Creating the Requestor Database

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The first step in configuring MainBoss @Requests is to specify information about requestors.

Note: When you license MainBoss @Requests, you license up to a maximum number of users. For example, you might license for a maximum of 10 authorized requestors (plus Everybody). The Add button will not let you add more requestors if you have already reached your licensed limit.

To specify information about requestors, select Administration —> Accounts from the configuration program menu. This opens a window that contains the following:

Requestor list: The main part of the window is a list of people who are authorized to submit work requests via e-mail. The list gives each person's name, phone number, and other information including the e-mail address from which they will submit requests. When a request is submitted from an authorized e-mail address, @Requests will look up that address in the Requestor list and use all the associated information (name, phone number, etc.) to fill in fields when creating a work request.
Disabled: If this box is checkmarked, @Requests will reject any messages from the person who is currently selected in the Requestor list. If this box is not checkmarked, @Requests will accept requests from that person.

Note: It's unusual to disable a specific email address. More often, you disable the Everybody address (as discussed below). However, you might disable a specific address if you normally accept email from Everybody, but wish to reject email from a person who's become a nuisance.

Everybody: If you click this button, you can specify what to do with requests received from an email address that isn't currently in the Requestor list. Clicking the button opens a window containing the following:
- Disabled: If you checkmark this box, @Requests will reject email from anyone who isn't currently on the Requestor list.
  If the Disabled box is not checkmarked, anyone can submit requests. If you receive email from someone who is not currently in the Requestor list, @Requests creates an entry for that person. It also creates an entry for that person in the Contacts table of your MainBoss database (using the name from the Name: field of the email message).
  If your Requestor list is already full (i.e. you've reached the maximum number of requestors allowed), @Requests will not create a Requestor list entry. Instead, it rejects all email from anyone who isn't already on the list.
- Receive acknowledgements: If this box is checkmarked, the Receive acknowledgements option (described below) is automatically turned on whenever a new requestor entry is created because of Everybody. If this box is not checkmarked, the Receive acknowledgements option is turned off.
- Ok: Saves the options you have entered and closes the Everybody window.
- Cancel: Closes the window without saving any changes you have made to Everybody options.
Add: Clicking this button opens a window that displays the Contacts table from your MainBoss database. Click a name from this table, then click Ok. The selected name will be added to your list of requestors.

Note: Normally, before you can add a name to the requestor list, it must be in your MainBoss Contacts table. To access the Contacts table, select Tables —> Contacts from the MainBoss menu.

Edit: Clicking this button opens a window where you can change information about an existing requestor. The window contains the following:
- Receive acknowledgements: If this box is checkmarked, e-mail acknowledgements will be sent to the requestor at various points in the request process (for example, when a work request is created from the original e-mail problem report). If the box is not checkmarked, the requestor will not receive acknowledgements.
Delete: Clicking this button deletes the currently selected entry in the Requestor list.

The window also has buttons that let you proceed to other steps in the configuration process or just to close the window.

One Easy Way to Create Database Entries: If you have not Disabled the Everybody account, @Requests automatically creates a new account each time a message is received from someone who is not already in the database. You can make use of this feature as an easy way to create database entries, especially when you intend to authorize a lot of people to submit requests.

Instead of trying to create database entries for everybody in advance, simply wait until users actually submit requests. The first time each person submits a request, @Requests automatically creates an entry in the Requestor database.

Note: Your license for MainBoss @Requests imposes a limit on the number of entries allowed in the Requestor Database. If you have already reached that limit, new requestors cannot be added. If a message comes in from someone who is not already in the list, the message will be rejected, even if you are accepting messages from Everybody—if @Requests has reached its limit, it will not create a new account and it will reject requests from new users.