Tracking email conversation in OpenERP Issue tracker.

So in Inigo we're trying to see whether we can use OpenERP for our support system. However, the email integration sucks, to the point that I had to hack it.

Hooking up email fetching to the issue module

This one is easy but not easily noticeable how to configure it. Take note that you need to use the extended UI.

1. open : Sales > Configuration > Email > Email Servers
2. Create an account to fetch from the support email account and hook the Model field to project.issue

Hooking up email sending for 'from' email

You'll to setup this before email sending from OpenERP will work.

1. open: Tools > Configuration > Email Templates > Email Account
2. Configure one smtp account with the support email address

Notifying a user when an issue is created

1. open: Sales > Configuration > Automated Actions
2. Create an automated action
3. Set trigger date to creation date
4. In actions tab, set responsible to the user who will receive the notification email
5. In email action tab, set source address to the support email address, and tick "Send to responsible"

Patching so that tracking email works nicely

Open addons/project_issue/project_issue.py and patch message_update function by adding this before return res line.

        for record in self.browse(cr, uid, ids, context=context):
            obj = record
            to_addr = record.email_from
            if obj.user_id:
               user_email = obj.user_id.address_id and obj.user_id.address_id.email or ''
            if to_addr == msg['from']:
               to_addr = user_email
            if to_addr:
               email_cc = (obj.email_cc or '').split(',')
               email_cc = filter(None, email_cc)
               if msg['from'] in email_cc:
                  email_cc.append(to_addr)
                  to_addr = user_email
               email_cc = filter(lambda x: x != msg['from'], email_cc)
               body = 'By %s: \n%s' % (msg['from'], msg['body'])
               tools.email_send('support@inigo-tech.com',
                             [to_addr],
                             'Re: [%d] %s' % (obj.id, tools.ustr(obj.name)),
                             tools.ustr(body),
                             openobject_id=str(obj.id),
                             email_cc=email_cc)

Now your support team and client can converse directly in email and it'll be tracked in the support system. Not a neat implementation, but good enough for my use i think.

That also should get around the frustration with the totally-not-nice-bug-thread-UI which OpenERP uses.

- Izhar Firdaus -