Dear Customers,

As part of the enhancements in Request approvals and the associated API development, we are removing support for Email-only Approvers. Only people configured as users in ServiceDesk Plus can be configured as Approvers for Requests going forward. This is being done in order to streamline the expectation that the approver is a user, so that the product can support better security implementation and audits for the approval workflow.

The same restriction on email-only approvers is applied to approval addition from Custom Triggers scripts and Custom Functions. Also, formats for approval inputs in the custom scripts are being changed to align with the new approval APIs.

Impact on existing Custom Scripts and Custom Functions which add Request Approvals:

1. If custom script(s) are configured to add users who are not part of the application as approvers, the approver addition will fail. This failure will be recorded as an error message in the request's history, as part of the custom trigger action message. To avoid this, we suggest adding all Approvers as users in the application.

2. Formats for approval inputs in the custom scripts are being changed. Please refer to attached document comparing the old and new formats of the Approval inputs. However, we are providing backward compatibility for old operation names, stage names and input formats, and hence they will continue to work at this time.

In short, if email IDs being added as approvers via script belong to registered users in the application, the scripts do not require any immediate changes.

Behavior change in Send for Approval action and Self-service portal settings:

The Send for Approval action of Requests will not support the addition of email-only approvers. Also, in the Administration section, under Self-service portal settings -> Approvals heading, "Select approval permissions" setting will no longer support the "Anyone can approve" option.

Timelines:

Request Approvals feature enhancements and the new Request Approvals API are expected to release in Sept. 2021. At that time, support for email-address alone as approver will be removed across the product, including API and custom scripts. Likewise, the custom script approvals input formats will also be upgraded. However, backward compatibility for the rest of the input format (excluding email-only approvers) will be provided for an additional period of 6 months from that release date.

Customers are suggested to check their usage of email-address alone as approvers in their workflows, integrations and automations. We also suggest migrating scripts to the new format during or shortly after the upgrade.

For any questions, you may reach us via the Community Forums or, by sending us a mail at servicedeskplus-support@manageengine.com

Thank You.

Regards,

Theodore R