Configure email automations to notify recipients when new recordings or captures land in a folder.
Email automations send instant notifications to team members when recordings or captures are added to a folder. This is the simplest automation type and requires no third-party integrations or OAuth connections.
When to Use Email Automations
Email automations work well for:
Team notifications — Alert team leads about new submissions
On-call alerts — Notify engineers about critical bug reports
Stakeholder updates — Keep management informed on specific folders
Distribution lists — Send to group emails or mailing lists
Cross-team visibility — CC multiple departments on important recordings
Email vs. Slack
Use email when:
Recipients don't use Slack regularly
You need a permanent record in email
Routing to ticketing systems via email
Reaching external stakeholders
Use Slack when:
Your team lives in Slack
You want immediate visibility
You need threaded discussions
Interactive buttons would be useful
Setup
Configure recipients
To (required): Enter one or more email addresses separated by commas:
CC (optional): Add carbon copy recipients:
BCC (optional): Add blind carbon copy recipients who receive emails without other recipients knowing:
Use Distribution Lists
Instead of listing individual emails, use group addresses:
This makes it easier to manage recipients without updating automations.
Configure email content
Choose what to include in the email body:
Include video preview
Thumbnail image of the recording
✅ Yes
Include recording link
Direct link button to view recording
✅ Yes (required)
Include metadata
Browser, OS, screen resolution
For technical teams
Include console errors
JavaScript errors from the recording
For bug reports
Include system info
Full environment details
For debugging
The default email body includes:
Recording title
Customer email who submitted it
Recording duration
Submission timestamp
Direct link to view the recording
Optional: Customize email body
For advanced users, enable Custom Email Body to write your own HTML template.
Example custom template:
HTML Email Tips
Use inline CSS styles (external stylesheets don't work)
Test with multiple email clients
Keep layouts simple (avoid complex CSS)
Always include a plain-text link to the recording
Test the automation
Before saving, test the email:
Click Send Test Email at the bottom of the form
Check your inbox within 30 seconds
Verify the formatting and content
Check that all template variables populated correctly
Click the recording link to ensure it works
Test checklist:
☐ Email arrived in inbox (not spam)
☐ Subject line formatted correctly
☐ All template variables populated (no
{{}}showing)☐ Video preview displays (if enabled)
☐ Recording link works
☐ Layout looks good on desktop and mobile
If something looks wrong, edit the settings and test again.
Template Variables
Customize subject lines and email bodies with these variables:
Recording Information
{{recording.title}}
Recording title
"Checkout not working"
{{recording.url}}
Link to recording
"https://app.screendesk.io/r/abc..."
{{recording.duration}}
Length in seconds
"45"
{{recording.created_at}}
Submission time
"Feb 6, 2026 at 2:30 PM"
Technical Details
{{recording.browser}}
Browser name/version
"Chrome 121.0.6167"
{{recording.os}}
Operating system
"macOS 14.3"
{{recording.resolution}}
Screen resolution
"2560x1440"
{{recording.country}}
Geographic location
"United States"
Error Information
{{recording.console_errors}}
JavaScript console errors (formatted)
{{recording.network_errors}}
Failed HTTP requests (formatted)
Folder & Account
{{folder.name}}
Folder name
"Bug Reports"
{{account.name}}
Workspace name
"Acme Corp"
View complete variable reference →
Configuration Examples
Here are real-world email automation configurations:
Example 1: Simple Team Notification
Use case: Alert support team about new customer recordings
Configuration:
Recipients:
[email protected]Subject:
New customer recording: {{recording.title}}Options: Video preview ✓, Recording link ✓
This sends a clean, simple notification with everything the support team needs.
Example 2: Engineering Bug Alert
Use case: Notify engineers about technical issues with full debugging context
Configuration:
Recipients:
[email protected]Subject:
🐛 Bug Report: {{recording.title}}Options: Video preview ✓, Recording link ✓, Console errors ✓, System info ✓
Engineers get immediate visibility with all technical details included.
Example 3: VIP Customer Escalation
Use case: Alert leadership when VIP customers submit recordings
Configuration:
Recipients:
[email protected], [email protected]Subject:
⭐ VIP Customer Recording from {{recording.customer_email}}Options: Video preview ✓, Recording link ✓, Metadata ✓
Multiple stakeholders stay informed about high-value customer issues.
Example 4: Daily Digest
Use case: Send summary emails instead of individual notifications
Digest Approach
Screendesk sends individual emails for each recording. To create digest-style notifications:
Use a distribution list with digest settings enabled in your email system
Or use a webhook automation to a service that batches emails
Or configure your email client to create digest rules
Native digest support is on the roadmap.
Email Delivery
Sender Information
All emails are sent from:
Recipients cannot reply directly to automation emails.
Delivery Timing
Emails send immediately when recordings are added
Typical delivery time: 10-30 seconds
Maximum delivery time: 2 minutes
If emails take longer, check the Screendesk status page.
Email Allowlisting
If emails go to spam, add these to your allowlist:
Sender domain:
SPF record:
DKIM domain:
Contact your IT team to add these to your email security configuration.
Troubleshooting
Emails not arriving
Missing template variables
If variables show as {{recording.title}} instead of actual values:
Check variable spelling (must match exactly)
Ensure variables are inside double braces
{{ }}Verify the data exists (not all recordings have console errors)
Test with a new recording that has the data you're referencing
Broken formatting
If custom HTML doesn't look right:
Use inline CSS styles only (no
<style>tags or external CSS)Test with simple HTML first
Preview in multiple email clients
Avoid complex layouts (tables work best)
Include fallback plain text
Too many emails
If you're getting too many notifications:
Reduce recipient count — Remove unnecessary people from the list
Use distribution lists — Let people opt in/out themselves
Create folder hierarchy — Use more specific folders with targeted automations
Add triage rules — Filter out low-priority recordings before they reach folders
Disable temporarily — Toggle off during high-volume periods
Best Practices
Use distribution lists
Instead of individual emails:
❌ Don't do this:
✅ Do this:
Distribution lists are easier to manage and let people opt in/out without editing automations.
Keep subjects short and front-loaded
Put key information at the start:
❌ Less effective:
✅ More effective:
Mobile email clients truncate long subjects.
Test before activating
Always send a test email before enabling:
Verify formatting looks good
Check that links work
Confirm variables populate
Test on both desktop and mobile
Send to yourself first, then add team
Don't over-notify
Reserve email automations for:
Important folders only
Escalations and urgent issues
Stakeholders who don't use Slack
Folders with low volume (< 10/day)
Too many emails leads to notification fatigue and ignored messages.
Include the recording link prominently
Make it easy for recipients to take action:
Always include the recording link
Use a button or bold link
Put it near the top of the email
Don't bury it in small text
Use folder-specific templates
Different folders need different messaging:
Bug reports: Include console errors and system info
Feature requests: Focus on customer email and description
VIP customers: Emphasize urgency and customer name
General support: Keep it simple with just the basics
Tailor each automation to its purpose.
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