Constructing the email message template

The content of the email messages HCP sends is determined by the message template specified in the Message Settings section on the Email page. You can modify this template at any time. The Message Preview section shows a sample email that uses the current template.

The email template has three fields, each of which can be filled in with any combination of plain text and email template variables:

  • From

    Specifies the content of the email From line. This field must have a value. That value must have the form of a valid email address.

    Some email servers require that the value in the From line be an email address that is already known to the server.

  • Subject

    Specifies the content of the email Subject line. This field must have a value.

    For the email template subject, plain text can include spaces but not line breaks or tabs.

  • Body

    Specifies the body of the email. This field is optional.

    For the email template body, plain text can include spaces and line breaks but not tabs. The character sequence consisting of a backslash (\) followed by a lowercase n creates a line break.

Email template variables

The values you specify in the From, Subject, and Body fields in the email template can include variables that correspond to the information available for each log message (for example, the severity of the event that triggered the message or the short description of the event). When sending email, HCP replaces the variables in the email message with the applicable information.

To include a variable in the email template, you specify the variable name preceded by the dollar sign ($). A dollar sign followed by anything other than a variable name is displayed as a dollar sign in the email HCP sends.

The list below lists the variables you can use in the email template.

  • $action

    The action to take in response to the message

  • $date

    The date and time at which the event occurred (for example, Wed Feb 8 2012 3:15:57 PM EST)

  • $fullText

    The full text of the message

  • $id

    The message ID

  • $location

    The fully qualified name of the HCP system on which the event occurred (for example, hcp-ma.example.com)

  • $origin

    For user-initiated events, the IP address from which the event request was sent and the port through which HCP received the event request, separated by a colon (for example, 192.168.152.181:8000)

  • $reason

    The reason why HCP issued the message

  • $scope

    Either Tenant or Namespace

  • $severity

    The severity of the event that triggered the message

  • $shortText

    A brief description of the event that triggered the message

  • $type

    The type of message (General, Security, or Compliance), preceded by Important and a comma if the message is important (for example, Important, Security)

  • $user

    The user ID and username of the event initiator (for example, 105ff38f-4770-4f98-b5b3-8371ab0af359 lgreen)