

What I expected was

to send mail/notificatoin or whatsorever ONLY TO APP OWNER REGARDLESS OF THE STATE of APP either Prototype or Deployed.

But now your final arrangement is to submit the mail to any recipeitns when the app is DEPLOYED.

This was not what I was expecting.

Then why dont you change the name of the button to Execute Task rather than 'Test" when the app is moved to deployed state. As it is not actually testing the function as far as the mail goes to to anywhere. When the app is deployed , and hitting this allegedly TEST button, it is actually work as BOT is designed with the email address which is not TEST at all, as it is fully executing the desining functionalities.

I m still believing my suggestoin is logical, i.e. the test stays test regardless of app state. But if this is final decision, then i will close my eyes and zip my mouse.

[Yogesh_laddha]

Hello Tsuji,

In my humble opinion, We wanted the send mail/notification to ANY RECIPIENT(s) in case of deployed apps when we are Testing through the Test button in the automation view because that way the person who is working on the app( not the app owner) but the app developer can test the workflows without bombarding the app owner with unnecessary testing emails.

Please note this scenario is very useful to the APP DEVELOPERS who are not the APP OWNERS.

I have written a detailed scenario in this thread to explain my case a bit more.

I hope it makes sense.

Thank you.

[Former Community Member]

This is consistent with how it works for Workflow rules/reports today. Please let us know if that is not the case.

[Koichi_Tsuji]

My opinion is already shared in previous thread. I m not on the point what it was before automaion, what it was on workflow time, but most importantly AFTER is critical.

Please refer to it.
Current arrangement is not logically to me, but better to obtain opinions broadly.
I m just one of appsheet creators out of millions.

[Lucinda_Mason]

Just now seeing this. I fully agree with Tsuji. In my deployed apps, I expect the test button to not send emails to anyone but the AppOwner. If I’m testing a new feature, I don’t want it going to the intended recipients. I know when I’m creating the feature, I can simply wait to add the recipients so I can test it.

BUT, when workflows/reports are automatically ported to Bots, I will want to test and only send it to me to make sure it is working correctly. I do NOT users getting these tests.

[Yogesh_laddha]

Thank you so much for the quick action on this. I really appreciate it.

[Marc_Dillon]

Thanks!