Automatic message assignment provides for the automatic distribution of incoming Shared Mailbox messages among users. Here we describes how the two automatic assignment methods—round robin and load balanced work in Emailgistics.

When Automatic Assignment Occurs

Messages arriving in Emailgistics may be assigned to users by the “Assign replies to previous owner” option or by mailbox rules. If neither of these possibilities results in a message being assigned, and if the shared mailbox has an assignment method of round robin or load balanced, Emailgistics tries to assign the message automatically.

Ineligible Users

Common to both auto-assignment methods are some rules removing a user from consideration. A user is ineligible for automatic assignment of a message if any one of the following is true:

• The user’s Don’t auto-assign attribute is set for the user.
• The user is not currently working according to their schedule or if using manual availability the user is currently unavailable. This restriction takes into account the daily scheduled hours as well as breaks, vacations, sick days and holidays.
• The user’s team folder for the mailbox already has the number of messages specified by their Maximum Messages setting. Messages in the Snoozed folder are not counted.Find the security group you created for the app registration and click on it.

Automatic Assignment Options

Round Robin

The round robin assignment method is very simple. Messages arriving in a shared mailbox are assigned to eligible users in turn. The internal user ID, which corresponds to the order in which users were created, determines the order of assignment.

Round robin assignment does not guarantee that each user in a shared mailbox will have an equal number of messages. Factors that could result in uneven distribution of messages include assignment of message by rules, assignment by the Assign customer replies to previous owner option and the speed at which each user handles messages.

Load Balanced

This assignment method operates just like the round robin method except that instead of assignment rotating among all eligible shared mailbox users, the eligible user with the lowest number of assigned messages in the shared mailbox is assigned each message. When two or more users are tied for fewest messages, assignment occurs at random.

Behavior When Automatic Assignment Is Impossible

Auto-assignment may not be possible when a message first arrives, due to there being no users eligible to receive messages at that time. If this is the case, the message remains in the inbox for the mailbox. Then, every minute, the system reattempts auto-assignment of the message. If there are multiple messages in the inbox, messages are selected for auto-assignment is in order of their receipt, so the oldest message will be the first to be assigned.

Enabling Automatic Assignment Methods in Emailgistics

In Emailgistics, administrators have the ability to enable automatic assignment methods to streamline message distribution among users within a shared mailbox.

By enabling automatic assignment methods in Emailgistics, incoming messages will be automatically distributed among users within the shared mailbox according to the chosen method. Users will no longer need to manually assign messages from the inbox using the Emailgistics add-in.

Choosing the Right Option

When selecting the appropriate assignment method in Emailgistics, it’s essential to consider your organization’s workflow, team dynamics, and messaging volume.

• Round Robin: Opt for Round Robin if you prioritize simplicity and fairness in message distribution, and if your team’s workload is relatively consistent.
• Load Balanced: Choose Load Balanced if you need efficient workload distribution, especially in environments with varying message volumes or workload capacities among team members.

By carefully considering your organization’s needs and team dynamics, you can select the assignment method that best aligns with your goals and enhances productivity within your Emailgistics environment.